Hiller Hotseat Thread

[Birdman]

I overlooked Clark who is an exception. My mistake. He is playing better than last season.

He should be on Team Canada instead of Doughty

 

[emsomaso]

I don’t know what more evidence anyone would need to see that Hiller needs to be fired other than:

- the playoffs embarrassment from last year
- the total lack of accountability
- the mishandling of the 4th line
-the fact that the team plays so extremely boring that even hard core fans are getting disinterested
- the fact that they show no heart at all
- the putting players with zero chemistry together over and over again
- the line combinations that links like someone just threw them together without any thought whatsoever
- the pathetic press conferences after games that everyone can see were a total sh*tshow
- the absolute lack of active coaching during games
- the choice of players to start and play during the 3-3 overtime
- the choice of players used during the shootouts
- the fact that they can’t score
- the fact that the powerplay stinks

I don’t know about you, but IMO the above is enough to see that Hiller isn’t the coach this team needs…

 

[Dexter]

My headcannon is that DeBoer is already the new head coach, he just wanted to wait until after Canada looses in the Bronze medal game to make things official.

 

[DoubleMinor]

I don’t know what more evidence anyone would need to see that Hiller needs to be fired other than:

- the playoffs embarrassment from last year
- the total lack of accountability
- the mishandling of the 4th line
-the fact that the team plays so extremely boring that even hard core fans are getting disinterested
- the fact that they show no heart at all
- the putting players with zero chemistry together over and over again
- the line combinations that links like someone just threw them together without any thought whatsoever
- the pathetic press conferences after games that everyone can see were a total sh*tshow
- the absolute lack of active coaching during games
- the choice of players to start and play during the 3-3 overtime
- the choice of players used during the shootouts
- the fact that they can’t score
- the fact that the powerplay stinks

I don’t know about you, but IMO the above is enough to see that Hiller isn’t the coach this team needs…

I know how frustrating this team is. Who can ignore it?
In last year’s playoff series Hiller chose to rely on three lines because he could not find three guys who could play together and not hurt the team, especially after the Jeannot injury. And a young and inexperienced fourth line on the road in EDM was scary. It wasn’t coaching. It was a roster issue. That’s an organizational problem, not a coaching issue.
His decision to challenge was very questionable. But, Hiller chose to because the team was likely running on empty and the NHL is so maddeningly inconsistent on the challenge decisions. He opted to try to get a favorable ruling. He was wrong.
Still, as much criticism as Hilier has gotten, he was a minute from going up 3-0 and 3-1 in that series. He put his team in a position to win that series. Thats all a coach can do.

Re the current team and the line combinations, none have really worked. So, you keep doing what’s not working or adjust? At least he’s trying to find something.

I think it’s valid to question the OT personnel. And fans have criticized the SO choices of every Kings coach since OT became a thing.
Also valid re the PP which is embarrassing and frustrating. But the Kings need a D who can QB it but don’t have it. That’s a front office created issue, just as a lack of fourth line last year was.

I know this team is disappointing. The Kings are nearly unwatchable. I just see several
areas that are problematic, not a singular one.

 

[emsomaso]

I know how frustrating this team is. Who can ignore it?
In last year’s playoff series Hiller chose to rely on three lines because he could not find three guys who could play together and not hurt the team, especially after the Jeannot injury. And a young and inexperienced fourth line on the road in EDM was scary. It wasn’t coaching. It was a roster issue. That’s an organizational problem, not a coaching issue.
His decision to challenge was very questionable. But, Hiller chose to because the team was likely running on empty and the NHL is so maddeningly inconsistent on the challenge decisions. He opted to try to get a favorable ruling. He was wrong.
Still, as much criticism as Hilier has gotten, he was a minute from going up 3-0 and 3-1 in that series. He put his team in a position to win that series. Thats all a coach can do.

Re the current team and the line combinations, none have really worked. So, you keep doing what’s not working or adjust? At least he’s trying to find something.

I think it’s valid to question the OT personnel. And fans have criticized the SO choices of every Kings coach since OT became a thing.
Also valid re the PP which is embarrassing and frustrating. But the Kings need a D who can QB it but don’t have it. That’s a front office created issue, just as a lack of fourth line last year was.

