After some less-then-inspired play this weekend, and losing their fourth game in a row to drop the team to an unimpressive 13-12-4, the L.A. Kings ended the Terry Murray era.
Stuck at 499 career wins in slightly more than 1000 games coached, and 139 wins in 275 games to rate 3rd on team's records, Terry Murray could not get the under-performing squad which has $63 million committed to payroll yet ranks dead last with a 2.21 goals per game average to get the vital wins that would save his position. Assistant John Stevens will be the interim coach until a replacement is found.
It's been eminent since early in the season as the Kings had already weathered a five game skid, and he is fifth coach to get the ax (Carolina, Columbus, Washington and Anaheim are the other casualties) so far this year. Murray's unchanging demeanor has been likened to a visual representation of his defense-oriented coaching style, and though it certainly made the team a top penalty killer in the league and created more complete, two-way players, it still takes goals to win games - and at least more than the opponents score. There have been only five games this season that the Kings have scored more than thee goals, and multiple players are thus far having their lowest career point production.
GM Dean Lombardi has a history of defensive leanings for his team development, and it makes his next hire as coach all the more interesting. Stevens, who not only goes back to Philadelphia with Murray, has a similar, stoic attitude and defensive coaching style, so his interim status is probably just that. Many names have been suggested as a potential replacement, like former Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish, Mark Morris of the (L.A. Kings minor league affiliate) Manchester Monarchs and Pittsburgh Penguins assistant (and former Kings player) Tony Granato, but the one with the most buzz is Darryl Sutter. He and Lombardi worked together in San Jose, but while louder and more brash, Sutter employs a similar system to Murray - and fans are already clamoring against those rumors the team is not really making a coaching replacement.
It's too bad that former Manchester Monarchs and recent Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau ended up in Anaheim just days prior. Of the options available, I'd rather see MacTavish before Sutter, but as John at Mayor's Manor says, "In Dean we trust", and for now we have to hope this change makes the team perform as it should.
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