Anytime a team loses 12 of 14 games, including plenty of blown leads and losses to bad teams, questions come up about the coach's future.
That's the reality for the Los Angeles Kings after their 5-3 loss on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. An embarrassing loss during an embarrassing run of games that has several people questioning the coaches future.
After Wednesday's game, I asked Drew Doughty his thoughts on the questions being raised about the coaching staff.
"It's not about the coaching staff, it's about the players," said Doughty. "I think the coaching staff has done a great job. They always inform us with every single situation possible, they prepare us perfectly. It's not about them, it's all about the players in here. No matter what (the coaches) do, if we don't perform on the ice we aren't going to get wins. We all know that in here. If anyone is questioning that, that's probably why we're losing games. If people are questioning that."
Anze Kopitar was then asked about his thoughts on the coaching staff.
"It comes down to this room," Kopitar added. "They give us a plan, they give us the structure, they give us the motivation or the kick in the butt, it is what it is, but it’s about the guys that have to bring it out on the ice and make things happen."
Now, it's natural to think, "of course that's what they said, they wouldn't publicly call out the coaches." And that's a fair though, but Doughty's opening comments to the media makes his comments on McLellan more believable.
"I think we have guys in this room who are too worried about themselves and worried about their points and stuff like that," said Doughty. "We had a 3-1 lead tonight and guys start thinking it's a cookie night. We stop playing the way we know how to play, have an awful second period, and aren't much better in the third. It's about the team, it's not about yourself and a lot of guys on this team need to realize that."
An unprompted dissection of this team's mentality makes the message clear. This is an internal problem with the players, not a coaching problem.
At least in the eyes of leaders like Doughty and Kopitar.
Of course, even if that is true, it might not save McLellan's job. A loss like Wednesday's is the kind that losses people their jobs.
I still don't think McLellan will be fired Thursday morning, but we're very close to that becoming a reality.
At this point, even if Rob Blake and the management team hasn't lost faith in McLellan — and I don't think they have — they might be forced to make a decision soon.
If nothing else, McLellan is well liked by his players, even going back to his days with the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers. So, if he's fired, it is unlikely because of lost faith from the players.
It will be because of poor results on the ice. Losing streaks like the one this team is on.
McLellan might not be fired in the next few days, but his seat must be red hot.