For the fourth straight year, the Los Angeles Kings season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs to the Edmonton Oilers. It raises some serious questions that the Kings might need a complete franchise reset and it feels like they have to take it.
The Kings will have some decisions to make in their front office and behind their bench and it starts with general manager Rob Blake. The former Kings player became general manager for the team he played for in 2017 and has served in that role since. His contract expired at the end of the season and at this point there has been no indication that he has signed a new deal.
Last month, I wrote that the recent moves made by Rob Blake warranted him getting a new contract. However, one of his strengths was finding the players that fit Hiller's system and he did make some great additions in the last calendar year. The challenge is that the issues for the Kings are bigger than this just year and is one of the reasons it is time for a complete change.
In addition to Blake, the Kings have former player Luc Robitaille in their front office and he has been there since 2007 and was promoted to President of the Kings in 2017 at the same time Rob Blake was named general manager. He has certainly had a large voice in how the team has been built and this is an instance where he may remain with the Kings but not have as much of a say in the roster in this proposed shakeup.
LA Kings will also need a new head coach to accomplish this reset
If the Kings want a complete reset, that would also have to include Jim Hiller who just finished his first full season as head coach for the team. In terms of the regular season, Hiller did an excellent job as the Kings would tie the franchise record for points and finish second in the Pacific Division.
However, the playoffs were a different story and after getting up 2-0 they collapsed to lose their final four games. The lineup decisions played a significant role in their struggles down the stretch as players were healthy scratches that shouldn't have been (Jordan Spence) and older veterans saw way too much ice time (Drew Doughty).
While this was Hiller's first season as head coach, he has been with the team for three of the four playoff exits by the Edmonton Oilers. For the Kings' head coach, he might be a victim of the circumstances and where the franchise is.
The history might be too much for the team to overcome if they were to see the Edmonton Oilers once again next offseason. This roster is undoubtedly talented and can compete for a playoff spot next season but sometimes franchises just need a new voice and approach. For the Los Angeles Kings to truly achieve that, it needs to be new people in all of these roles.