I know this team is disappointing. The Kings are nearly unwatchable. I just see several
areas that are problematic, not a singular one.

I agree with the last part, there are several problems. But that is not an excuse to keep a lousy coach…

No one could say that Columbus has a perfectly put together team, still they keep on winning after giving the players a new, better coach!

 

[Bollocks]

I know how frustrating this team is. Who can ignore it?
In last year’s playoff series Hiller chose to rely on three lines because he could not find three guys who could play together and not hurt the team, especially after the Jeannot injury. And a young and inexperienced fourth line on the road in EDM was scary. It wasn’t coaching. It was a roster issue. That’s an organizational problem, not a coaching issue.
His decision to challenge was very questionable. But, Hiller chose to because the team was likely running on empty and the NHL is so maddeningly inconsistent on the challenge decisions. He opted to try to get a favorable ruling. He was wrong.
Still, as much criticism as Hilier has gotten, he was a minute from going up 3-0 and 3-1 in that series. He put his team in a position to win that series. Thats all a coach can do.

Re the current team and the line combinations, none have really worked. So, you keep doing what’s not working or adjust? At least he’s trying to find something.

I think it’s valid to question the OT personnel. And fans have criticized the SO choices of every Kings coach since OT became a thing.
Also valid re the PP which is embarrassing and frustrating. But the Kings need a D who can QB it but don’t have it. That’s a front office created issue, just as a lack of fourth line last year was.

I know this team is disappointing. The Kings are nearly unwatchable. I just see several
areas that are problematic, not a singular one.

While I understand your point of view, standing pat at this point is sending out the wrong message - both to the players and to the fans.

Sure, partial blame definitely goes to how the roster is built, but the roster is, on paper, not worse than last year. Worse on D, but not by much (- Gavrikov and Spence; but considerably improved Clarke, healthy DD, 3rd pairing more defensively stable than last year). Better goaltending; considerably better offensive depth (on paper). The issue is the players have shut out Hiller, who is the most uncharismatic, non-assertive and non-motivating coach possible, so it's hard to imagine that not happening after all that went on last season, and then this season with Phil, too.

The Phil situation in particular shows potential issues with things we don't see - things within the locker room...communication, authority and/or decision making.

I think they need a breath of fresh air, a different approach. Similar to how the team in 2012 needed it.

And Ken all but admitted to that by saying "Hiller will be coach for this season", implying there's most likely going to be a HC change, implying that Hiller IS part of the problem. He's well aware he's not the right fit (anymore), yet he's unwilling to replace him mid season? He's willing to trade for Panarin and extend him for 22 million, but he's not willing to replace the head coach? Why should he be so conservative? It's not like the team is trending upwards in form and sitting comfortably on the standings. It's not like there's high end prospects knocking on all kinds of doors to make the team next season, offsetting the loss of Kopitar and Perry.

What does that say to the players? "Sorry, you suck bad enough that despite adding Panarin I'm not willing to give you a better chance of success this season and replace a head coach even I think isn't good for this team anymore"?

Why not promote from within again - Lord from Ontario, and maybe this time DON'T hand out to him a 3-year contract if he proves successful enough to make him a permanent choice?



What can Ken lose by replacing Hiller with NHL-unproven Lord, for example, while not repeating the same mistake Rob did by handing out a ridiculous contract extension? What does he risk? Who will he upset?

And which coveted and sought-after coaches with proven track record will be available in the offseason that are not available now, if he's simply staunchly against hiring an NHL-unproven coach? Whose contract will run out and not get extended despite meeting expectations of his employers? Is he banking on a very good coach gettng bored and wanting a challenge? Someone wanting LA glamour and beach life?

 

[SirJW]

He (Clarke) should be on Team Canada instead of Doughty

Matthew Shaffer would like a word with you.

 

[JustJoe]

Despite the fact that most fans and analysts think Hiller is not a good fit for this team, I'm of the belief that removing him before the season's end will not help them get into/or make a deep run into the playoffs. I think when we saw this work (Enter the Darryl) the switch over had less to do with system and more to do with motivation. In this case, I believe that Hiller's ingrained/inherited system from Todd needs to be scrubbed so thoroughly, that it cannot be implemented during the season.

