Rob Blake is feeling the heat to deliver playoff wins this season.
The Los Angeles Kings have been knocked out in the first round for three years straight and haven’t won a playoff series since their Stanley Cup victory ten years ago. Blake, who took over as general manager on April 10, 2017, has guided the team through a rebuild. They’ve got some promising young talent but mixed results on the ice.
Blake’s made some good moves like bringing in Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, and Phillip Danault. But there have been misses too, especially last season’s Pierre-Luc Dubois trade and extension .
Pressure Mounts for Rob Blake
To keep his job long-term, Blake probably needs the Kings to win at least one playoff round this year. However, after this summer’s trades and signings, that seems unlikely. The Kings added goalie Darcy Kuemper and forward Tanner Jeannot while signing veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson and forward Warren Foegele.
Fans might think these changes won’t be enough to push the team further in the playoffs.
Foegele could be useful in their middle-six or even top line if needed. But Edmundson’s four-year $15.2M contract raises eyebrows; his back issues could become a problem affecting his play or sidelining him entirely.
The Kings will look different next season, especially if they face Edmonton again in the playoffs. With key players like Dubois, Matt Roy, and Viktor Arvidsson gone and new additions not making much impact so far, this might be Blake’s final chance with Los Angeles.
What do you think? Will these changes help the Kings finally break through?
