And now, your daily moment of Darryl Sutter zen. There’s really no change and no surprise. Sutter’s deal to become the next Kings coach is essentially in place, and it will be a multi-year contract to be announced in the coming days. Per franchise policy, no coach can have a contract longer than the general manager’s contract, and Dean Lombardi is signed through the 2012-13 season, with an option for the following season. Regardless, Sutter’s contract will be for more than just the rest of this season (remember, there’s the ominous possibility of a labor stoppage next season). The only hold-up now is immigration. Because of residency issues, Sutter is not legally eligible to join the team at all until Monday, so it’s almost certain that his first game would be Thursday’s home game against Anaheim. The two Southern California teams, both with new coaches. Who would have guessed it three months ago?
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Stevens seems to be making things happen. I still think he should have been given the opportunity indefinitely until he was deemed unfit. Hopefully whoever ends up as the head coach can turn this team around.
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USHA#17 Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@The Puck Stops Here,
Don’t know about that but it is certainly better then hearing Sutter is the new coach.
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kind of unsure how i feel about this. we’ll see, i hope it works out. GKG!!
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While I appreciated TM I always felt like he and Randy Carlyle were cut from the same cloth, great hockey minds but soft. I think that they were both to easy going on the players and never drew a line in the sand with anyone. I guess I am of the older mind set that mutual respect is important, but at the same time there needs to be a leader in there that will not beat around the bush and get in your face when one is clearly not performing up to standards. I am not saying we need someone that cracks the whip every second, but they will crack it if need be.
Every time a King was interviewed they gave the same old ho hum “if we play our system”, not a smile one one them during warm up, no joking around because IMO they are not winning and they had no faith in the “system”. Sutter will not be more of the same and he will probably make the team miserable to start with. Break them down and build them back up as a “Team”, make them work together to over come. Once that is done they will win and the smiles will return along with them having fun winning.
Sorry I do not usually make these long posts, but I do see Sutter as a good thing.
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crashin' da net Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 11:50 am
@Slapshot, How long do you think the “break them down” process takes?? Are you writing off this season? I hope the first order of business is firing Kompon. Second is planning a trade for fire power. We have the $$$ and Richards may now be damaged goods. Penner is key to salvaging this season.
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yard dog Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
@crashin’ da net, He is obviously somewhat dissapointing, but I do like Penner and hope he remains with this organization. But to think that some think of him as the “key” to this team’s success, this season, is so beyond me. And with that said, I am starting to wonder if this organization really did lead the fans astray over the past summer, in overhyping that this team was or is a Stanley Cup contender. Often, we are so involved and biased with what we have and what is ours that we are thus blinded with what is reality. Hope not in this case.
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Slapshot Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 12:04 am
@crashin’ da net, No it may not take a season to break anyone down. This group of individuals has been that for two years or so, they need a good antagonist like a good book. It is not a tough thing to process, what is tough is to get the team aspect in gear. So far we have seen a bunch of individuals work try to implement a system, breaking those individuals down is easy. The hard part is seeing that they over come adversity as a team, Sutter has the means to do that.
We have the talent to pull through this all, but if Sutter can not make them “pull together as a team” (200 DKP for the song it is from), then yes this season is a wash.
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BobKnob Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 11:56 am
@Slapshot,
You have clearly never watched a Duck game. Randy Carlyle could regularly be seen cussing and yelling at his players for their stupid play.
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KC23 Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
@Slapshot, I agree for the most part. I think most of our problems are confidence related.
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Forum67 Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
@Slapshot,
Well, since Lombardi is betting his tenure as the Kings GM on Darryl Sutter, for his sake I hope he has a better outcome than when Darryl Sutter bet his tenure as the Flames GM on his brother, Brent Sutter.
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I like Stevens for the year! Suter well no comment, we shall see if the 1st 20 games he is the man!
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Wow Hammer that IS quite the SoCal anamoly! My crystal ball neve said anything about this, so it’s fired!
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Can we hope that customs finally does their job and holds him there for too long and forces DL to look past his old buddy he’s already fired once?
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“Regardless, Sutter’s contract will be for more than just the rest of this season.”
That sound you just heard was the collective scream of “Noooooo!” And the death of dreams Dave Tippet would be hired in the off-season.
“Who would have guessed it three months ago?”
