A day after separating the roads with Its general managerThe President of the Kings, Luke Rubial, expressed his confidence in his main coach, saying he expected Jim Heller It will return with the team next season. However, the final decision will be with the new General Motors.
“Your general manager, you want to give him freedom. You don’t want to hold a new person who comes,” he said. “But the record of what Jimmy did this year is really good. It will be really difficult for any General Motors to say,” Well, this man should not return. “
“I think Jimmy is a great coach and I fully think that this man is definitely returning.”
In his first first season as NHL coach, Heller tied a better team to win (48) and points (105) and break the record for winning the home (31). But he made many decisive mistakes in the qualifiers The team is hurriedWhich leads to another record: Kings They went to the franchise of 11 seasons without winning the post -season series.
Blake was the general manager of eight of those seasons. However, this failure in the Playoff was not necessarily the trigger that led to its departure. Robithaille has devoted most 28 -minute meeting with the media on Tuesday to its former general manager, saying that the two are discussing the future of Blake with kings for most of the past six months.
“We met at the weekend, and we took two days to go during the season and overcome everything, what happened in the qualifiers, etc.”. “At one time, we realized and agreed that the time has come to bring a new voice, just to move to this next level.”
Robithaille and Blake, both of whom were Hall of Fame, were teammates with the kings and worked together in the front office for more than a decade. This took on the mutual decision of Blake and the team to cut into particular difficult ways.
“This is never easy because there is part of friendship,” he said. “It will leave a big hole. It’s difficult. It was a difficult weekend.”
Rubaitil said that the search for a new general manager has already begun and the process will be wide open, as the team is studying the candidates inside and outside the organization.
“We do not have a timetable, but we are clearly understanding the urgency,” said Rubiael. “We know what will happen.”
Once he is appointed, the new general manager will start the list of lengthy tasks. Decisions should be made regarding a number of players, starting with defender Vladislav Gavrikov, who led the team in minutes. He is an unrestricted free agent, as well as attackers Andre Cosmanco, Tanner Jenot and Trevor Lewis.
Greenkov, who achieved $ 5.875 million this season, is scheduled to be raised, Kuzmenko, who came from Philadelphia on the deadline for trade and activated immediately playing power of kings. Kuzmenko, 29, has achieved $ 2.75 million in the last year of his contract.
Defender Vladislav Gafrikov (Al -Wasat), who was considered a goal with a goal with Adrian Kimby (9) and defender Mickey Anderson, is one of the multiple free agents with whom the kings offered to start contracting negotiations.
(Alex Gallardo/AP)
In addition, the wing Alex Lavrier is a restricted free agent, and Adrian Kemp is qualified qualified on July 1. Rubitel said the team had already communicated with some of these players and offered the start of negotiations.
The team will receive funds to spend since the NHL salary ceiling has increased significantly over the next three years, from 88 million dollars this season to $ 113.5 million in 2027-28. Rubial said the team will not be afraid to spend this money.
“We are committed to winning,” he said. “If you want to win this league, you usually spend on the maximum. But it is not a matter of spending on the cover. It is related to wisdom, doing the right decision, etc. We will only throw money, to throw money. You have to do it correctly.
“But this team is committed, yes.”
Robithaille believed that the kings have talent to make a deep -season match this season, especially after they easily overcome Edmonton in the first two games of the first round chain. But things took a role late in the game 3. As the kings advanced late in the third period, Heller challenged a call to the ice, on the pretext that Ivander Kane of Oils had interfered with the goalkeeper Darssi Koyber on the goal of the ranking. The protest was not allowed, and Oilers got power and after 10 seconds they took the initiative.
Edmonton will not lose again, eliminating kings in the first round of the fourth consecutive season.
Heller also summarized his seat in the qualifiers, as he exceeded the use of a basic group of old warriors while dispensing his lower line forward and the last defenders. As a result, some players were gas by the end of the series.
“This one hurts a great time,” said Defensean Drow Doughty, who leads all skiers in the average ice time in the qualifiers, to reporters during exit interviews on Monday. “In the past years, I will not say that we may win, but this year, I really felt that we would win this series.
“Everyone bought what we were supposed to do. This is our best team here for a long time. Unfortunately, it’s not done.”
Heller took over the position of temporary coach in the middle of the road during the 2023-24 season and led the kings to the post-season-in addition to losing a match in the first round against Oils. He earned that job on a permanent basis, as Blake signed a three -year contract with the fourth year option last May.
“Jim did a tremendous job,” said Rubiatel. “The general manager who will make his own decisions will come, etc., but we really have passed a year. It is the best year-I think, ’74-75-in the history of kings.
“But it is sports and wants to win the last game of the season. This is our goal.”
