Speculation: Fire Rob Blake Blow it Up Offseason Thread (update: Robitaille, Blake and Hiller stay)

[Chazz Reinhold]

I forgot Danault. You're right.

Gavrikov is a fun, personable dude, not sure I'd say he's a leader the same way others generally get described or behaved as.

I've yet to see someone refute the flaw in saying Byfield coasted until the last game of the season to hit his bonuses. If he was just coasting, wouldn't he have hit his bonuses then stopped playing?

And while nobody was great, Byfield was one of the better players in the playoffs. You know, when they don't get extra money.

Not to mention that his slump coincided with another illness that caused him to lose weight.

 

[KINGS17]

People who actually play against him find him difficult to play against even as recently as this year: NHLPA Player Poll 2023-24

Ranked 3rd among all players as "most complete" (higher than McDavid) and fourth most difficult to face in their own end. Generally players who don't hold themselves accountable are missing from the lists.

You're the one claiming he doesn't hold himself accountable. Where's your proof he doesn't? Since when is the expectation to disprove someone's claims, instead of defending your own?

"If everyone is good, no one has to be great."

- Anze Kopitar

The man is paid to be great, not ask everyone else to be good. Is he great sometimes? Sure, but that isn't the same as holding himself personally accountable for the team's success. His laissez-faire approach, as demonstrated by the above quote, sets the tone for the entire team.

 

[KINGS17]

Frank Sereveli (no way I spelt that right) was on the fan 960 yesterday afternoon. He said he was baffled about the lack of the Kings doing a coaching search. He said even if Hiller was their guy why not take interviews to get views from other coaches about what is wrong with the team, what system tweaks would work with current roster, and just to get different viewpoints. He said LA did none of that. he said he was not sure why they were sold on Hiller as well.
Very disappointing to hear, but fair for him to be so blatant.

What? That would take work on the part of BLuc in defining the attributes a new coach should have including a philosophy for winning and a high-level of competitiveness. Lucky and Blakey don't have a clue when it comes to any of this.

 

[YP44]

Danault, Lewis.....Gavrikov maybe? PLD anyone.....too soon?


Yep, and just want to clarify, that whole, spouting off BS etc, was at K17 not you lol the way you quoted it, just wanted to make sure

all good, i knew

I've always thought loud mouth Drew would've been Brown's successor as Captain once he retired. I wasn't around at the time but when I found out Brown was stripped of the captaincy, I thought it was weird Kopi got the nod instead of Drew. He is the only one I can really see mouthing off the team and calling them out for their poor play. We've seen it this season. If there was some sort of captaincy shake up i'd like to see:

C - Doughty
A- Mikey
A- Most likely Kopi keeps a letter, if not Kempe or Danault

I never liked Doughty with the A let a lone the C. When he first got the A he whines too much. He has definitely come along way in that regard though.

 

[BigKing]

If you want to shake things up and signal a change in direction, finally, the C goes to Kempe.

Swagger. Playoff performer.

 

[The Butcher]

Kopitar will go down as the greatest LA King of all time when it's all said and done and, to me, it's not even close.

He is not the problem, building a "contending" roster with him playing 21 minutes a night as the 1C at his advanced age is the problem. It's always been a deployment issue if you ask me.

 

[Lt Dan]

If you want to shake things up and signal a change in direction, finally, the C goes to Kempe.

Swagger. Playoff performer.

For the record, I agree with you. But it'll be Kopitar's until he retires and then I think they give it Doughty next

But it really should be Kempe

 

[Telos]

I finally got around to watching the Hiller video. I honestly liked a lot of the questions asked, the media definitely alluded to most of the concerns of the fanbase. i.e. Are there consequences for not reaching the goal/mandate? Are you concerned that you signed a boat anchor that isn't performing? Why the f*** is Fiala playing with Lizotte and Lewis? Are you seriously going back to the 1-3-1? Why the f*** is PLD getting ice time if he isn't doing anything? Blah blah.

The answers were expected, neutral, and calculated. I don't think they said the wrong things, they did get some nice quotes in there, but obviously they don't have any answers other than we are going to keep doing what they are doing, we are still trying to figure it out, and that we were close and expect to compete.

There's going to be a lot of apathy until this management group are gone, or we miraculously do something and win.

 

[Schrute farms]

Kopitar will go down as the greatest LA King of all time when it's all said and done and, to me, it's not even close.

He is not the problem, building a "contending" roster with him playing 21 minutes a night as the 1C at his advanced age is the problem. It's always been a deployment issue if you ask me.

