After a 4-8-1 start to their season, the Los Angeles Kings are shaking things up by firing head coach John Stevens.
NHL coaches often have a mighty short leash. Last season, John Stevens coached the Los Angeles Kings back into the playoffs. But the NHL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. And lately, the Kings have been struggling.
After getting off to a 4-8-1 start, the Kings are shaking things up by firing Stevens, along with assistant coach Don Nachbaur. He was hired to replace two-time Stanley Cup champion Darryl Sutter back in the summer of 2016.
John Stevens has been dismissed by the Kings.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) November 4, 2018
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Stevens appears to be the scapegoat for the Kings slow start. This year was a critical one for them, as they have a bit of an aging core. The Kings have looked lost this year at times. Even an impressive win over the Columbus Blue Jackets wasn’t enough to save Stevens’ job.
He will leave the Kings with a 49-37-9 record. Even though Los Angeles made a return to the postseason in 2017-18, they got swept by the Vegas Golden Knights. Stevens was brought in to try to change things up from Sutter’s system, which lacked offense. However, he wasn’t able to do that, as the Kings have continued to struggle to score.
Former Vancouver Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins has been named Stevens’ replacement. He’s a 20 year veteran behind the bench, including three with the Canucks and two as an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars.
Desjardins will be taking over a very desperate team. They desperately need a new voice, which is probably why they fired Stevens. Desjardins most recently coached the 2018 Winter Olympic men’s hockey team for Canada.
Marco Sturm, best known for his work with the German national team, has been named as Nachbaur’s replacement as assistant coach. Desjardins and Sturm will have their work cut out for them, as they take over a struggling team who is looking to win now.