WHO should the L.A. Kings hire as their next head coach, if Todd McLellan is dismissed before the end of the season?

[Raccoon Jesus]

One guy I would definitely take a look at if they make a change is Mike Vellucci. Has a good head for the game and understands young players.

That was my top choice in that previous exercise

no retreat, been around the game long enough, understands young players, has enough clout and gumption to smack around vets.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Marco Sturm will takeover if Todd is axed.

 

[Jason Squirties]

Let me be the bearer of bad news...or maybe the savior of common sense. TM ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE (anytime soon, that is).

We all should have a pretty good idea on how Blake works...and he's not a hairline trigger type of GM and he doesn't think outside of the box. With that said, it's going to take a hell of a lot more underperforming by this team and hell of a lot more time to evaluate who would be hired next for him to cut ties with TM.

Let me tell you what I don't buy into...this whole 'lost the room' concept is bullshit to me. You are going to tell me that a coach who arguably should have been considered for coach of the year last season has LOST THE ROOM in a span of 3 months?? gtfo. Look at last night, through two periods the Kings had like what, a 30-15 shot advantage? So, did TM lose the room after the 2nd period??

Why don't we take a closer look at what's different from last year to this year (give you a hint, it's not the head coach)...

1) have the systems changed to open up more scoring...yet is hurting us on the defensive side?
2) did Sturm have more of an impact than we know (minus the horrible PP)?
3) does losing Brown have more of an impact than we know?

At this point, I put more blame on Blake than anyone. Everyone knew the defense needed to be improved...hasn't happened and we lost Maatta.

The goaltending is a mess....needs to be addressed.

Right now, this is about the defense and the roster that makes that up -- it's not good and Blake needs to make some moves to improve it. The END.

How soon is soon? Will you stop being his social security when he does?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

How soon is soon? Will you stop being his social security when he does?

Will you stop stalking me?

Soon is when this team qualifies to NOT make the playoffs this year. Despite the dismal play thus far, we are far from determining that will happen.

 

[johnjm22]

Soon is when this team qualifies to NOT make the playoffs this year. Despite the dismal play thus far, we are far from determining that will happen.

Usually when a coach gets canned, it happens before that.

When a team with expectations looks like they're on track to miss the playoffs, not when they actually have missed the playoffs.

From a management perspective, it makes no sense to wait that long. If you're gonna do it, you do it before, not after.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Keep TM (Tank Master) to get into lotteryville.

You cant out tank our tank master.. 1 regulation win in 30 games

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Usually when a coach gets canned, it happens before that.

When a team with expectations looks like they're on track to miss the playoffs, not when they actually have missed the playoffs.

From a management perspective, it makes no sense to wait that long. If you're gonna do it, you do it before, not after.

Right, but like I explained before, Blake doesn't roll like that. Besides that, who the f*** is he going to hire? We can see from our own internal poll, there's no clear cut candidate -- whoever he was to hire TODAY at least half the group here will be bitching about it despite TM being canned.

 

[johnjm22]

Right, but like I explained before, Blake doesn't roll like that. Besides that, who the f*** is he going to hire? We can see from our own internal poll, there's no clear cut candidate -- whoever he was to hire TODAY at least half the group here will be bitching about it despite TM being canned.

John Stevens Fired as Kings Head Coach; Willie Desjardins Named Interim

The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach John Stevens and assistant coach Don Nachbaur on Sunday...

bleacherreport.com

He fired Stevens 13 games into the season.

There's plenty of coaches out there.

I don't know if TMac will get fired or not, but if the team keeps failing, the chances will increase.

 

[bmr]

I definitely think coaching is part of the problem with this team. But I also think it boils down to leadership, team toughness and personnel. At this point, Kopitar and Doughty are definitely not contributing to what their contracted $$ is. Unacceptable. They are the highest paid players on the team and need to take ownership of this on the ice.

Even with Doughty out last year, I didn't see a discernable difference in this team over a long stretch. Spence is ready - get him up here. Need to do a trade to address LHD and hopefully incorporate additional team toughness. I'm okay with including Durzi as part of any deal. Do you guys now see how valuable Lemieux is to this team? Need a LHD that plays with an edge and another big, tough, physical player that can impact these games.

It's going to be very interesting to see what happens over the next few games.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

John Stevens Fired as Kings Head Coach; Willie Desjardins Named Interim

The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach John Stevens and assistant coach Don Nachbaur on Sunday...

bleacherreport.com

He fired Stevens 13 games into the season.

4-8-1 start.

 

[BigKing]

4-8-1 start.

3.69 GAA. Negative 13 goal differential. Mostly lifeless.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Right, but like I explained before, Blake doesn't roll like that. Besides that, who the f*** is he going to hire? We can see from our own internal poll, there's no clear cut candidate -- whoever he was to hire TODAY at least half the group here will be bitching about it despite TM being canned.

Oh absolutely. I imagine someone would get slapped with an interim tag though. No more blank checks (cough Trotz) from uncle phil.

 

[shuchukfan]

I vote for Luc. Don't think he'd be any good, but it could be entertaining in a car wreck sort of way. Second vote for Blake as GM/Coach.

 

[Kudelski37]

Larry Robinson would check all boxes....cup winner as player and coach, played with Blake, and even coached the Kings before.

 

[YAYSAY]

Will you stop stalking me?

