Willie Desjardins must be launched into the Sun

[DoktorJeep]

If you’re grading Willie on a curve right now, he’s a solid C in my books, and not Blake’s worst move. I don’t even have an issue with benching some players.

The issue is he refuses to cut the minutes, much less bench Carter, Kopitar and Phaneuf when they are on the ice for a -1 in the first 10 minutes or take the first two periods off or take a late penalty when trying to rally from a deficit.

Makes him look weak to anyone paying attention to the product.

 

[Reaper45]

I put him in the same tier of Kings coaches as Crawford and Andy Murray. Unlikable.

 

[regulate]

Willie’s treatment of Russian players is bullsheet.

Blake’s worse decision so far was to hire him.

Not Blake's move. A certain French Canadian and Irishman made the call. Sad but true.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I put him in the same tier of Kings coaches as Crawford and Andy Murray. Unlikable.

Crawford was the worst Kings coach in my tenure as a fan, going back to Melrose. Would love to look back at what other candidates were rumored and speculated about.

I could never hate Andy Murray. It wasn’t his fault Yes Man Dave Taylor could only get a high school coach to take the job after the bush league move of firing HOF’er Larry Robinson.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Crawford was the worst Kings coach in my tenure as a fan, going back to Melrose. Would love to look back at what other candidates were rumored and speculated about.

I could never hate Andy Murray. It wasn’t his fault Yes Man Dave Taylor could only get a high school coach to take the job after the bush league move of firing HOF’er Larry Robinson.

Well-stated. Remember, too, that the Kings set the (to my knowledge, still-standing) NHL record for man-games lost in 2003-04, so it wasn't like he was playing with a stacked deck. Prior to the first championship, watching AMs 00-02 teams was by far the most fun I had as a Kings' fan. And as a mostly irrelevant aside: he was a great guy in-person, too.

I was honestly opposed to hiring Crawford when it was first rumored -- everything else aside, I just really didn't like the way his post-Cup Avalanche teams perennially (badly) underachieved...

 

[KingPuckChoo]

I put him in the same tier of Kings coaches as Crawford and Andy Murray. Unlikable.

i'd take those two coaches over Willie any day

 

[Reaper45]

i'd take those two coaches over Willie any day

I probably would too though not so sure with Murray. At least they'd score with Crawford.

 

[Choralone]

I liked Andy Murray. He just seemed like a really decent guy.

 

[KINGS17]

Crawford was the worst Kings coach in my tenure as a fan, going back to Melrose. Would love to look back at what other candidates were rumored and speculated about.

I could never hate Andy Murray. It wasn’t his fault Yes Man Dave Taylor could only get a high school coach to take the job after the bush league move of firing HOF’er Larry Robinson.

It would have been interesting to see Larry Robinson operate as a head coach under Dean Lombardi. Robinson did screw Sydor up, but he didn't really get much help from the GM in terms of talent during his tenure.

 

[Fishhead]

At least with Murray they would be held accountable. The guy said that word at least 5 times in every interview.

 

[AlphaBravo]

WD is nothing special. He is a bridge coach. The best thing we can hope from him is to keep pressure on the players so that they don't get complacent like they were in the beginning of the year. At least now when we lose, we see a little bit more hustle and emotion from the team.

 

[DoktorJeep]

At least with Murray they would be held accountable. The guy said that word at least 5 times in every interview.

Sorry, no grown man is held accountable by writing essays about when they play their best hockey.

 

[Bandit]

Sorry, no grown man is held accountable by writing essays about when they play their best hockey.

These aren’t grown men, they’re hockey players...

 

[The Tikkanen]

I'm scared to death about the imminent returns of Clifford and Lewis and the certain over use and line mis management by WD.

 

[Fishhead]

Sorry, no grown man is held accountable by writing essays about when they play their best hockey.

I disagree. Who doesn't like an essay shoved under their door in a hotel room?

 

[KINGS17]

I'm scared to death about the imminent returns of Clifford and Lewis and the certain over use and line mis management by WD.

It only helps #loseforhughes, don't worry. On the upside some of the young guys who have showed some promise, like Wagner, get to return to Ontario and get more minutes and show they can apply what they learned while they were up for a cup of coffee.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I'm scared to death about the imminent returns of Clifford and Lewis and the certain over use and line mis management by WD.

I am too.

If the Kings did a full team skills competition, skating; laps, line to lines, puck handling, shooting; accuracy and MPH, Kovalchuk would be #1 or #2.
Yet, he's back on line 3 and probably on PP #2 and will get 12 minutes...IF HE'S LUCKY....meanwhile, Scherbak had his best game 2 games ago - apx 8 minutes, 3 shots,
3 hits and that great entry pass to TT on the offsides goal - a play Thompson could never make, even at junior level - and he gets 3:39 TOI the following game...and now
scratched.

