The biggest fault for this teams lack of dominance is ownership. Phillip Anschutz has his rich hands dipped into SO many investments that the Kings are just another pawn on his chess board. For reference, maybe it’s common knowledge, maybe it’s not, but the Kings are the 5th most valuable franchise in the NHL at $2.5b.
With such a disconnect to the organization itself and management (ie. Rob Blake), there will never be the long term changes made that we’d like to see as Kings fans.
As long as the Kings turn a profit and the fact that we might make playoffs, ownership won’t do shit.
I’ll admit it, I’m a lifelong Chargers fan and have had my frustrations with the Spani for as long as I can remember, however changes were made.
Dean moved the team to LA, increased the value of the team, but they were still dog shit.
It took bonehead coach (fuck you Staley) and a blowout loss to the Raiders to make a big change.
However, if you’re a chargers fan and watch post game clips you’ll see Dean and/or his son in the locker rooms or attending Chargers events. I know this is a small sample size but as a fan it’s somewhat encouraging to see an owner be involved with the team.
The point being, as long as the Kings are doing ok and are still making the owners big bucks, ownership won’t touch Blake with a ten foot pole.
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Ok doomer
I think your Chargers bias is clouding your opinion here. The issue here is team management, not ownership cutting corners to save a buck
Couldn’t you have said the same thing in 2010 or 11? Anschutz was the owner then too, don’t remember anybody saying he was bad owner after 12 or 14…
No doubt there is an old boys club feel to kings organization and there is nothing worse then being stuck in the middle but I would hold off judgement just a bit longer. If we lose in the first round or don’t make the playoffs this year I would expect a clean sweep of management from the top down
You’re absolutely right. I wonder how often he even remembers the Kings exist. Whatever AEG reps are in charge of the Kings let Luc & Blake run wild without a leash.
The Kings are where the Galaxy have been since 2014 (not including this year).
The Galaxy were run by Chris Klein and technical Director Jovan Kirovski. They were AEG boys thru and thru. Every year they’d try to “build” a team by signing aging vets and former stars. Agents would call up Kirovski and sell him on their aging stars and the Galaxy would be more than happy to sign them. This went on for almost a decade. The Galaxy saw little to no success.
Things only got moving once supporters groups worked together and protested the 2023 season. With no supporter groups in attendance for home games, the stadium was lifeless. Fans of all kinds boycotted Galaxy games with their wallets. It became an embarrassment around the league. National games would be televised and the stadium would be nearly empty.
FINALLY AEG had enough and booted Klein and Kirovski and hired a new GM. He revamped the scouting dept and how they operated as a whole.
In 2024 the Galaxy finished 2nd in the West and are currently on the playoffs.
Blake and Luc are Klein and Kirovski. This Kings team is going nowhere until they’re both fired.
Point the finger at Blake all you want – he still has (3) consecutive 100-point seasons. I’m not going to look it up, but I would bet most GM firings don’t come on the heels of a playoff season, it’s usually the other way around.
Helene Elliot wrote an article in like 2010 or maybe even earlier asking Anschutz to stop being a passive owner and it lead to getting serious and winning two cups. I think there is desire there to be a successful franchise and that Blake will get fired this year. There is probably some other house clearing that needs to be done, but in reality it’s super hard to win a Stanley cup even with excellent GMs.
This is a throwback Thursday post from the 2008-09 season, right?
Fucks sake this sub is a perpetual rain cloud.
We’re fighting for first in the division with a brand new head coach and a starting goalie who’s been hurt half the season so far. We’ve beaten (and even blown out) some very good teams this year, when everyone “expected” us to take a big step backwards.
Rob Blake is a bad GM and I think that based on the various leaks and tweets over the past few seasons from folks inside the org it seems there’s an overall lack of accountability and loss of focus on the things that made the Kings successful in 2012 and 2014.
They should have never fired Dean, that was a gigantic mistake.
Philip Anschutz took over in 1995. 2012-2014 two cups ten playoff series wins. Outside of that we have one playoff series win in the remaining 27 years he’s been the owner. Mediocrity might be the word for it.
I disagree tbh. Having a hands off owner that spends money is the perfect set up for a franchise. You don’t want a Jerry Jones. The problem is the people actually in charge of the team aren’t doing a good enough job.
There are far worse things you can have in an ownership then being so hands off to the point of not giving af. They have no salary limitations for the team too. Biggest problem is being content with Blake for 8 years. He should’ve been fired after the third straight loss to Edmonton with PLD being a massive bust
Listen dude, I myself am also a Chargers fan (for 11 years) and a Kings fan for about a year longer.
The Chargers are blessed to have Jim Harbaugh. And us Chargers fans are 10 weeks into JUST seeing exactly how blessed we are.
Kings would be needing to hire out something crazy for a similar change. I guarantee you any other coach in the Chargers system right now and they’re not on that trajectory they are now. Kings will get it together for a run soon whether its this year or in a few its all there to gather together for a good run just need the right things to fall into place. Forcing it by firing people will NEVER be a solution unless you have a “Jim Harbaugh” up the sleeve.
I’m just worried this team can’t get over the hump. They seem stuck in that wild card/1st round exit sorta team.