EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Kings and vp/basic supervisor Rob Blake mutually agreed to half methods, staff president Luc Robitaille introduced Monday.
The seek for a substitute will start instantly.
“On behalf of the complete group, I want to thank Rob for his dedication to the L.A. Kings and the fervour he delivered to his position,” Robitaille mentioned. “Reaching this understanding wasn’t straightforward, and I respect Rob’s partnership in at all times working towards what’s finest for the Kings.
“Rob deserves a substantial amount of credit score and respect for elevating us to the place we’re as we speak. He has been an necessary a part of the Kings and can at all times be appreciated for what he has meant to this franchise.”
Throughout his eight seasons as GM, Blake guided the Kings to a 309-238-71 regular-season report and clinched a berth within the Stanley Cup Playoffs 5 instances, however they by no means gained a postseason sequence.
Los Angeles (48-25-9) completed second within the Pacific Division this season earlier than shedding to the Edmonton Oilers in six video games within the Western Convention First Spherical.
It was the fourth straight yr the Kings misplaced to the Oilers within the first spherical.
“It is a laborious day,” Kings captain Anze Kopitar mentioned Monday. “I imply, I’ve identified ‘Blakey’ for 20 years now. He was my teammate earlier than he was our GM, and extra importantly I believe he is my buddy, or our buddy. I believe he did a great job of constructing this staff. I believe we confirmed it this yr. And it sucks to see that we did not ship. Clearly did not transfer on, and he paid the worth for it actually.
“He is a really, very distinctive human, and searching again now, he is accomplished lots for me as a participant as a GM, as a mentor. It [stinks] to see him depart, for positive, and it may be, a minimum of for slightly bit subsequent yr, it may be bizarre not having him round.”
With Blake out, coach Jim Hiller admitted he’s unsure about his future in Los Angeles however presently is working beneath the “establishment” till he hears in any other case.
“I have not had any of these conversations but,” Hiller mentioned. “I will be speaking with Luc sooner or later, positive. However I do perceive each time there’s change like that, vital change, you realize, there’s normally extra so as.”
Hiller is 69-37-10 two seasons since changing Todd McLellan on Feb. 2, 2024.
Blake, who performed 14 of his 20 NHL seasons as a defenseman for the Kings, joined the entrance workplace in 2013 as assistant GM, and changed Dean Lombardi as GM in 2017. Initially tasked with making an attempt to get one other sustained playoff run out of the core group that gained the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, Blake as a substitute pivoted right into a rebuild throughout the 2018-19 season.
That was the primary of three straight seasons the place the Kings missed the postseason, however Los Angeles chosen middle Quinton Byfield with the No. 2 decide within the 2020 NHL Draft and defenseman Brandt Clarke with the No. 8 decide of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Byfield was fourth on the Kings in objectives (23), assists (31) and factors (54) in 81 video games this season, and had 4 factors (three objectives, one help) in six video games towards the Oilers throughout the playoffs.
Clarke led Kings defensemen in assists (28) and factors (33) in 78 video games this season. He had two objectives in six video games in his postseason debut.
Nonetheless, even with success via the draft and in staff constructing, Blake by no means might discover the right combination to get the Kings previous the Oilers and their star facilities, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The Kings traded for middle Pierre-Luc Dubois on June 27, 2023, buying him in a commerce with the Winnipeg Jets for forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round decide within the 2024 NHL Draft, after which signed Dubois to an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million common annual worth).
Blake hoped Dubois would give the Kings three facilities able to matching up towards McDavid and Draisaitl whereas finally turning into the successor to Kopitar because the Kings’ first-line middle. However Dubois by no means meshed with McLellan or Hiller, and had 40 factors (16 objectives, 24 assists) in 82 video games in his lone season in Los Angeles, largely taking part in in a bottom-six position.
Dubois was traded to the Washington Capitals for goaltender Darcy Kuemper on June 19, with the admission of failure rising the stress on Blake getting into this season, the final yr of his contract.
Blake pivoted in an try and construct a staff that might beat the Oilers with depth and physicality, signing ahead Warren Foegele and defenseman Joel Edmundson throughout free company and buying ahead Tanner Jeannot in a commerce with the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 29.
These additions helped the Kings tie franchise information for factors (105) and wins (48) in a season. Los Angeles had one of the best house report within the NHL at 31-6-4 and set a Kings report for house victories in a season.
Nevertheless it nonetheless wasn’t sufficient to assist the Kings win a playoff sequence for the primary time because the 2014 Stanley Cup Remaining towards the New York Rangers.
“I believe we positively made progress,” Kopitar mentioned. “I suppose the report itself confirmed itself, common season. However ultimately of the day, that is not what you’re taking part in for. You are taking part in, clearly, to win a championship, and we failed to take action. So it is disappointing. We felt like this yr could be completely different, and acquired off to a great begin, however we could not shut. And that is on us to determine easy methods to do it.”