Further, it's not Kopitar's fault that the team around him is small and lacks chippy, attacking, punishing game. It's the FOs fault for not supplementing what he brings to the game/team and filling out the roster with physical, chippy, punishing etc. type. Even if Kopi was the meanest, baddest #1C in the league, he'd be just one guy and that doesn't help the remaining roster of primarily small, weak, soft, non-fighting/physical guys. It's a whole roster mindset that is built and is pushed down from FO to coaches to players. Bring in Wilson and we're the same team except for just one dude.

 

[King'sPawn]

"If everyone is good, no one has to be great."

- Anze Kopitar

The man is paid to be great, not ask everyone else to be good. Is he great sometimes? Sure, but that isn't the same as holding himself personally accountable for the team's success. His laissez-faire approach, as demonstrated by the above quote, sets the tone for the entire team.

So your evidence of him not holding himself accountable is your biased perception of what a quote from at least a decade ago meant.

Even though it's something we all agree with? Teams shouldn't expect one person to do all the work? A sentiment shared by Sutter?

It's such a hilarious parody.

 

[Nasti]

“We were right there” and acting like if we could just score a little more and go to the net more with players like Lizotte, Moore, and Arvidsson. The level of delusion from this organization is just concerning at this point. Not even just as a fan. But it’s almost cult-like in how they see a completely different reality from everyone on the outside.

 

[Fripp]

For the record, I agree with you. But it'll be Kopitar's until he retires and then I think they give it Doughty next

But it really should be Kempe

100% Kempe. He's the only guy on the team, except maybe Danault, who has a next gear to really battle. Dude is a Viking. Unfortunately it takes more than a couple guys to build a culture.

 

[bland]

Kopitar will go down as the greatest LA King of all time when it's all said and done and, to me, it's not even close.

He is not the problem, building a "contending" roster with him playing 21 minutes a night as the 1C at his advanced age is the problem. It's always been a deployment issue if you ask me.

Doughty is superior to Kopitar in every sense of the word.

Kopitar has rarely been even a top 10 center in this league, Doughty was the top defenseman on the planet for a good 4 years. Longevity is similar, but peak Doughty was miles and miles ahead of peak Kopitar.

 

[Master Yoda]

So your evidence of him not holding himself accountable is your biased perception of what a quote from at least a decade ago meant.

Even though it's something we all agree with? Teams shouldn't expect one person to do all the work? A sentiment shared by Sutter?

It's such a hilarious parody.

I'm pretty sure that quote was within the last 3-4 years, and has been repeated by people around the team/media as late as this past season.

I think his on-ice performance indicates he holds himself accountable as a player, no doubt a hall of fame career, but not as a captain of this team.

 

[bland]

So your evidence of him not holding himself accountable is your biased perception of what a quote from at least a decade ago meant.

Even though it's something we all agree with? Teams shouldn't expect one person to do all the work? A sentiment shared by Sutter?

It's such a hilarious parody.

Here's that old excuse again...

That quote is his entire ethos and has been a literal translation of Kopitar's entire career. When "everyone" was good nobody needed to be great - but when "everyone" wasn't good, and they needed somebody to be great (which is the overwhelmingly vast majority of Anze's career as a King) nobody stepped up to be great to carry the team. Anze was always the most capable, but his remarkably consistent career has not been marked with times of rising to meet the occasion when the team badly needed someone to take charge and lead from the front. Anze is an incredible technician, but he is no leader.

 

[funky]

There was a moment where Blake acted weird and started talking about people needing to be “uncomfortable”. Total 180 from the previous press conference of being family and having Christmas gatherings talk.

“We need to be uncomfortable and it starts….right now!” WTF was that?

Please say that Blake doesn’t agree with Luc and the Kings are getting rid of Luc. He is the most delusional of everyone. That press conference showed how in touch he really is. Between the uniform designs and colors, more effort put into promoting past crap like bark mania and his Family Christmas speech I a more then done with him. Want a hockey mind in there

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

“We were right there” and acting like if we could just score a little more and go to the net more with players like Lizotte, Moore, and Arvidsson. The level of delusion from this organization is just concerning at this point. Not even just as a fan. But it’s almost cult-like in how they see a completely different reality from everyone on the outside.

Lizotte, sure, I got ya there, you are really putting Moore and Arvidsson with that? WHY?

 

[AbsentMojo]

Elliotte (not Helene) with some good bits

 

[King'sPawn]

Here's that old excuse again...

