Confirmed with Link: The koala has been fired!! Todd McLellan fired, Jim Hiller named Interim Head Coach

[Statto]

Lots of reaching to interpret Blakes presser. As usual opinion and supposition gets presented as certainty/fact.

My interpretation was:
- He was obviously not in a great mood a firing his guy and it would’ve been weird if he was anything but.
- Trades will depend on what happens next.
- Kaliyev probably has expressed his displeasure, certainly possible he asked for a move. However my take is that he should see the coaching change as an opportunity that gives him a chance. If he doesn’t see it like that I’d rather move him.
- Hiller will do it his way. The whole deployment issue will ultimately be up to him. Blake’s was right not to discuss systems, lines etc as it just steals Hillers thunder. I was always a bit surprised Hiller took the gig in LA as I expected him to move into a HC role. So this is his shot…
- Blake expects to be fired if it doesn’t turn around.

All pretty obvious really, no great secret to any of it really.

 

[ibleedkings]

Should we start a FIRE HILLER! thread yet? I figure we'll need it come Saturday.

We were really worried about you after Koala was fired.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

We were really worried about you after Koala was fired.

Wasn't surprised given the previous 6 weeks, also don't believe it's the answer. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Mattias]

Should we start a FIRE HILLER! thread yet? I figure we'll need it come Saturday.

We’re knee deep in the ‘fire Blake/Luc’ hopes and dreams. Let’s finish those first.

 

[LAKings88]

I think Lafferriere basically took Kaliyev's spot.

I'm interested to see what he gets under Hiller but I have a feeling he is gone sooner than later.

I still think they should trade Roy before he walks for nothing. I'm sure he would get a first or could be moved for a goalie upgrade.

 

[Herby]

Wasn't surprised given the previous 6 weeks, also don't believe it's the answer. Hope I'm wrong

Wait a minute, is this a not so thinly veiled shot at the roster constructed by Robert Bowlby Blake?

Guess we now know Axl's son is named Todd and not Rob.

I hope the sculptor hasn't already started working on the Blake statue.

 

[Sol]

We were really worried about you after Koala was fired.

His account was deactivated until today. I was expecting to see him in the local news but alas here we are.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Wait a minute, is this a not so thinly veiled shot at the roster constructed by Robert Bowlby Blake?

I hope the sculptor hasn't already started working on the Blake statue.
View attachment 815433

Not at all, very few people had issues with the ‘roster construction’ after first couple months of season. Todd was on his way to Jack Adam and Blake was GM of the year. This is on the players.

 

[Sol]

teams don’t crater from nearly first place in the NHL to out of a playoff spot in 6 weeks with it being purely on the players . Players have responsibility in this but absolutely coaching does likely more. catastrophic failures indicate that there’s a big failure in a variety of aspects.

 

[lumbergh]

I think Lafferriere basically took Kaliyev's spot.

I'm interested to see what he gets under Hiller but I have a feeling he is gone sooner than later.

I still think they should trade Roy before he walks for nothing. I'm sure he would get a first or could be moved for a goalie upgrade.

I would like the Kings to send Laferriere down to Ontario and let Kaliyev play with Danault and Moore, where he and the whole line have had success. Laferriere has been given a ton of time with very little to show for it. Kaliyev can succeed, but toiling on the fourth line is not the best use for him.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

teams don’t crater from nearly first place in the NHL to out of a playoff spot in 6 weeks with it being purely on the players . Players have responsibility in this but absolutely coaching does likely more. catastrophic failures indicate that there’s a big failure in a variety of aspects.

TM consistently improved the output of this team year after year. He’s been here almost five years, it doesn’t just fall apart in a month due to the coach. Absurd.

 

[mysterman2]

I think Lafferriere basically took Kaliyev's spot.

I'm interested to see what he gets under Hiller but I have a feeling he is gone sooner than later.

I still think they should trade Roy before he walks for nothing. I'm sure he would get a first or could be moved for a goalie upgrade.

Agreed with this but was also another shortcoming of the coach....Laffierre had some long dry spells points wise and made some critical errors- yet was never sat or healthy scratched. Same with Englund. What a horrible message that sends when new players on the team never get sat yet someone on the roster for multiple season gets the cold shoulder. Same with Talbot. Tmacs favorite players could do no wrong.

 

[tigermask48]

I would like the Kings to send Laferriere down to Ontario and let Kaliyev play with Danault and Moore, where he and the whole line have had success. Laferriere has been given a ton of time with very little to show for it. Kaliyev can succeed, but toiling on the fourth line is not the best use for him.

If Arvidsson is back wouldn't the Kings have to send 2 players out minimum to be cap compliant?

 

[tny760]

If Arvidsson is back wouldn't the Kings have to send 2 players out minimum to be cap compliant?

