sportsnet: LA Kings could move on from coach Darryl Sutter this off-season

[kingskring]

s some coaches prepare their players for a big post-season run, others might soon be packing their bags.

The 2016-17 campaign saw a fair number of firings and hirings—Florida, St. Louis, Montreal, Boston, and the Islanders all made mid-season coaching changes—and all signs point to several more teams participating in the coaching carousel this summer.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said he believes we’ll be seeing “a pretty significant number†of new hires this off-season, starting with the NHL’s newest team.

“Among the things that we’re keeping an eye on, Las Vegas still has to hire a coach,†Friedman said during Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday. “George McPhee hired Dale Hunter to coach his Capitals in 2011. I believe he reached out and asked Dale Hunter, ‘would you be interested in being the first coach of Las Vegas?’ Dale Hunter said no, he’d like to stay in London.â€

Hunter has coached the London Knights since 2001-02, and has had continued success with the OHL powerhouse.

According to Kelly Hrudey, the Los Angeles Kings might also be keeping an eye on the coaching market as the Darryl Sutter era may be coming to an end.

“I’m hearing Darryl Sutter might not be back with the Kings,†Hrudey said.

The Kings haven’t looked like the same heavyweight team that won two Stanley Cups in three years (2012, 2014), and weren’t able to break into the post-season picture this year. Sutter took the reins midway through the 2011-12 season.

Hrudey believes the speed of the game today is simply too much for the Kings.

“They’re having these discussions about style of play. Is it Darryl’s style that just doesn’t work in today’s game, with the speed and so on, or is their organization that they put on those kinds of players?†he said. “I’ve covered them twice in the last eight days, and I don’t know if that group can play fast enough.â€

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/la-kings-move-coach-darryl-sutter-off-season/

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[kingsfan28]

After today's usual grumpy presser, even he sees his time in LA is done. Dean was stupid to resign him for 2 more years after the last seasons meltdown and butt kicking the the playoffs. That should've ended the Sutter era.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Hrudey is their source?

 

[kingskring]

Hrudey is their source?

apparently

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Hrudey is a TV broadcaster based out of Alberta. I wouldn't doubt him.

 

[Omni Owl]

Hopefully this is true, its time for him to go. I'm disappointed he didn't split down the end stretch of the season.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

He's covered them twice in the last eight days. Well, he knows everything then.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

This is good news.

 

[CanadianKingsFan14]

We need a change in coach. Sutter's style doesn't cut it anymore. We can't handle the skilled teams with speed. Our system needs to change with the current style teams are playing. This is a key off-season to where this team is headed within the next few years. We need more skill and speed. Kempe, LaDue, and Brodzinski are starts.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

He's covered them twice in the last eight days. Well, he knows everything then.

I laughed at this line too.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

I'd rather a team that's good than fast.

Thanks for the hot take, Kelly.

 

[CTKingsFan]

This is classic say something, but don't really say anything. I think anyone of us could give the scoop that the Kings may(key word) let go of Darryl Sutter at the end of season. That's just putting two and two together. Saying the Kings are going to fire Sutter at the end of the year would be a scoop.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I'd rather a team that's good than fast.

Thanks for the hot take, Kelly.

The Kings are neither.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

The Kings are neither.

I had to sit down when I realized this as well.

Point is, the concepts are not synonymous.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I just don't see how you can justify bringing Sutter back for another year after the disaster that 2015-2017 has been

 

[kingsholygrail]

Lindy was let go today. Kings next coach?

 

[johnjm22]

I'd rather a team that's good than fast.

Well put.

You can win with different styles. "Today's NHL" isn't any different than 2012 and 2014.

The Kings were never slow anyways. That's a myth. When teams win they look fast. When they lose they look slow.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Lindy was let go today. Kings next coach?

Please no. Then again, it would complete a hat trick of three consecutive coaches who love boring hockey and prefer the game speed to be at the pace of a crawl.

 

[Fishhead]

If Sutter does go, I'd like to see someone with a little adaptability. Not just throwing the same strategies every second of every game.

 

[LAKings88]

The Kings have played defensive hockey for long, I do wonder how they would handle a different pace.

 

[deaderhead28]

Per Spike Coffman
Hurricanes win in a shootout. Kings either going 10th or 12th now in lottery. Kings lose and it's 10th, Kings win and it's 12th.

 

[The Tikkanen]

In a perfect world Sutter would retire today.

 

[KopitarFAN]

I wish they had a "black monday" the day after the season like in the NFL, and we would probably know today.

 

[Inner Turbulence]

Quote from a Calgary based friend of mine:

john shannon of sportnet is a buddy of Sutters. on air the other day he said that there is a clause that if sutter isn't coach next year they need to pay him like $5M. i doubt they do that. he's their one more year imo.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Quote from a Calgary based friend of mine:

Dean Lombardi is a terrible negotiator.