Rob Blake gives Jim Hiller a chance, we should as well

When Hiller took over at the all-star break, his main goal was to win games. A simple one considering the easy schedule, but a goal achieved.

The Kings locked down defensively finishing third in goals against per game allowing 2.19 GA/GP. But it was at the expense of offense scoring 3.03 GF/GP good for 20th in the league. Yet they still ended the year with a 21-12-1 record with Hiller at the helm.

All of this means nothing, of course, considering the failure in the playoffs but the blame shouldn’t be on him, but on the roster he managed. He tried it all.

Hiller constantly blended lines, switched to an 11/7 formation, and utilized players in entirely different roles. Now it’s on Rob Blake to give him a roster that can contend and on the new head coach to guide them to the next level.

Introducing Hiller

“The criteria we were looking for, the different characteristics or attributes, Jim filled a lot of those for us,” said Rob Blake in his opening remarks on the decision to go with Hiller.

“The best was being able to watch him under pressure situations. We saw him as an assistant coach taking over this team at a difficult time and steering them in the right direction.” Blake added that in his exit interviews with the players, they brought up Hiller’s passion as a coach, “In their aspect, they really felt like he was part of the group.”

Hiller opened giving thanks to his family for their support. He reminded us that he was drafted by the LA Kings organization close to 35 years ago, “To be sitting here today, it’s an honor to say it lightly.’

He then mentioned a long list of colleagues that helped him get to this point of his career but wanted to single out Jacques Lemaire specifically, “He’s had just a great influence on my coaching career and I’d just really like to thank him. And what a gentleman, learned about being a pro through Jacques.”

Lemaire spent 17 years as an NHL head coach with Montreal, New Jersey, and Minnesota winning a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 1995.

“We’ve got to get uncomfortable with our group.”

Perhaps the highlight of the day was a rant by Rob Blake. He voiced a desire for the team to raise their willingness to win and get a little “uncomfortable.” It’s what we’ve been waiting for. Raw emotion mixed with feelings of anger and frustration that should spread not just throughout the locker room, but as Blake states, through management as well.

The last few times we’ve heard from Rob Blake, answers come across as bland with no vigor or real meaning. And while some felt the same during this availability, this was our first time seeing the Kings’ GM show any sort of intensity. Hope it translates to the ice.

Connecting with Dubois

The biggest project for Hiller will be getting the most out of their $8.5 million centerman Pierre-Luc Dubois. With a buy-out no longer an option and a no-trade clause in effect, they’ll need Dubois to be an impact player following a disappointing first year in Los Angeles. “I don’t think PL was happy with his season. I think he’s got more. And that will be my job to connect with him during the summer.”

Hiller said he’s already gone through video and statistics looking deeper into Dubois’ play, “When he’s entering the offensive zone with the puck, he’s our most efficient player at creating offense. But digging into it deeper, he didn’t have enough opportunities to enter the zone with the puck. So why is that?”

Dubois was the LA Kings’ most efficient player in zone entries with the puck on his stick, according to Corey Sznajder’s “All Three Zones” tracking data. That acknowledgment to get him more chances to do so is a good sign. They see a positive in his game and want to augment it — better linemates would help.

System change?

When asked the question about a possible system change Hiller didn’t wish to elaborate. “Let’s just put it this way, we’ve started the process of looking at everything about our game.”

He followed by describing the LA Kings’ identity as a hard team to play against focused on defense. But admitted the need for more offense.

“We feel we have to find ways to create more offense but not at the expense of what our identity is and what we’ve taken some time to create. So how do you do that? We’re going to explore every one of those. And try and maximize the offense without taking away what is our greatest strength and that’s our identity, the defense. That’s a process.”

Whatever the process involves over this crucial offseason, it’s on Rob Blake to improve the roster. There are clear needs that not just a jolt of youth can overcome. A puck mover on the left side of the defense, skill and physicality in the middle six of the forward group, and a good starting goaltender should be at the top of Blake’s wishlist. Find those pieces and this team can be better under Jim Hiller.

“We’re close. We’re really close. But there are things we have to do better,” says Hiller. Now, the word “close” is working overtime here after a season of regression. But management seems to recognize the stakes at hand. Which should leave room for optimism from the LA Kings’ faithful.