Soon is when this team qualifies to NOT make the playoffs this year. Despite the dismal play thus far, we are far from determining that will happen.

I like you accusing people of stalking you when you have multiple times gone back and screencapped peoples posts to try and do a "gotcha."

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I like you accusing people of stalking you when you have multiple times gone back and screencapped peoples posts to try and do a "gotcha."

Gotchas are awesome…and very important to prove the ignorance that runs rampant around here.

Larry Robinson would check all boxes....cup winner as player and coach, played with Blake, and even coached the Kings before.

Interesting, where is he now?

Will never forget his tenure as head coach of LAK, all his press conferences seemed as if he was getting ready to kill himself.

 

[Kudelski37]

Gotchas are awesome…and very important to prove the ignorance that runs rampant around here.


Interesting, where is he now?

Will never forget his tenure as head coach of LAK, all his press conferences seemed as if he was getting ready to kill himself.

Last I saw, he was a consultant for the Blues.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I like you accusing people of stalking you when you have multiple times gone back and screencapped peoples posts to try and do a "gotcha."

I’ve had to live through the ultimate gotcha ever on this board, predicting the Kings wouldn’t qualify for the playoffs in ‘12.

(Sol wouldn’t know about this as he only started following the Kings in like May of ‘12 or ‘14)

 

[Jason Squirties]

I like you accusing people of stalking you when you have multiple times gone back and screencapped peoples posts to try and do a "gotcha."

It's not very difficult to pick out the "loudest" in the room on a forum like this. I'm editing myself here to be politically and socially correct, since it's uncouth to use the R word. Himself and one other are the only guys that ever accuse other posters in a chat forum of "stalking" them when a point is made on their behalf.

 

[Fishhead]

I’ve had to live through the ultimate gotcha ever on this board, predicting the Kings wouldn’t qualify for the playoffs in ‘12.

(Sol wouldn’t know about this as he only started following the Kings in like May of ‘12 or ‘14)

I always thought you jinxed them to a cup. It was well done.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I always thought you jinxed them to a cup. It was well done.

Thanks, I'm glad I could help.

Speaking of jinx, anyone catch Faust trying to 'reverse-jinx' Copley's shutout last night -- what a frickin tool that guy is.

 

[Rick Knickleback]

I definitely think coaching is part of the problem with this team. But I also think it boils down to leadership, team toughness and personnel. At this point, Kopitar and Doughty are definitely not contributing to what their contracted $$ is. Unacceptable. They are the highest paid players on the team and need to take ownership of this on the ice.

I really don't think they're capable of doing that anymore. Kopitar is having a pretty good year, as he usually does, but it's not 2018 anymore, much less 2014. Average first line center, good second line center, elite third line center. That's Anze now.

Doughty is a solid top pair d-man but his Norris caliber days are behind him as well. Quick looks done.

They need to be taking ownership of the locker room, but Kopitar has never been a rah-rah type. Prime Kopitar was someone you could build around and count on to produce elite two way play. He was not a Justin Williams type. Doughty and Quick are both of the temperament to lead a team through this---in their prime. But any locker room tirades would be met no doubt by subtle or blatant assertions that they need to look in a mirror first. Such assertions would be correct.

I remember having mixed feelings about Doughty's outburst in the spring of 2021. Like, thanks for speaking up, but....you're kinda overestimating your abilities too. In retrospect, it's clear Blake and Robitaille were persuaded by it though. I like to give the benefit of the doubt to all involved (except Luc, who embodies the Peter Principle as well as anybody in hockey at the moment). I mean, no one is actively trying to f*** this up. Taking Edmonton to 7 games felt like an accomplishment, especially after the Oilers bounced the Flames easily. And Fiala was a decent gamble that may yet pay off in other ways, but it feels like last spring was the peak. There's been clear regression overall.

A big move is needed. Preferably at the top: Blake and Luc need to go. Followed by the coach. I hate to say it, but the old cliche of "you can't fire the team..." applies. Ideally*, we'd deal Doughty and/or Kopitar. People romanticize the playing for one team, a la Yzerman and Ripken etc. But that's all BS. Kopitar and Doughty will always been legends, will always be welcomed back with open arms, and will have their jerseys up in the rafters. Go get what you can for them. Either could be a HUGE get for a contender and we could get some insanely good assets and a desperately needed personality transplant.

*Easier said than done, no doubt.

 

[kings11]

Olli Jokinen so he can lead us to the promise land since he didn’t get the chance as a player lol …

But someone new, an up and comer would be amazing and would get us away from the recycling bin

 

[Eagle Fang]

A big move is needed. Preferably at the top: Blake and Luc need to go. Followed by the coach.

Put me in the camp of getting Blake and Robitalle out. Blake isn't the worst GM, but I'm just not a fan of the type of team he's trying to build and I don't see it as a path to another Cup.

Purely personal bias of course.

Every player wants to win. Some players REALLY want to win and it shows. I just think the current lineup needs more of the latter. Too many Betas. Need more Alphas on the team who eat beef jerky manwiches for pregame meals.

 

[Statto]

Right, but like I explained before, Blake doesn't roll like that. Besides that, who the f*** is he going to hire? We can see from our own internal poll, there's no clear cut candidate -- whoever he was to hire TODAY at least half the group here will be bitching about it despite TM being canned.

The fact we’d all be bitching isn’t really an issue.