next Kings COACH...

[crassbonanza]

Because Sutter was already in the plans of coaching the Kings. Plus they kept Stevens in the org when Sutter joined.

WD was told his services were no longer required, therefore, fired.

WD was not fired, he was hired as an interim coach to finish off the season and the season ended. I honestly don't understand the idea of counting an interim as a coach fired, there is an expiration date already on the contract...

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Come on, you are being ridiculous. WD was hired as an interim coach, his tenure had an expiration date on it from the time he was hired. We are speaking of including coaches a GM has hired, it is unfair to include WD in this conversation when he was obviously not chosen as a long term solution. He was a stop gap, similar to what Stevens was. The reality is, Blake has hired 1 coach in Stevens at this point(and there is debate about whether the promotion was a part of a handshake agreement).

Comparing Stevens as an interim to Desjardins as an interim is apples to oranges. Sutter was the choice to take over in December 2011, but he needed to get his family situation straightened out in Alberta so Stevens stepped up from his role as an assistant coach to interim coach for 4 games (with a little Dairy Queen thrown in there). He was a place holder until Sutter could arrive.

Desjardins was hired to take over for the rest of the season, not to fill in until the preselected coach could get to Los Angeles. Desjardins was also hired at a time when Blake still thought the Kings might be able to turn the season around. He was not a placeholder. He was the guy chosen to coach the team for 85% of the season in an attempt to turn things around. Blake wasn't trying to run out the clock after 13 games.

 

[King'sPawn]

WD was not fired, he was hired as an interim coach to finish off the season and the season ended. I honestly don't understand the idea of counting an interim as a coach fired, there is an expiration date already on the contract...

Stevens role changed from assistant coach to interim coach for 3 games to assistant coach. He remained employed with the organization and actually contributed to the organization.
Willie Desjardins role changed from interim coach for 70 games to unemployed.

If you want to say Lombardi hired four coaches, fine. The point is that Blake will have anointed someone as head coach for the foreseeable future for the third time in two years. In the same time frame, Lombardi was moving on from Crawford to Terry Murray.

 

[deeshamrock]

Did TMac sign with us??? the board seems to think so

So does Dennis Bernstein...5 yr deal

 

[KingPuckChoo]

longest tenure for an "INTERIM" coach ever? probably

interim was just a noob move by Blake to protect his ass in case he f***s up so that it won't look as bad

Blake f***ed up... it didn't look as bad (to some)

 

[KingPuckChoo]

So does Dennis Bernstein...5 yr deal

i'll see you guys for the 2024-25 season

 

[member 88115]

So does Dennis Bernstein...5 yr deal

5 years does not seem like a bridge coach. lol, unless we are going on a full rebuild

 

[Choralone]

5 years does not seem like a bridge coach. lol, unless we are going on a full rebuild

Seems like the typical length of contract required to get a coach with pedigree. It doesn't mean we can't fire him a couple years down the road if circumstances change (i.e. we're a playoff team and he can't get us past the first round).

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

So does Dennis Bernstein...5 yr deal

Th at was from yesterday....then it was announced that TM was talking to BUF.

 

[crassbonanza]

Comparing Stevens as an interim to Desjardins as an interim is apples to oranges. Sutter was the choice to take over in December 2011, but he needed to get his family situation straightened out in Alberta so Stevens stepped up from his role as an assistant coach to interim coach for 4 games (with a little Dairy Queen thrown in there). He was a place holder until Sutter could arrive.

Desjardins was hired to take over for the rest of the season, not to fill in until the preselected coach could get to Los Angeles. Desjardins was also hired at a time when Blake still thought the Kings might be able to turn the season around. He was not a placeholder. He was the guy chosen to coach the team for 85% of the season in an attempt to turn things around. Blake wasn't trying to run out the clock after 13 games.

How can you possibly say that he wasn't a placeholder? It was made very clear the entire time that WD was an interim. How are we having revisions about this already?