That quote is his entire ethos and has been a literal translation of Kopitar's entire career. When "everyone" was good nobody needed to be great - but when "everyone" wasn't good, and they needed somebody to be great (which is the overwhelmingly vast majority of Anze's career as a King) nobody stepped up to be great to carry the team. Anze was always the most capable, but his remarkably consistent career has not been marked with times of rising to meet the occasion when the team badly needed someone to take charge and lead from the front. Anze is an incredible technician, but he is no leader.

So you're agreeing that the only evidence of Kopitar not holding himself accountable is an old quote and your own perception of him not doing enough, even though he played countless minutes both offensively and defensively, led the team in scoring, and has consistently been one of the best defensive forwards on the team, if not the league.

And you of course know better than those who played with and against him. Including today where he's regarded as one of "the most complete" players. Got it.

No bias from you or K17 whatsoever. It's us irrational fanboys who are the ones making excuses.

I'm pretty sure that quote was within the last 3-4 years, and has been repeated by people around the team/media as late as this past season.

It was initially said during the cup years and was referenced during Kopitar's extension why the Kings shouldn't sign him. The "truth speakers" have been hanging onto this quote for several years now to claim:
- he doesn't care
- he doesn't care enough
- he doesn't hold himself accountable

Of course there were earlier years when it was implied he was just a soft Euro back in 2009 or 2010. But you get the point.

I think his on-ice performance indicates he holds himself accountable as a player, no doubt a hall of fame career, but not as a captain of this team.

They should have some additional leadership to supplement him if not change the captaincy. I agree Kopitar's not enough.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Have I ever? I can't speak to your memories of them, but ya gotta think your memories along with others, are tainted by this board, not Kopitar or Doughts play of sorts....

They are fine players - no longer core players. I just really want there to be new leadership and vision for the team. The cup legend worship thing was fine for awhile, but it would be nice for the torch to be passed so we can get excited about a new rising core. I dont like the roster at all... starting with the top 4 D all basically stay at home/ shutdown guys with no offense or physicality (except maybe some for Mikey). No goaltending. None of the forward lines have any cohesion. There is very little grit anywhere on the roster. I guess if the roster was better composed, DD and Kopi would be just fine and not attracting any criticism because the team would be playing well... but since they were the highest paid guys on the team, you look at what they provided and it was not commensurate with their salaries. Kopi now at 7m is better and some of that can go to Q. Want to see Q play center next season and Clarke in top 4. That would give me some hope.

 

[Nasti]

Lizotte, sure, I got ya there, you are really putting Moore and Arvidsson with that? WHY?

Because they’re all little and asking them to crash the net more is not going to end the way management thinks.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Because they’re all little and asking them to crash the net more is not going to end the way management thinks.

Ah, ok, disagree with you a bit, size isn't really the issue when going to the net.

 

[ru4reals]

Three more years of Hiller. Hoping for an 0 and 11 road and home start to next season. Maybe that'll get a clean housing. Lol.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I think I was the first to bring up a captaincy change in this thread. I had never even thought of it, until after the presser, when they said "everything is being looked at" I at least believe this, as opposed to other things that have been said that were just lip service....I finally sense they know there are real issues and they will try to address them all. No way they can change out enough players and bring others in, to make up how far they are off from contending. Would take some freakish things...like Kempe, Fiala and QB all going to 40 goals. Yeah, right. And a true #1 goalie, that can steal games.

I think they will have discussions with Kopitar about the team and his thoughts on systems...and the room. I could honestly see Kopi be the one to bring up passing the torch to the next capt. Any time a C is changed, it is not always an insult, or because of failure or lack of leadership. I still don't know the circumstances of Kopi given the C from Brown. Was Brown a bad leader? No way. Kopi may see it's best for the team for changes and he will not necessarily take on any less of a role. I think Kopi is one of the best EVER King players in all respects and there are no Cups without him. I have zero issues with him...any time he has not produced. was not all on him and he was probably playing injured more than we will ever know...my only gripe was the half wall PP years, where he had 1 or 2 PP goals, that one season. How the F? If there is a change in C, it would not go down as him being asked to consider giving it up. No way. I think it would go down as a discussion of room leadership with him and it would be his idea to pass the torch and his call to who he would want to pass it on to...Kempe? Mikey? Drew? The thing with Drew, is it may be best to go to a younger player.

I just believe will be a Summer of some surprises and 'uncomfortable' changes.

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

You guys filling your diapers about the captaincy changing the letters around isn't gonna do anything for this roster. Name the best captain in the league and replace Kopi with him. We still don't win shit