Los Angeles Kings Name John Stevens Head Coach

The Los Angeles Kings have completed their search for a head coach and have hired John Stevens on Sunday. 

After spending the past three seasons as Associate Head Coach, Stevens replaces Darryl Sutter, who was let go by the Kings, along with General Manager, Dean Lombardi after the season ended on April 10. He has served on the coaching staff since 2010. 

Rob Blake, who recently took over as the General Manager in Los Angeles said, “John and I had a very productive dialogue this last week in relation to his head coaching philosophy and specifically how he would implement a strategy to activate our players offensively while maintaining the defensive philosophies we have come to be known for. I am confident we are both in agreement on how that can be executed.”   

He continued, “With that said, we believe John has the ideal qualities to lead our hockey club. His wide array of coaching experience, including his 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.”

Stevens was hired by the Kings as an Assistant Coach, on June 24, 2010 before being named an Associate Head Coach four years later. During the 2011-2012 season, he served as an Interim Coach for four games, after Los Angeles fired Terry Murray and hire Sutter. He went 2-2-0 in that brief stint behind the bench. 

He also helped Sutter lead the Kings to Stanley Cup Championships in 2012 and 2014.

Prior to arriving in southern California, Stevens served behind the bench of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2006 to 2009. He guided the Flyers to Eastern Conference Finals in 2008. He was fired by the Flyers, after a 13-12-1 start during the 2009-2010 season. 

As an NHL Head Coach, Stevens has put up a record of 122-111-34. The Kings are hoping he can turn the tides as the team went 39-35-8, and finished eight points out of a playoff spot this past season. 

Drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 1984 Entry Draft, Stevens spent time playing for the Flyers and the Hartford Whalers. An eye injury cut his career short, when he joined the Philadelphia Phantoms coaching staff in 1999. 

He was named head coach of the Phantoms in 2000, when Bill Barber was promoted to the Flyers. In six seasons behind the for the Phantoms, Stevens guided them to the American Hockey League playoffs four times and a Calder Cup Championship in 2005.