NHL notebook: Kings promote Stevens to replace Sutter as their head coach
LOS ANGELES— The Los Angeles Kings have promoted associate head coach John Stevens to become their next head coach.
Kings spokesperson 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.”
The Kings also will retain goaltending coach Bill Ranford.
Stevens, the 50-year-old former Philadelphia Flyers coach, was long considered Sutter’s likely replacement, though the firing of Lombardi and Sutter earlier this month put everything into question.
When Blake fired assistant Davis Payne and retained Stevens one day after his own promotion, the new GM made it clear Stevens was the favourite for the job.
DUCKS: Cam Fowler has returned to practice with the Anaheim Ducks, and the all-star defenceman could be on target for a quick return to the Stanley Cup contenders’ lineup.
Nearly three weeks after injuring his knee, Fowler skated with his team- mates at Honda Center on Sunday when they returned from a three-day break after sweeping Calgary out of the first round of the post-season.
“Anytime you can join the team back in practice, it definitely beats going on the ice and skating by yourself,” Fowler said. “I’m happy to be progressing in the right direction, so it was a good day.”
Fowler has been out since April 4, when Calgary captain Mark Giordano hurt him with an unpenalized knee-on-knee hit.
Fowler missed all four games of the Pacific Division champion Ducks’ series with the Flames, but he has been skating regularly for several days.