Who is the Kings head coach next season

[DoktorJeep]

i completely disagree, kings were 20-7-4 near the end of december before they completely collapsed in january (.367 win percentange !!). they looked great until they werent , thats what makes me think a good coach can get a LOT more out of this team. they were solid until January then Tmac got canned and hiller salvaged the season

 

[tny760]

i don't think it's quite right to say todd got a lot out of the team, early season they crushed a lot of cans and dragged enough playoff teams to OT to stay afloat

guess who we played in the awful month of january? mostly playoff teams. then the new coach buff.. and right back to can crushing and losing to playoff teams (dominating vancouver aside)

 

[SettlementRichie10]

i completely disagree, kings were 20-7-4 near the end of december before they completely collapsed in january (.367 win percentange !!). they looked great until they werent , thats what makes me think a good coach can get a LOT more out of this team. they were solid until January then Tmac got canned and hiller salvaged the season

The team was 16-4-3 on 12/9. This is the best their record ever got.

They went 4-3-1 over the next eight games to get to your cited 20-7-4 record. Two of those four wins in December were against San Jose, and one was a shootout win against Seattle.

During their opening 16-4-3 run, only FIVE of those wins came against playoff teams. Five.

If we go by your 20-7-4 record, guess how many of those twenty wins came against playoff teams? STILL FIVE.

This team is not good. There’s no ifs ands or buts about it. Over the final 64 games of the season, including playoffs, they went 29-27-8.

They had the following record against playoff teams:

15-17-7

THIS IS NOT A GOOD HOCKEY TEAM

 

[RocketKing]

View attachment 866316

He was pretty good when he coached Fiala, and he’s got allot of experience with good teams but nothing great in the playoffs

 

[theMajor]

The team was 16-4-3 on 12/9. This is the best their record ever got.

They went 4-3-1 over the next eight games to get to your cited 20-7-4 record. Two of those four wins in December were against San Jose, and one was a shootout win against Seattle.

During their opening 16-4-3 run, only FIVE of those wins came against playoff teams. Five.

If we go by your 20-7-4 record, guess how many of those twenty wins came against playoff teams? STILL FIVE.

This team is not good. There’s no ifs ands or buts about it. Over the final 64 games of the season, including playoffs, they went 29-27-8.

They had the following record against playoff teams:

15-17-7

THIS IS NOT A GOOD HOCKEY TEAM

I didnt say they were good, I said a good coach can get a lot more out of this team

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I didnt say they were good, I said a good coach can get a lot more out of this team

We saw them get a new coach and still tread water.

I just don’t see what kind of coach is going to magically transform this team into a contender. They simply don’t have the horses.

 

[Statto]

We saw them get a new coach and still tread water.

I just don’t see what kind of coach is going to magically transform this team into a contender. They simply don’t have the horses.

In fairness to all coaches everywhere, they might have half a chance if they are allowed to choose their own system.

 

[DoktorJeep]

In fairness to all coaches everywhere, they might have half a chance if they are allowed to choose their own system.

Pretty sure Todd chose to play a defensive system given the roster. Hiller did the same, albeit under different circumstances.

 

[bland]

Pretty sure Todd chose to play a defensive system given the roster. Hiller did the same, albeit under different circumstances.

And there is no problem to focus on x's and o's when you are building a team, but you need adaptability to move to the next level.

 

[theMajor]

We saw them get a new coach and still tread water.

I just don’t see what kind of coach is going to magically transform this team into a contender. They simply don’t have the horses.

the players this team has can produce better results than what Tmac and Hiller have accomplished thus far with the 1-3-1, that i am certain of. how much better is up for debate but I'd be willing to bet there's a much higher ceiling than we've seen so far. unfortunately with how blasé Luc and Knob Blake are, and from the seemingly organizational-level insistence on a 1-3-1, I dont see that changing too much until theyre both sent to the gulag. im getting flashbacks of the terry murray days where we were good enough to get into the playoffs but not good enough to do much else ...the roster now is better than it was then IMO

 

[SettlementRichie10]

the players this team has can produce better results than what Tmac and Hiller have accomplished thus far with the 1-3-1, that i am certain of. how much better is up for debate but I'd be willing to bet there's a much higher ceiling than we've seen so far. unfortunately with how blasé Luc and Knob Blake are, and from the seemingly organizational-level insistence on a 1-3-1, I dont see that changing too much until theyre both sent to the gulag. im getting flashbacks of the terry murray days where we were good enough to get into the playoffs but not good enough to do much else ...the roster now is better than it was then IMO

What? This team is nothing like the Terry Murray Kings.

The TM Kings were one of the youngest teams in the league and featured fantastic talent everywhere.

 

[theMajor]

that teams average age was what, 25-26? this team is barely 28 and is also loaded with talent

 

[BaileyFan]

that teams average age was what, 25-26? this team is barely 28 and is also loaded with talent

The only player on the roster who is considered a go-to guy who actually delivers that will be under 28 at the start of the season is Mikey Anderson, who’ll be 25. Everyone else is either in or past their prime and declining.

 

[Surf Nutz]

With the exit interviews in the book, the biggest can kicked down the road is the next head coach. There are a lot of questions whoever carries the water next season.

The system?
Line combos?
Salary?
Assistants?
Pierre’s confidence?
The whole team’s confidence?
Kopitar and Doughty’s minutes?
Clarke and Spence’s minutes?
QB and Pierre as centers or wings?
Akil, Turc, Arty worth a shit or not?
Is the goalie expensive, old or a journeyman who is this year’s Felix Potvin?
Can you make the playoffs?
Are you facing Edmonton?
Did you coach Rob Blake?