LTIRing lizotte might soften that but i do think they're really up against it to get RV back in

 

[johnjm22]

I would like the Kings to send Laferriere down to Ontario and let Kaliyev play with Danault and Moore, where he and the whole line have had success. Laferriere has been given a ton of time with very little to show for it. Kaliyev can succeed, but toiling on the fourth line is not the best use for him.

If Laf is taking anyone's spot on the roster it should be Lewis, not Kaliyev.

I actually like what Lewis has done this year, but that's the most logical spot for Laf if he's going to stay on the NHL roster. Otherwise I agree, he should be in Ontario.

Kaliyev needs to play.

 

[johnjm22]

Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Moore-Danault-Kaliyev
Grundstrom-Turcotte-Fiala
PLD-JAD-Laf
Lewis


If/when RV comes back:

Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Moore-Danault-Kaliyev
Fiala-Turcotte-Arvidsson
PLD-JAD-Laf
Lewis
Grundstrom

 

[LAKings88]

I would like the Kings to send Laferriere down to Ontario and let Kaliyev play with Danault and Moore, where he and the whole line have had success. Laferriere has been given a ton of time with very little to show for it. Kaliyev can succeed, but toiling on the fourth line is not the best use for him.

I actually really like his game. I have a feeling once he finds his scoring touch he'll be a 20-30 goal scorer. Does a lot more than Arty overall.

 

[All The Kings Men]

I think Lafferriere basically took Kaliyev's spot.

In Kaliyev's first game back from suspension he was playing alongside Danault and Moore while Laferriere played with Fiala and PLD.

It stayed that way for 11 games or so until they swapped Kaliyev and Fiala

Fiala-Danault-Moore
Laferriere-Dubois-Kaliyev

Then Laferriere sat for a game

JAD-Dubois-Kaliyev

The Laferriere-Dubois-Kaliyev line stayed together a while longer even when Lizotte went out for a spell and JAD played in his absence on the 4th line

11/24 - Ducks game

Kaliyev is placed on the 4th line and Grundsrom moves up to play with 78/80

I believe that continued on up to the road trip starting 12/5 vs CBJ/MON/NYI/NYR and the massive losing slide followed shortly after.

There are plenty of ways to interpret what happened to Kaliyev this season... I wouldn't say that Laferriere "took his spot" is one that I subscribe to personally.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I don't know why it's so hard for some to admit that Kaliyev hasn't played well this season.

 

[Schmooley]

I don't know why it's so hard for some to admit that Kaliyev hasn't played well this season.

For the same reason you cant admit Todd got fired for doing a bad job.
Though not sure its to the extent of your obsession with TMac, people like Kaliyev.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

For the same reason you cant admit Todd got fired for doing a bad job.
Though not sure its to the extent of your obsession with TMac, people like Kaliyev.

I like Kaliyev too.

Would you admit that Todd did a tremendous job up until say, mid-December?

 

[Schmooley]

I like Kaliyev too.

Would you admit that Todd did a tremendous job up until say, mid-December?

No not tremendous. He did some good and some bad.
Im just teasing you anyway. Welcome back.

 

[tny760]

yeah he sucked nuts for a while there after being summarily buried from a good line, then responded to a scratch by playing a solid couple games, which summarily got him sent to the press box

there's a difference between thinking a guy is infallible and thinking that he's being hard done

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

I would like the Kings to send Laferriere down to Ontario and let Kaliyev play with Danault and Moore, where he and the whole line have had success. Laferriere has been given a ton of time with very little to show for it. Kaliyev can succeed, but toiling on the fourth line is not the best use for him.

I love Laferriere but I agree. Laf is going to be a great player but he's a rookie on an ELC on a team that should be playoff caliber - He should really only be playing if he's legitimately too good to take out of the line up, which just hasn't been the case. His all around game is great but it makes a lot of sense to have him finish the year in Ontario (dominating the AHL will help get his confidence/scoring up) - That frees up space in the lineup for a guy like Turcotte or Kaliyev - Players the Kings will need to make decisions on very soon.

I don't know why it's so hard for some to admit that Kaliyev hasn't played well this season.

Because for me personally, this just isn't the case. Kaliyev has played well for the most part this year. His speed/skating look much better than they did last year. His compete seems higher. His defensive game looks improved. There's been games when it looks like Kaliyev was shot out of a cannon and he's buzzing around creating/getting chances. He's played well, he just hasn't had the production show up to back up his effort (honestly similar to Laferriere) and he's been punished way too harshly for the few mistakes he's admittedly made.

That's why the Kaliyev situation is so frustrating. He has the potential to be a really good player and many of us are aware that if the Kings trade him, there's little doubt he'll become that player on another team.

Hopefully Hiller is able to set him up for success and get him going. If not, we're going to end up trading a 30G, 60P player for spare parts.

 

[bmr]

I look at the rest of the season as a win-win. Maybe Hiller and Co. will right the ship and we take a stride in the playoffs. Or we don't, and you see a new GM. Either way, I think Kings fans can get behind this.