Kings News: And your new head coach is...

[Chazz Reinhold]

I don't think Stevens is a Sutter clone. However, there's something to be said for getting a new voice in there. Some of this core has been listening to Stevens for the better part of a decade now. If the concern was the players getting too static, I'm not sure how this addresses that.

 

[Bandit]

I don't think Stevens is a Sutter clone. However, there's something to be said for getting a new voice in there. Some of this core has been listening to Stevens for the better part of a decade now. If the concern was the players getting too static, I'm not sure how this addresses that.

Exactly. Also how lazy do you have to be to not even interview anyone else? Good job at keeping your options closed. That's always a good idea, right?

 

[Johnny Utah]

Lombardi went thru 3 Kings coaches in 11 seasons. This is the safe bet for Luc and Rob. If it doesn't work out they can fire him. A lot of NHL coaches recently have been let go after a few seasons.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't think Stevens is a Sutter clone. However, there's something to be said for getting a new voice in there. Some of this core has been listening to Stevens for the better part of a decade now. If the concern was the players getting too static, I'm not sure how this addresses that.

Yeah that's my one real concern, but otherwise, he's a good (continued employment) hire. Better than what's left, although not necessarily stellar, but also a good dude who has paid his dues, is familiar with the players and what they've gone through, and so on.

Exactly. Also how lazy do you have to be to not even interview anyone else? Good job at keeping your options closed. That's always a good idea, right?

At least they did their due diligence imo, didn't hire right away, shows me they were talking to players and internally to be sure. Who else would you liked them to have expanded to? Nothing really interesting left as far as I recall.

 

[tny760]

well i mean the players had their exit interviews already right? maybe there was a resounding majority that said "i'm sick of sutter, i really like stevens" or something along those lines

hard to say without having sat in on every conversation management has had

 

[johnjm22]

I hate it.

We need to shake things up and all that happens is a bunch of internal guys are promoted.

Kings players have been listening to Stevens for years now. He's not a new voice.

 

[inthe6ix]

I hate it.

We need to shake things up and all that happens is a bunch of internal guys are promoted.

Kings players have been listening to Stevens for years now. He's not a new voice.

And maybe that's the problem - as is so common, the same voice gets tuned out after a while.

Thought you guys would go in the direction of Bylsma or Ruff, not looking within, but it sounds like you're all okay with it.

 

[Scottkmlps]

I hate it.

We need to shake things up and all that happens is a bunch of internal guys are promoted.

Kings players have been listening to Stevens for years now. He's not a new voice.

Apparently, the players like that voice.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I hate it.

We need to shake things up and all that happens is a bunch of internal guys are promoted.

Kings players have been listening to Stevens for years now. He's not a new voice.

As long as the players can respond to him, that's all they really need. The team might perform differently with Sutter out of the way. The fact that Kompon was let go and Stevens remained the one constant through two different coaches tells me that he was valued by the organization.

His name coming up as a top candidate every time there was a coaching vacancy shows that he was sought after and considered to be a great option to take over a head coaching role.

It's worth a shot. They're not stuck in an iron clad contract with him. I'm more concerned with how the players perform and what this roster will look like come training camp.

 

[kingsboy11]

I was hoping that Stevens would stay and maybe we would hire someone like Montgomery as head coach, but I can get behind this. I do think familiarity and likeability is important. But Stevens needs the right assistants in order for this team to succeed. What I liked about what Cassidy from the Bruins is that he when he took the job, he didn't want to change the defense because that's what Julien was good at. That's what I'm hoping for with Stevens. Defense is fine, but the offense needs some tweaking.

 

[Reclamation Project]

This is the fourth coach many of these players have had. If they don't like it they can **** right off. They don't run the team. I'm tired of this "What will the room think?" nonsense.

Stevens is highly qualified and not an idiot. I look forward to seeing who he hires as assistants.

 

[Bandit]

Yeah that's my one real concern, but otherwise, he's a good (continued employment) hire. Better than what's left, although not necessarily stellar, but also a good dude who has paid his dues, is familiar with the players and what they've gone through, and so on.



