Stevens promoted to head coach by Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings have promoted associated head coach John Stevens to become their next head coach.

Kings spokesman Mike Altieri said the team will introduce Stevens at a news conference Monday.

Stevens replaces Darryl Sutter after serving as an assistant to two Kings head coaches over the past eight seasons, which included the franchise’s only two Stanley Cup championship runs. Los Angeles has won just one playoff game in three years since its last title in 2014.

Stevens was the Kings’ interim head coach for four games early in the 2011- 12 season after Terry Murray was fired and before the hiring of Sutter, who became the winningest coach in Kings history and the only coach to lead them to a title.

The Kings fired Sutter and general manager Dean Lombardi nearly two weeks ago in a remarkable housecleaning after the regular season ended without a playoff berth. But owner Phil Anschutz’s organization subsequently promoted the two most likely internal candidates to replace them, preferring stability with Stevens and longtime assistant general manager Rob Blake over an extensive franchise overhaul.

“We believe John has the ideal qualities to lead our hockey club,” Blake said in a news release.

“His wide array of coaching experience, including success as an NHL head coach and his inherent knowledge of our players and those in our development system, is very appealing to us.

“We are confident he is the best person to lead our hockey club forward.”