Fire coach!

Nah. That was after he got over being traded. I recall his initial quotes immediately after actually showed that he was kinda pissed and pretty disappointed about being traded away. Obviously being traded to his hometown team softened the blow.
You sure that was Faber/remember where? I read about this trade a lot when it happened and all I heard from him was pure excitement. The article I linked is from June 30, 2022, a day after the trade happened.
 
Maybe it wasn't a quote, maybe it was something I read from a reliable insider account. I definitely remember reading that he was disappointed.
 
Either this is a good team and you fire the coach or this still isn't a good team and you fire the GM. The only people I trust completely right now are the scouts. They've done a great job over and over again.
But have they done a great job? This organization was supposed to have the best pipeline at one point yet we are still waiting for guys like Fagemo, JAD, Kailyev, etc. to pan out. It that a function of the coach/system or did the scouts miss? Just feels like given how highly touted the farm system was, we should be further along. I'd argue that Anaheim might have done a better job scouting and will bear the fruit of that in 3-5 years.
 
Maybe it wasn't a quote, maybe it was something I read from a reliable insider account. I definitely remember reading that he was disappointed.
Interesting. If true that changes my internal narrative over this thing since it happened ha. Either way, his decision not to sign definitely pushed Blake’s hand along and as others stated, win win trade regardless.

But still, that picture. All players are fans too but imagine being drafted by one team and wearing another’s gear?
 
But have they done a great job? This organization was supposed to have the best pipeline at one point yet we are still waiting for guys like Fagemo, JAD, Kailyev, etc. to pan out. It that a function of the coach/system or did the scouts miss? Just feels like given how highly touted the farm system was, we should be further along. I'd argue that Anaheim might have done a better job scouting and will bear the fruit of that in 3-5 years.
Just my take on it but I think the scouts have done an excellent job. The Organization, however, has prioritized the veterans over the prospects which has created numerous roadblocks to the prospects path to the NHL. JAD, for instance, I feel had a roster spot locked in up until Blake signed Lewis (basically a more experienced and consistent version of what JAD could have brought to the table). Bjornfot still blows my mind as he transitioned to the NHL quickly then was later relegated to the AHL with journeyman defensemen prioritized before him. We then traded many of our prospects/fledglings away to clear cap space for more...veterans.

When you look at the Ducks on the other hand, who I agree are building a monster roster, they prioritized the prospects and brought them up quickly giving them key minutes and opportunities to learn at the NHL level rather than bringing in veterans to block them. They knew it would mean a few rough seasons in the process, but they fully embraced a rebuild.

Just seems like the Kings wanted to keep winning and sprinkle in prospects (very sparingly) rather than fully embrace a rebuild, which makes sense as they had players like Brown, Quick, Kopitar and Doughty on the roster all looking for another shot at the Cup. I don't think this is reflective of poor drafting, however, but rather Organizational goals.
 
Todd's time is just about up now after his team's recent loss to the Predators tonight. He's consistently shown that he's a one-dimensional coach who doesn't make meaningful adjustments when things don't go his way and refuses to take timeouts until at the last possible moment and by then it's too late. He's been that way since 2014, or if not, 2011, and yet Todd has this detached sense of self-satisfaction with his methods despite knowing that his style has become outdated since 2015.

Blake might also have to be relieved of his own duties as GM as well for not only keeping Todd for so long but channeling his inner post-2012-era Dean Lombardi by signing bloated contracts to certain players like PLD and anchoring the team on the cap.
 
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It took DeBoer one season to get that loaded Sharks team to the finals.
One.

He is just not a coach that will get a team over the hump.
He is fine for what he is.
He gets to a point where his skills can't meet the moment.
 
fire-bravos.png
 
You sure that was Faber/remember where? I read about this trade a lot when it happened and all I heard from him was pure excitement. The article I linked is from June 30, 2022, a day after the trade happened.
And I heard/read at the time that the Kings were concerned he would go back to U of M for a 4th year and become a free agent rather than play in L.A. The Fiala/Faber trade conveniently solved problems for both teams. Wild got cap relief, the Kings got their scorer, and the kid got to stay at home. I thought everyone was happy.
 
And I heard/read at the time that the Kings were concerned he would go back to U of M for a 4th year and become a free agent rather than play in L.A. The Fiala/Faber trade conveniently solved problems for both teams. Wild got cap relief, the Kings got their scorer, and the kid got to stay at home. I thought everyone was happy.
That it what I recall hearing as well.
 
Blake gave Todd a full vote of confidence so the team and the fanbase is stuck with him unless something more drastic than an 8 game losing streak happens over the last half of the season.

I sure hope Arvidsson doesn’t get rushed back into the lineup in hopes that he’s the savior of this season. He deserves better than that.
 
Blake gave Todd a full vote of confidence so the team and the fanbase is stuck with him unless something more drastic than an 8 game losing streak happens over the last half of the season.

I sure hope Arvidsson doesn’t get rushed back into the lineup in hopes that he’s the savior of this season. He deserves better than that.
No GM is going to say the coach is on a short leash. What was he going to say? We are giving him 2 more games to turn this thing around, if not we will fire him? He had to back him, he is still the coach. If he does not, the team starts to worry about the coaches and the start thinking about crap that they do not need to think about.
 