At least they did their due diligence imo, didn't hire right away, shows me they were talking to players and internally to be sure. Who else would you liked them to have expanded to? Nothing really interesting left as far as I recall.

There's an entire world of hockey minds out there. Even if it's just to see what other people have to say, ideas you haven't thought of, regardless of what you end up doing ultimately. I mean, this is a pretty important decision, seems completely idiotic to not even talk to anyone else.

well i mean the players had their exit interviews already right? maybe there was a resounding majority that said "i'm sick of sutter, i really like stevens" or something along those lines

hard to say without having sat in on every conversation management has had

The last thing the GM should be doing at this point is pandering to the assclowns that flat out quit on two coaches.

 

[BigBrown]

Not sure what to think. I was hoping for a fresh perspective and a new voice but I'm guessing Stevens presented some interesting ideas on how to change things moving forward.

So we went from Lombardi to Blake and Sutter to Stevens. I don't hate it but I have a hard time seeing either one as an upgrade. Not much to do but to hope for the best at this point.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Now I understand why Stevens was retained...

 

[CTKingsFan]

Now I understand why Stevens was retained...

Haha! I was just gonna post the same thing. They might have McFlurry Minute drills at pratice now.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I bet the team's major sponsor would fully endorse that.

Pretty soon we might see the golden arches replacing the home plate logo.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Not sure what to think. I was hoping for a fresh perspective and a new voice but I'm guessing Stevens presented some interesting ideas on how to change things moving forward.

So we went from Lombardi to Blake and Sutter to Stevens. I don't hate it but I have a hard time seeing either one as an upgrade. Not much to do but to hope for the best at this point.

Lombardi needed to go. It was long overdue.

Sutter wasn't as big of an issue and let's be real, he's a legend. Would be very difficult to replace him with any coach. I'm interested to see who John hires as assistants (which I'm hoping he will have full say on).

 

[King'sPawn]

As long as the players can respond to him, that's all they really need. The team might perform differently with Sutter out of the way. The fact that Kompon was let go and Stevens remained the one constant through two different coaches tells me that he was valued by the organization.

Not just multiple coaches, but now multiple GMs. It's no coincidence that him and Ranford have stayed with the organization for so long.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This is the fourth coach many of these players have had. If they don't like it they can **** right off. They don't run the team. I'm tired of this "What will the room think?" nonsense.

Stevens is highly qualified and not an idiot. I look forward to seeing who he hires as assistants.

I don't disagree but let's also not forget Sutter was the third longest-tenured coach in the league, it's not like he was two years and out.

There's an entire world of hockey minds out there. Even if it's just to see what other people have to say, ideas you haven't thought of, regardless of what you end up doing ultimately. I mean, this is a pretty important decision, seems completely idiotic to not even talk to anyone else.

I wasn't criticizing, just asking. Like literally who is left with the qualifications of head coaching experience? Ruff?

They've at least been contacting Montgomery.

 

[Reaper45]

Better than Bylsma or Ruff. I'm meh until I see the assistants.

 

[Omni Owl]

I like it. Dee had some good things to say about him during his stint in Philly, we could see a more wide open offensive style. I don't really give a **** who it is, I just want the team to respond and play to their potential.

 

[Quattro]

I thought Bylsma was a lock?

 

[KingCanadain1976]

I thought it was Stevens all along. It would have been wrong to not give him a shot after he was promoted associate coach. He also turn down interviews for other spots. I think the dq thing is a sign he wont be as hard as sutter was which the team may respond better to

 

[BigKing]

Feel like he was probably good cop to Sutter's bad cop.

No issue with the hire. He isn't a Sutter guy, a Lombardi guy or a Murray guy: he's an organizational guy that has coached the one side of this team that hasn't gone in the toilet.

Like it or not, this team is stuck with a lot of these players. I'm totally on board with promoting someone they like. No more excuses.

 

[KingsKnight]

As long as he can get back the Kings' swagger. Just rewatched 2014 Game 2 against the Rangers and nothing phased us. Meanwhile the Rangers were whining and crying the whole time. We just kept coming, relentlessly. I want us to go back to that. Hope Stevens can get us back there.