 

[crassbonanza]

Stevens role changed from assistant coach to interim coach for 3 games to assistant coach. He remained employed with the organization and actually contributed to the organization.
Willie Desjardins role changed from interim coach for 70 games to unemployed.

If you want to say Lombardi hired four coaches, fine. The point is that Blake will have anointed someone as head coach for the foreseeable future for the third time in two years. In the same time frame, Lombardi was moving on from Crawford to Terry Murray.

I don't want to say that Lombardi hired 4 coaches, I'm pointing out that counting an interim coach as a hired/fired head coach of a GM is disingenuous. Again, how are you saying that WD was hired for the forseeable future? He had a clearly defined period of performance...

 

[DoktorJeep]

WD was not fired, he was hired as an interim coach to finish off the season and the season ended. I honestly don't understand the idea of counting an interim as a coach fired, there is an expiration date already on the contract...

I think the Kings were issuing paychecks to at least 2, possibly 3 head coaches this month, if Sutter is still under contract. Hell, Nachbaur is probably getting paid as well.

Blake made the hire on all those guys minus Sutter. He owns the money out the door regardless.

 

[crassbonanza]

I think the Kings were issuing paychecks to at least 2, possibly 3 head coaches this month, if Sutter is still under contract. Hell, Nachbaur is probably getting paid as well.

Blake made the hire on all those guys minus Sutter. He owns the money out the door regardless.

He promoted Stevens and hired an interim once he was fired. If you want him fired that's fine, but at least be honest about the situation.

 

[DoktorJeep]

He promoted Stevens and hired an interim once he was fired. If you want him fired that's fine, but at least be honest about the situation.

The promotion aspect is irrelevant when it comes to accountability for the decision. The only defensable excuse would be if the Stevens hire was a condition for Blake getting his job. And if that were true, then it would make Blake a true company hack.

 

[kingsfan28]

longest tenure for an "INTERIM" coach ever? probably

interim was just a noob move by Blake to protect his ass in case he ****s up so that it won't look as bad

Blake ****ed up... it didn't look as bad (to some)

What about Barry Melrosre in Tampa, didn't he get fired after 16 games. Rick Tocchet was an internim for 76 games.

WD was definately the wrong guy, but what other choice was there? Nobody wanted the interim job except WD. All the other guys wanted a long contract, or just didn't want the job. I'm pretty sure an ECHL coach would've done better than WD.

 

[King'sPawn]

I don't want to say that Lombardi hired 4 coaches, I'm pointing out that counting an interim coach as a hired/fired head coach of a GM is disingenuous. Again, how are you saying that WD was hired for the forseeable future? He had a clearly defined period of performance...

Blake has gone through two coaches and is hiring his third. Yes or no?

 

[KingPuckChoo]

What about Barry Melrosre in Tampa, didn't he get fired after 16 games. Rick Tocchet was an internim for 76 games.

WD was definately the wrong guy, but what other choice was there? Nobody wanted the interim job except WD. All the other guys wanted a long contract, or just didn't want the job. I'm pretty sure an ECHL coach would've done better than WD.

My question is then... why were we the only team in the NHL that hired a coach on an interim basis? And regardless of Blake's thinking here... it was obviously wrong

you have to admit, Blake sent mixed signals this year to the fans and the players

you trade Pearson for a vet = a minor shakeup/wakeup call and we're in it to win it
but then... you hire WD as an interim coach?
both can't happen with the same train of thought, it has to be a contradiction
and if Blake threw in the towel that fast after the Pearson trade, i also see that as poor. You just need to look at the teams that stuck with the program (ie STL, CHI)

in both cases, it was shown to us why "giving up" so early is a poor move, STL made the playoffs, and CHI is drafting ahead of LA

so it seems to me, that Blake lacks foresight and can only handle situations when they occur in the moment, and even then, it's average; something that most of us can do anyway

 

[crassbonanza]

Blake has gone through two coaches and is hiring his third. Yes or no?

