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News Article: John Stevens frontrunner for Canucks Head Coach

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Stevens usually handled the defensive details for the Kings. As detailed in his bio, which can be found here, http://kings.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=63134, Stevens helped the Kings PK to be fourth best and third in shots-against (27.9 shots per game).

He had strong ties with the LA organization and seemed to be very well liked by the players that he coached. Not sure how he is with kids but he coached a pretty young blueline this past season (and last season when you think about it, with Voynov being a rookie and Doughty and Martinez both being young players).

In terms of what system he runs, you'd probably be better off asking Flyers fans about that since they witnessed his performance as a head coach, but he seemed to get a lot out of that team, but we all know how stable the Flyers organization is when it comes to handling coaching and goaltending.

Personally, I'd be very disappointed to see Stevens go, but the man has the credentials to be a head coach and he deserves that honor.
 
Lucbourdon said:
Hey kings fans,

There have been a ton of rumors here in van that gillis has been waiting a long time to interview John Stevens and make him out next head coach.

I am just curious if you guys can give us a scouting report on him?, What kind of a coach is he? What has he brought to the kings? Do you like him/hate him?, Would you be sad to see him go?, His coaching style, His system he runs, How is he with kids, etc.

Thanks
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He's very much a player's coach, who employs a defensive system (as an assistant here, he was in charge of the defensemen).

I obviously don't speak for all Kings fans, but I think he was very well liked and respected, and would be missed. However, that was an assistant. He does work well with the prospects; with Mitchell and Greene out this season, the Kings had rookies and journeymen like Muzzin, Ellerby, Martinez, and Voynov on a regular basis. Voynov has been great. Martinez struggled. Muzzin... played like a rookie, but one thing the coaching staff (presumably John Stevens) told Muzzin was: your mistakes are forgivable as long as you play aggressive.

He was the interim head coach for a couple weeks after Murray was fired/before Sutter was hired. The team, as a whole, was pretty lifeless. So, while the team was underwhelming, it's not very fair to judge his interim performance based on a lifeless team... but at the same time, he didn't do much to get them out of it.

And I kid you not, but he took the team out to ice cream after Murray was fired.

http://twitter.com/#!/reporterchris/status/148825460200062976
 
In Philly he just seemed too laid back. He looked the same whether they were playing well or not. The players loved him, though. I like him as an assistant but he doesn't seem to have enough fire as a head coach.
 
MsWoof said:
In Philly he just seemed too laid back. He looked the same whether they were playing well or not. The players loved him, though. I like him as an assistant but he doesn't seem to have enough fire as a head coach.
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Funny, what you described is exactly what many of us thought of Terry Murray. Always even keel and not much fire behind the bench with him. But sometimes that works, depending on the dynamics of the players and the rest of the coaching staff.
 
I'll miss John Stevens. I always thought he was an awesome coach and was very happy when the Kings hired him. He definitely deserves a head coaching job, but I'd hate to see him go.

I recall us going 2-2 under him as interim coach? I also remember Richie's beautiful SO goal in Toronto and how happy I was after that win. Ecstatic almost.
 
John Shannon ‏@JSportsnet 4m

Canucks have requested to talk to Kings' Assistant John Stevens. Have yet to hear back from LA.
 
It's such a **** situation. You always want the best for your people, ala trading Lokti so he can thrive in NJ, which he will. But at the same time, you don't want to help out your enemies. With the Canucks entering our division, plus the two playoff series vs them in recent years, they're sort of rivals to us now. I feel torn about this. John deserves to succeed and he'd be a good head coach but **** Vancouver and **** helping them in any way.
 
cnshockey said:
It's such a **** situation. You always want the best for your people, ala trading Lokti so he can thrive in NJ, which he will. But at the same time, you don't want to help out your enemies. With the Canucks entering our division, plus the two playoff series vs them in recent years, they're sort of rivals to us now. I feel torn about this. John deserves to succeed and he'd be a good head coach but **** Vancouver and **** helping them in any way.
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Pretty much.

Rafa Nadal said:
They probably called Leiweke's old contact number.
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LoL.
 
CowMix said:
lol can we say no?
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Of course. He's under contract.