When trade freeze thaws out and can make trades again, hope 2 of : Carter, TT, Clifford, Lewis are traded....but won't happen.

If I was Kovalchuk's or Scherbak's agent - I would SERIOUSLY have them cut a check for $10,000 to donate to Team Canada Hockey. And give the receipt to Willie....this may truly help get them more than 3:39 of TOI. WD first love and probably only love, is Team Canada Hockey. I lost faith in Blake for hiring WD...I have hired over 15 employees over the years. You read the applications, resumes, contact 2 of the references...and sometimes, you KNOW within 3 minutes of meeting face to face and talking, the person is or isn't right...If Blake met WD, he should have known within 3 minutes, this was the worst possible coach...but Regulate says it was not Blakes doing, so have a little faith in him still.

 

[King'sPawn]

From an article just a couple days ago:
Desjardins on keeping the Kopitar line intact, Scherbak, Leipsic, "clean" hockey - LA Kings Insider

On what he needs to see from Nikita Scherbak:
It’s a tough one. He’s a good young player. He’s got lots of talent. I think the hardest thing for me, we were a better line when I rotated somebody else in there, and when we’re a better line when we do that, it’s hard for me not to do that because my job is to make sure we have as good a line as we can go with. I like him, I hope that he gets his game so he’s a factor every shift, as well. Like, I’d love to see that because he’s a good young player, and I think he cares, so hopefully it’ll come around and when he gets his chance, he’ll play that way.

Earlier, in this very thread (on page 1), is another quote from him though:

–Paul LaDue has played once since the Ottawa game on October 13. What’s it going to take to get him back into a game? Unfortunately, probably the loss of personnel, according to Dejardins. “It’s not that I don’t think LaDue can play, it’s like, who am I going to take out? And that’s kind of been the big issue – like, who comes out?” Desjardins said. “Right now, he’s probably waiting for an injury before he’ll get his chance. I haven’t even seen him, so it’s not like I’ve made a ruling on him that I don’t think he can play. It’s not that at all. It’s just that you take somebody out, you hurt their confidence, and right now we’ll probably run with what we’ve got.”

So for LaDue, he doesn't want to take out another defenseman out of fear of hurting their confidence. But for Scherbak, who is younger than any of the defensemen whose confidence was a concern, he's okay with saying "It's a better line without you."

What a train wreck.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Agree, it’s like pulling teeth to see young guys with energy, skill and talent get steady minutes.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Agree, it’s like pulling teeth to see young guys with energy, skill and talent get steady minutes.

The real issue for me is the quote is saying this is how Scherbak is, I cannot make him better. It's the sure sign of a bad coach. Can't motivate, can't help the player improve and you must play the coaches system-there is no other way. So kill the kids confidence, then kill his skill and then and only then will you have a true King forward-who refuses to attack the middle of the ice or a defender for fear of a turn over and plays incredibly safe, boring hockey which has only netted this group of players and former coaches nothing but losses.

 

[KINGS17]

The real issue for me is the quote is saying this is how Scherbak is, I cannot make him better. It's the sure sign of a bad coach. Can't motivate, can't help the player improve and you must play the coaches system-there is no other way. So kill the kids confidence, then kill his skill and then and only then will you have a true King forward-who refuses to attack the middle of the ice or a defender for fear of a turn over and plays incredibly safe, boring hockey which has only netted this group of players and former coaches nothing but losses.

I agree. Every player has there strengths and weaknesses. It's up to the coach to put a player in a position to succeed as much as possible. If Scherbak's playing style doesn't suit the Kings, then why the hell did Blake pick him up?

It's rumored Blake had nothing to do with selecting Willie as coach. If anyone else knows more of that story, I would like to see more posts on it.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

I agree. Every player has there strengths and weaknesses. It's up to the coach to put a player in a position to succeed as much as possible. If Scherbak's playing style doesn't suit the Kings, then why the hell did Blake pick him up?

It's rumored Blake had nothing to do with selecting Willie as coach. If anyone else knows more of that story, I would like to see more posts on it.

If Blake can’t pick his coach, then I’d be very worried about my job longevity if I’m him.

I can see AEG not wanting to pay 3 high/mid salaries coaches this year - perhaps that’s why we have an interim around WD with Sturm in the wings.

 

[DoktorJeep]

My guess is that once Blake and co. agreed that they were firing Stevens in season, then whoever came in was only a temp solution.

So someone else went out and found Willie + Sturm, and Blake can say he was focused on trades and the roster. Which is how you get to reports that Blake had nothing to do with Willie. Just a bunch of CYA hack business.