Seriously, Bruce Boudreau – The Caps Coach and Darryl Sutter – the recently fired GM of the Flames…coaching the Kings and Ducks before Christmas? Crazy talk.
Unequivocally, not a person on the planet could have foreseen this.
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Lombardi will commit career suicide by hiring ‘old’ NHL Sutter. He left Calgary as a laughingstock as a GM.
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gmo Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
@Seth,
you said it AS A GM…..he is a good coach……….geeee give the guy a chance…….
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In Dean We Trust…..well maybe not…..Even the coaching change is a diaster.I never seen such a long time between coaches.BTW I hear mention that Tim L. wanted the change. I have heard that Luc wanted a change also….Glad to see Hunter back in and Moreau is still with us in the minors..Love that depth….
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This will end poorly. What a bummer I had high hopes for this team.
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Candidly, this move is flat out stupid. It is just my opinion, I’m sorry, but anything given to Sutter past this season is just ridiculous. With a guy like Dave Tippett available at the end of this season, to offer a multi-year contract to a guy that has no real relation to anyone on this team except Lombardi makes this seem like a desperate move. Potential work stoppage or not (You gotta believe ‘Not’, everyone should have learned from the first one), The best coach for this team as far as fit is available after the end of this season, the players know him and he knows them, and we’re putting a Multi-Year contract together?
I don’t like it.
I wonder if DL has something personal against a guy like Tippett. It really is a question with no basis behind it, but I just wonder. The answer is staring at him in the face, but we’re doing this? Disappointed is not a strong enough word for me.
I will give Dean credit, he’s really going ‘All In’ with this move. It will eiter be wildly successful (And I’ll eat crow) or it will tank miserably and we’ll have a new coach AND GM in a year’s time (Too bad because I think DL is the right guy for the GM job).
Either DL knows something miraculous that we don’t or he’s doing what the sign in his office says and showing us his pair of balls.
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neil Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
@Cynic, Well if Sutter is smart(hockey wise)he knows what the problem is…A good coach changes with the talent he has.A good coach also learns from his past mistakes…Iam hoping that Sutter comes in and is a better coach then he was last time he coached….Also Sutter knows we need to score more so if he wants to keep his job..he will find a way to balance the O with the D…
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IceGuy Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
@Cynic,
Being a loyal Kings fan – Welcome Mr. Sutter, and good luck!
And I agree Cynic, this really IS an “all in” move by Lombardi. I can’t imagine that the people above him in management look at a one name list as productive and well thought out, except for the fact of that old Lombardi quote when he first came to LA. What kind of guy do you want for a coach? “Sutter”.
Has anyone seen a souped up deLorean parked around Staples?
Marty: “That’s heavy, Doc.”
Doc: “There’s that word again. Heavy. Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there something wrong with the Kings offense?”
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Sutter should keep Stevens as an assistant
but find somone new for Kompon
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<<<>>>>>
Does anyone know if Ethan Moreau accepted the assignment to Manchester? or did he leave permanently?
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Caleb C Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
@Paul G, Hammer said earlier he accepted
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Is the GM allowed to fire the assistant coaches or is that only the head coach’s responsibility? Because I still can’t understand why/how Kompon has a job with this team.
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40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
@bmova, Exactly!
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like many others who have voiced their opposition towards the now eminent hiring of darryl sutter, it’s time to concede that there’s little that we, those fans in agreement, can do at this point other than hope that sutter can make it work and prove our instincts wrong…
so, with lots ‘o’ apprehension, i still will eventually welcome the bird’s nest himself to los angeles once he’s formally introduced…
i told you…be careful what you wish for…
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neil Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
@variable, I wished for a new coach…..not Sutter!!!! But I will give him a chance…
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@BobKnob, yeah, I never pegged Carlyle as being soft.
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40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 17th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
@daves a mess, Carlyle? Anything but soft.
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Helene Elliott @helenenothelen
Darryl Sutter has been hired as the Kings’ next coach and will take over on Tuesday.
Tuesday or Thursday?
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“(remember, there’s the ominous possibility of a labor stoppage next season)” How likely is this? I haven’t really heard many rumblings coming out of the NHL/NHLPA regarding that possibility…
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Bye Dean!
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Rich, use your powers with the govt. to stop this!
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