But it usually causes ill will between said assistant coach and management, and once it gets out that management will hold you hostage, other assistants aren't inclined to want to sign with you.

It's such a **** situation. You always want the best for your people, ala trading Lokti so he can thrive in NJ, which he will. But at the same time, you don't want to help out your enemies. With the Canucks entering our division, plus the two playoff series vs them in recent years, they're sort of rivals to us now. I feel torn about this. John deserves to succeed and he'd be a good head coach but **** Vancouver and **** helping them in any way.
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I don't see how Stevens would help them that much. He's a good coach, but he's a defense first coach. Scoring has been their problem, particularly in the playoffs. How do you think he'd help them elevate their game to the next level?
 
MsWoof said:
In Philly he just seemed too laid back. He looked the same whether they were playing well or not. The players loved him, though. I like him as an assistant but he doesn't seem to have enough fire as a head coach.
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Ziggy Stardust said:
Funny, what you described is exactly what many of us thought of Terry Murray. Always even keel and not much fire behind the bench with him. But sometimes that works, depending on the dynamics of the players and the rest of the coaching staff.
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Like Sutter?
 
King'sPawn said:
I don't see how Stevens would help them that much. He's a good coach, but he's a defense first coach. Scoring has been their problem, particularly in the playoffs. How do you think he'd help them elevate their game to the next level?
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I honestly don't think THAT highly of him as a head coach but he's a great defensive coach for us and I'd rather not give up an asset for us, especially if it would at all benefit Vancouver in any way.
 
In terms of what system he runs, you'd probably be better off asking Flyers fans about that since they witnessed his performance as a head coach, but he seemed to get a lot out of that team, but we all know how stable the Flyers organization is when it comes to handling coaching and goaltending.
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I liked him and didn't mind the fact the media and some fans thought he was too staid . Philly fans like fire.
He won a Calder Cup (AHL Champ) with the Phantoms and worked well with the younger players. Something that he continued when he moved up from the Phantoms to the parent club Flyers
He led them to the ECF in 2008 and although Richards played every game in 2009 and had his best year, he blew out both shoulders and needed surgery on both, thus the Flyers were out fast that year I the playoffs. They got off to a slow start in 2009 and Ed being impatient, fired him. And I think it was because he was too laid back and Ed wanted a coach more like him, and there was Lavvy available.

He was criticized by thje local media (imagine that) for being too close to his players, esp the young guys and there were plenty. And that those young guns needed a firmer hand. He was esp close to Richards (and said when Richards was traded to the Kings he was almost like a son to him) and I think that him being fired affected Richards for awhile and Lavvy was 360 in the other direction. Richards maintained a close relationship after Stevens left and having John on the Kings made his transition ALOT easier.

But he got results, he taught his players how to defend their zone first and it never hurt the skilled players, they got offensive results, Carter scored a bunch and Gagne and Richards did as well > ( Between the 3 of them 2008-09 they put up over 100 goals Lupol, Hartnell and Knuble added close to 80) Richards best years offensively were with Stevens. Carter put up 46 goals and 84 points under JS.

I still think they got rid of him because they wanted Lavvy. I think had they given Stevens more time that year, he would have had the same results. A good part of that team was Stevens team and for me, the reason they went deep in 2010 was not because of Lavvy's system as much as it was the way those forwards (from stevens0 could defend their zone. Richards, Carter and Gagne were all good 2 way players and that was a big difference on that 2010 team. Now their all gone for the most part and the Lavvy Flyers can't even defend their own shadow.

A lot of the Kings success is tied to his defense and PK work. And if not in Vancover (which I think is not a good fit, given the team there) where ever he lands, he'll do well.
 
Sybil227 said:
Since he is under contract to us, if they want to sign him to head coach, is it usual to get some sort of compensation back from them?
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Not anymore. The last time compensation was given was when the Kings traded a pick to the Flyers for Dean Lombardi as a GM. After that, Bettman said that the trading of picks for personnel would not be accepted.

Although recently, I've read about managers not being happy about personnel being taken without compensation.

However, at this point, it's still not been common practice since 2006.
 
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