Well, that didn't take long. The LA Kings have mutually parted ways with general manager Rob Blake. Blake had been brought on as an assistant general manager prior to the 2013-14 season, before the Kings brought him on as the GM in April 2017. Blake's time with the Kings saw some playoff appearances, but they also couldn't escape the first round of the postseason.
There is word this morning Rob Blake and the LA Kings have mutually agreed to part ways.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 5, 2025
As you can see, Elliotte Friedman made the news official early this afternoon. Over the last four seasons of Blake's tenure, the Edmonton Oilers were a nightmare for his hockey teams. The Kings put together a record of 8-16 against Edmonton over those previous four seasons, so it's no surprise that the Kings wanted to move on.
It's hard to keep a job in this league when you can't get out of the first round of the playoffs, especially against primarily one team. In 2017-18, Blake's Kings also made history as the first NHL team to lose a playoff series against the then-expansion Vegas Golden Knights, another team that had given the Kings and most of the NHL headaches since.
LA Kings were right to move on from Rob Blake, considering the circumstances
While Blake managed to build the Kings into a perennial playoff team, his teams never managed to finish better than second in the Pacific. Yeah, he did a great job building them back into a contender, and that's something that a lot of executives out there like the Red Wings Steve Yzerman or the Sabres Kevyn Adams would love to say. But, he never took the Kings up another notch.
And this season brought a lot of hope, with the Kings finishing the year with 105 points, 48 wins, and just 206 goals allowed. You couldn't have asked for a tougher team to score on in hockey, and one that scored rather well, themselves, considering their 250 goals for.
So, while some teams have more than seen their respective playoff runs end in ultra-heartbreaking fashion, even more than the Kings, this was supposed to be the year. Instead, the Blake-led Kings only treated fans to the same movie they grew tired of watching back in 2022.
The next general manager shouldn't have their work cut out for them
The next executive up should have a good team to work with, if they're not willing to tear everything down. I wouldn't, considering how well they played, especially defensively, throughout the regular season. So, we'll see what they decide to do here, but for all intents and purposes, the Kings should, at worst, consider a retool.
Still, they can likely hold off a retool for another seaosn or two, at least looking to contend for a deep playoff run while they still have their core of star players. The next few months will give us more insight on their plans.