No GM is going to say the coach is on a short leash. What was he going to say? We are giving him 2 more games to turn this thing around, if not we will fire him? He had to back him, he is still the coach. If he does not, the team starts to worry about the coaches and the start thinking about crap that they do not need to think about.
Agreed. He won't say that in a public presser. But, you can guarantee he's saying something to this effect behind closed doors. Owners see playoff revenue slipping away and pressures the GM/President. GM, pressures the coach. Coach tweaks the lines a bit and we are still mired in this losing streak. Something is going to give. A trade to blow things up or TM is gone. The bad part is Kings are Cap strapped and have no goalie signed for next year. But, lets just focus on the crappy losing streak right now. :hocky:
 
While I also do not understand most of Todd’s decisions of late, personally I do not feel this team is constructed in a way that makes them a realistic contender, no matter who is the coach.

While GMRB has made some good decisions, his poor ones have been extremely damaging to the team, both short term and long term. I could maybe give him a pass on some of his draft choices, the hiring Willie D, signing Kovalchuk and the Petersen extension, all of which were, in my view, terrible decisions, in my view, the PL Dubois trade should be what gets him - and Luc, if this was Luc’s handiwork too, and I have my suspicions that it was - fired.

Notwithstanding the Mayor’s attempts to gaslight us into thinking that this team is better than last year‘s team, record wise they are not, and no one is going to tell me that this team would not be better by simply removing PL Dubois and reinserting Vilardi. We would also have a better balance of right hand shots for the power play.

Furthermore, even after reserving for the contracts for upcoming RFAs, based on what the Jets signed Vilardi to, we would have more salary cap room over the next eight years to get another stud left shot defenseman and a legitimate starting goaltender.

I think we all need a buckle up as this team is not winning anything anytime soon in its current form, including the team, the coach and the management.

I am almost at the point of hoping they keep losing so that something will happen, because then it will be the beginning of a real turnaround. Sorry to be a Debbie downer, but I am extremely frustrated with the situation and am questioning continuing my season ticket dollars going forward.
 
I feel sorry for the season ticket holders who are lied to about a commitment to winning. Standing pat is not working. The season began so well, too. Very disappointing.
 
But have they done a great job? This organization was supposed to have the best pipeline at one point yet we are still waiting for guys like Fagemo, JAD, Kailyev, etc. to pan out. It that a function of the coach/system or did the scouts miss? Just feels like given how highly touted the farm system was, we should be further along. I'd argue that Anaheim might have done a better job scouting and will bear the fruit of that in 3-5 years.
Evidence supports that the coach is willing to play certain prospects, but not others.

Fagemo is the prime example. Why wasn’t he in the lineup last night? Our problem as of late ain’t defending as much as everyone wants , it’s scoring.

And give me a second here to climb up on my soapbox….

Ok, that’s better. In the last 2 games, our impending problem with how to be successful in the playoffs has been obvious. Our lack of size, and systemic play, versus a team willing to play a heavy/physical game is going to haunt us. I don’t care how skilled your team is, if you don’t win the puck battles in the corners or along the boards, you’re going to lose in the Spring. Will and determination can only go so far, and in the end the actual Physics will win out.

Dallas and Nashville put the puck in the corners and outworked us. Our breakouts we let intercepted leaving the zone countless times. Teams have scouted how we played, and have made little adjustments on where to be, and where to have their sticks. We’ve also been grossly outhit.

The 2nd period with the long change is a problem for us and has been for years. We get caught with the puck in our end, teams change and grind out another 30-40 seconds, our players legs got to mush, and the puck ends up in our net. This is truly a systemic problem.

And don’t take this that a big team has to play slow, you can play with pace and be a heavy team.

That said, Not sure why Anderson-Dolan or Kaliyev is getting playing time over Fagemo, or even a recall of Thomas. Maybe because he kills penalties? We lost last night 2-1, against a team that played a textbook defensive game. Our skill players were frustrated, Kopitar has a bum wheel, and the only forward excelling on our squad was PLD, who plays a heavier game that most.

Time to swap out some fringe pieces for bigger players.
 
Gonna just go into next season with Turcotte, Fagemo, Thomas all out of waivers and Laf secured a spot? Let Arvy walk? Sure, that team’s even better. Had damn well give these kids a chance to play now and see what you got. Oh wait, gotta stay the course. And JAD gets an assist every other time there’s a full moon.
 
Gonna just go into next season with Turcotte, Fagemo, Thomas all out of waivers and Laf secured a spot? Let Arvy walk? Sure, that team’s even better. Had damn well give these kids a chance to play now and see what you got. Oh wait, gotta stay the course. And JAD gets an assist every other time there’s a full moon.
I’d argue the other way and say that they are a prospect until they aren't. Sure, you recycle them for other players or picks, but until they are completely dominant in the AHL, they don’t deserve the chance. Fagemo has shown that, and why TM isn’t giving him a look on the 3rd or 4th line, boggles me .
 
And I heard/read at the time that the Kings were concerned he would go back to U of M for a 4th year and become a free agent rather than play in L.A. The Fiala/Faber trade conveniently solved problems for both teams. Wild got cap relief, the Kings got their scorer, and the kid got to stay at home. I thought everyone was happy.

That was my recollection as well. Didn't appear that the kid was going to sign with LA.
 
Gonna just go into next season with Turcotte, Fagemo, Thomas all out of waivers and Laf secured a spot? Let Arvy walk? Sure, that team’s even better. Had damn well give these kids a chance to play now and see what you got. Oh wait, gotta stay the course. And JAD gets an assist every other time there’s a full moon.
I think there will be space for those guys as if I had to guess, JAD, Kaliyev and maybe Arvy will be gone. Fagemo will be the interesting one as he still has some options to play in LA (limited games) without going through waivers. I just don't know if the Kings see him as a guy that can be impactful on the NHL roster or if they seem him more as an AHL guy like Tynan.
 
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