We are going in circles at this point.

 

[crassbonanza]

My question is then... why were we the only team in the NHL that hired a coach on an interim basis?

Plenty of teams had an interim coach; Philly had Gordon, The Blues have Berube(Who may stay due to this turn around), Sens had Crawford and the f***ing Ducks GM took over as interim. The only difference is that Blake went outside of the organization to pull in an interim.

 

[King'sPawn]

We are going in circles at this point.

The whole point is Blake doesn't have many coaching hires left. He promoted Stevens to head coach and relieved him. He sought the services of WD and is not keeping him. There will now be a 3rd person who, if he does not meet the expectations, will be removed from his position.

How many coaching opportunities do you think a GM gets before they're next to go?

It was at this point the conversation got derailed into whether or not hiring an interim coach "counts".

 

[crassbonanza]

He sought the services of WD and is not keeping him.

This is where I believe you are being disingenuous, you continue to act as though WD was presented as anything other than a temporary stopgap until Blake could hire a permanent replacement. At no point did WD ever not have an interim tag, there was constant discussions regarding it. When Bob Murray hires a new coach, are you going to count Bob Murray as a hired and fired coach? However, again we are going in f***ing circles.

 

[deaderhead28]

Blake has gone through two coaches and is hiring his third. Yes or no?

How many coaches did ean Lombardi hire?

 

[King'sPawn]

This is where I believe you are being disingenuous, you continue to act as though WD was presented as anything other than a temporary stopgap until Blake could hire a permanent replacement. At no point did WD ever not have an interim tag, there was constant discussions regarding it. When Bob Murray hires a new coach, are you going to count Bob Murray as a hired and fired coach? However, again we are going in ****ing circles.

For real? You LITERALLY say just above:

Plenty of teams had an interim coach; Philly had Gordon, The Blues have Berube(Who may stay due to this turn around), Sens had Crawford and the ****ing Ducks GM took over as interim. The only difference is that Blake went outside of the organization to pull in an interim.

Berube has the chance to keep the role as head coach because he did a good job! WD did NOT do a good job, so he is not staying with the organization. Do you seriously think if WD did a fantastic job and was good for the organization, Blake would decide "Well, he's good, but his contract is up so we're going to let him go."

Bob Murray doesn't ****ing count because his ACTUAL job is to be the GM. He didn't go through the process of conducting an interview with himself, deciding he's the best fit for himself, negotiate a contract with himself and define the roles with himself. He didn't set the expectations with himself of "if I do a good enough job, I'm going to be a full time coach." Once Bob Murray actually hires a coach, he can go back to his usual duties.

This is also why Stevens doesn't ****ing count as an "interim coach" Lombardi hired. He was already being paid and hired by the Kings organization as an assistant coach. Lombardi basically needed someone to make sure the players didn't put their jockstrap on backwards for three games, because Darryl Sutter was already hired externally to be the coach.

I don't know how many different ways the clear difference can be established. Rob Blake used company resources to hire someone to perform a particular position. WD did not return results where the organization wants to keep him.

The organization kept Stevens and returned him to his role. They didn't "hire" him to be an interim coach for a few games. He was already under payroll.

The organization will keep Murray because they never hired him to be a coach in the first place. So no, the Ducks didn't "hire and fire" Bob Murray as a coach because he's been ****ing hired as a GM and is getting paid as such. AND HE'S NOT FIRED for his coaching performance!

If WD was hired to be an ice girl and then asked to fill in as a head coach when Stevens got fired until the end of the season, I would 100% agree with you. But he wasn't.

 

[deaderhead28]

So much whining going on.Been a fan since 82 and gone through so much mediocrity. It's a game folks,just a game.If you're jumping ship over this, then fair well.

 

[KINGS17]

i'll see you guys for the 2024-25 season

Will McLellan last 5 years? Will Robitaille and Blake last 5 years?