Very poorly timed poll, by a burnout Kings fan who didn't even do any research or even think about what he was asking

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-a...everal-external-options-for-coaching-position

 

[theMajor]

The only player on the roster who is considered a go-to guy who actually delivers that will be under 28 at the start of the season is Mikey Anderson, who’ll be 25. Everyone else is either in or past their prime and declining.

Kempe is 27, Fiala is 27, QB and Clarke are 21, Spence is 23, Dubois is only 25 and he's got upside but who f***in knows... Turcotte, Thomas. this team has a lot more skill but the big missing piece is a reliable goalie

 

[Statto]

Pretty sure Todd chose to play a defensive system given the roster. Hiller did the same, albeit under different circumstances.

Given the recent statements from BLuc, whilst I’m sure Todd had input, they have strongly indicated that it’s their system. Did Hiller choose it? I’m not convinced, his statements on systems could easily be him just toeing the company line.

Bluc’s statement on system should have been ‘once the HC is in place he will decide how to get the best out of the roster’. End of discussion.

 

[FrozenKing18]

that teams average age was what, 25-26? this team is barely 28 and is also loaded with talent

Kempe is 27, Fiala is 27, QB and Clarke are 21, Spence is 23, Dubois is only 25 and he's got upside but who f***in knows... Turcotte, Thomas. this team has a lot more skill but the big missing piece is a reliable goalie

You cannot compare this team to the 11-12 team, that team was a different breed.

Williams, Stoll, Greene, Penner, Richards, Carter, Scuderi, Mitchell were in that locker room. All these guys had all been balls deep into playoff runs before arriving at LA. You had all those guys who had playoff experience, a couple won it, a couple came close to it, a couple were champions at every level they played at before winning it with the Kings. Aside from talent and/or skill, that team was also a ball of heart, grit, and will during the playoffs. Lets also not forget HoF Quick in net. That team was the perfect storm and no one was stopping them. Aside from the aging Kopi, Doughty, Lewis, and Talbot, who in this current team have been in the trenches? Dubois? We all saw what he did or didn’t do. This team just doesn’t have “it”.

 

[johnjm22]

that teams average age was what, 25-26? this team is barely 28 and is also loaded with talent

You're not gonna contend if your two most important players are 37 years old and 35 years old.

Byfield and Clarke have to turn into the equivalent of Pettersen and Hughes next season for the Kings to be anything.

Decent chance neither of them will be on PP1.

 

[King'sPawn]

Article from Hoven re: Hiller - Hiller Not the Only Kings Coach in Limbo Right Now

Lot of question marks still. But here's a high level summary for those who can't/don't want to read:
- Hiller met management expectations of getting Kings into the playoffs and establishing mindset.
- They're leaning towards, but not 100%, removing the interim title. But they want to hear Hiller's ideas. Now that the season's over, they want to explore systemic changes for next season.
- If they keep Hiller, look for DJ Smith to follow suit
- That opens up questions about Yawney. As both are more suited to coach defensemen
- it may be a moot point anyway if McLellan goes elsewhere, and he brings Yawney with him. At which case, there may be a different assistant brought in.
- Of course, it's been mentioned before. They want to open up the offense while still being a strong team in defense/goals against.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

The team was 16-4-3 on 12/9. This is the best their record ever got.

They went 4-3-1 over the next eight games to get to your cited 20-7-4 record. Two of those four wins in December were against San Jose, and one was a shootout win against Seattle.

During their opening 16-4-3 run, only FIVE of those wins came against playoff teams. Five.

If we go by your 20-7-4 record, guess how many of those twenty wins came against playoff teams? STILL FIVE.

This team is not good. There’s no ifs ands or buts about it. Over the final 64 games of the season, including playoffs, they went 29-27-8.

They had the following record against playoff teams:

15-17-7

THIS IS NOT A GOOD HOCKEY TEAM

Just clarifying, are we talking end of season playoff teams, or playoff teams at the time they played them?

Given the recent statements from BLuc, whilst I’m sure Todd had input, they have strongly indicated that it’s their system. Did Hiller choose it? I’m not convinced, his statements on systems could easily be him just toeing the company line.

Bluc’s statement on system should have been ‘once the HC is in place he will decide how to get the best out of the roster’. End of discussion.

Yep, and that's gonna be the issue for bringing in any established coach like a Berube, Gallant, etc, how much control over their roster/system do they actually have.....

As much as I'm ok with Hiller, I'm not ok with Hiller......he's blah at best, which, sometimes you need, this ain't one of those times.

 

[Surf Nutz]

the search continues...

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Please f**kin no more Hiller. If we go another year of 11-7. I swear.

I agree but sadly it looks like it'll be Hiller again next year. Blake and Luc seem pretty content to keep him behind the helm and apparently he was in attendance at the Reign game last night - Can't imagine he would be scouting Reign games if it wasn't likely he'd be head coach (Although maybe he was trying to earn himself some brownie points lol but I doubt it)

Pretty sure Todd chose to play a defensive system given the roster. Hiller did the same, albeit under different circumstances.

Yeah in Hiller's defense it was his first head coaching opportunity ever and he stepped into a scenario where it was 'oh shit the team is spiraling - we really need you to get them back on track and make sure we make the playoffs'.

So in that context, it makes sense that he was having the team play so conservatively - He desperately needed the team to win to have a chance to keep his job. And he accomplished the goal that was set for him - He got them in the playoffs.

I'll be very interested to see how Hiller approaches next season (assuming he stays as head coach). Does he have new ideas for how the team should play? And does management allow him to actually proceed forward with those ideas? I really hope so but I guess we'll see.

 

[Bandit]

I hope it's Hiller, and I hope they're golfing by Christmas.

 

[Lt Dan]

Hiller was at the Reign game last night

 

[Herby]

the search continues...

Any interest in jumping behind the bench?