 

[ICE24]

My stance is they don't have the players to win. Bring in another coach, same results. If these players had heart were more skilled, I would blame the coach. Not one of these players makes others better. They say Panarin will make others better, I say the Rangers were in last place, who did he make better.

 

[DoubleMinor]

While I understand your point of view, standing pat at this point is sending out the wrong message - both to the players and to the fans.

Sure, partial blame definitely goes to how the roster is built, but the roster is, on paper, not worse than last year. Worse on D, but not by much (- Gavrikov and Spence; but considerably improved Clarke, healthy DD, 3rd pairing more defensively stable than last year). Better goaltending; considerably better offensive depth (on paper). The issue is the players have shut out Hiller, who is the most uncharismatic, non-assertive and non-motivating coach possible, so it's hard to imagine that not happening after all that went on last season, and then this season with Phil, too.

The Phil situation in particular shows potential issues with things we don't see - things within the locker room...communication, authority and/or decision making.

I think they need a breath of fresh air, a different approach. Similar to how the team in 2012 needed it.

And Ken all but admitted to that by saying "Hiller will be coach for this season", implying there's most likely going to be a HC change, implying that Hiller IS part of the problem. He's well aware he's not the right fit (anymore), yet he's unwilling to replace him mid season? He's willing to trade for Panarin and extend him for 22 million, but he's not willing to replace the head coach? Why should he be so conservative? It's not like the team is trending upwards in form and sitting comfortably on the standings. It's not like there's high end prospects knocking on all kinds of doors to make the team next season, offsetting the loss of Kopitar and Perry.

What does that say to the players? "Sorry, you suck bad enough that despite adding Panarin I'm not willing to give you a better chance of success this season and replace a head coach even I think isn't good for this team anymore"?

Why not promote from within again - Lord from Ontario, and maybe this time DON'T hand out to him a 3-year contract if he proves successful enough to make him a permanent choice?



What can Ken lose by replacing Hiller with NHL-unproven Lord, for example, while not repeating the same mistake Rob did by handing out a ridiculous contract extension? What does he risk? Who will he upset?

And which coveted and sought-after coaches with proven track record will be available in the offseason that are not available now, if he's simply staunchly against hiring an NHL-unproven coach? Whose contract will run out and not get extended despite meeting expectations of his employers? Is he banking on a very good coach gettng bored and wanting a challenge? Someone wanting LA glamour and beach life?

I think the issue I have is when posters have made assumptions that somehow become fact. None of us are close enough to the situation to know what is actually true.

For example, a statement that says “…the players have shut out Hiller…”.
How would any of us know whether that is in fact the case?
Or, when the statement is “Ken all but admitted to that saying Hiller will be coach for this season implying there’s likely going to be a HC change”.

I don’t think any of us can draw that conclusion.
There was talk among fans that IF Holland was going make a change that this three week break would be the time to do it. Makes sense. But Holland nipped that by offering a statement that a change was not imminent.
We all know, regardless of contract, that every coach is evaluated after every season. I have every reason to think that evaluation will occur. (The Kings fail to make the playoffs I’m sure Hiller will be in jeopardy.).
This was semantics from Holland. Not a determination that Hiller is gone at the end of the year.

Again, for me, I think accountability is on the players. I don’t absolve the coach at all. But honestly, is anyone of the belief that Kopitar and Doughty are playing near their customary level?
Kempe and Fiala, Eddie, are fine, nothing overly special. Clarke has taken great strides. Armia has been a solid player.
The defense might not look that bad, but Dumoulin has been bad the last couple weeks. Moverare was miserable the last two games. Ceci is nothing special.

I watch this team and I see a bunch of players underachieving. That is where I think the problem is.

 

[Clif]

Blake signed Hiller to a three year contract in May 2024. Not sure where the narrative that Holland extended him comes from.

Excellent posts by @emsomaso.

When this many players are underachieving, what is the common denominator? Foegele plays way too simple of a game for it to just disappear the next year.