Rob Blake’s time with the Los Angeles Kings has come to an end.
The GM and club mutually agreed to part ways on Monday, the Kings announced Monday.
The Kings will search for a replacement immediately.
Blake was on an expiring contract after deciding to play out the season and not sign an extension last summer, according to TSN and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
The decision comes four days after the Edmonton Oilers eliminated Los Angeles from the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings had a 2-0 series lead before the Oilers won the next four games to win the series in Game 6 on Thursday.
To add to the Kings’ wounds, this was the fourth straight year of losing to Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs.
“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Rob for his dedication to the LA Kings and the passion he brought to his role,” team president Luc Robitaille said in a statement. “Reaching this understanding wasn’t easy, and I appreciate Rob’s partnership in always working toward what is best for the Kings.”
Blake was the Kings’ GM for eight seasons, earning the job ahead of the 2017-18 season. Before that, he was the assistant GM for Los Angeles and the GM for its AHL affiliate in Manchester and Ontario. He was also the VP of hockey operations for the Kings and held that title since 2013-14.
Throughout Blake’s time as the Kings' GM, the team has never advanced past the first round in five post-season appearances. They finished third in the Pacific Division in the last three seasons.
In terms of regular-season results, this was Blake’s best campaign as his team finished second in the Pacific. They capped off the year with a 48-25-9 record and 105 points. It was the first time they earned home-ice advantage in the first round since the 2016 playoffs.
The Kings had the best home record in the NHL in the regular season, giving the team a chance to put away the Oilers once and for all. They also went 17-7-1 in the last 25 games of the year, tied for the most points in the NHL in that span.
Los Angeles also missed the playoffs from 2019 to 2021 but added talent at the NHL draft. They selected center Alex Turcotte fifth overall in 2019, Quinton Byfield second overall in 2020 and defenseman Brandt Clarke eighth overall in 2021. They also drafted defenseman Brock Faber but traded him to the Minnesota Wild with a 2022 first-rounder in exchange for Kevin Fiala in 2022.
“Rob deserves a great deal of credit and respect for elevating us to where we are today,” Robitaille said. “He has been an important part of the Kings and will always be appreciated for what he has meant to this franchise.”
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