Despite a fourth straight trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings have decided it’s time for a change in the front office. On Monday, the Kings and Vice President/General Manager Rob Blake mutually agreed to part ways. This move ends Blake’s 12-year tenure in the organization, during which time he served multiple roles. Despite this move, Blake’s impact on the organization can not be understated. It also puts the Kings at a crossroads.
The Kings have parted ways with GM Rob Blake, the team announced pic.twitter.com/RlHvENlSwC
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 5, 2025
Rob Blake’s Impact on the Kings Organization
Blake joined the Kings organization back in 2013 as the assistant general manager. He was responsible for running the Kings’ AHL affiliates. In his first year with the team, the Kings won the Stanley Cup, their second in three seasons. After three seasons in this role, he was promoted in 2017 to the team’s Vice President and General Manager. Blake was put in a challenging situation to start his tenuring, having to squeeze the last bit of success out of their championship core, while setting them up for success in the future.
While the Vegas Golden Knights swept the Kings during the 2017-18 season, that offseason began the rebuild. Blake was responsible for drafting core pieces like Quinton Byfield, Alex Laferriere, and Mikey Anderson. He also brought in guys like Kevin Fiala and Phillip Danault through trades and free agency. Blake brought in a large portion of the 2024-25 team, which set a franchise record with 105 points.
During Blake’s eight years at the helm, the Kings accumulated a record of 309-238-7, making the playoffs five times. However, they were never able to get past the first round, winning a total of eight games over those series. The past four seasons we’ve seen the Kings get eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers. This inability to beat the Oilers and get farther than the first round was why the two sides parted ways.
What It Means
This move involves not only the Kings moving on from an executive but also a franchise legend. Blake was a Hall of Fame player for the Kings over his 14 years in Los Angeles. His impact was so significant that the club retired his number four. Anytime a franchise has to fire someone with such strong ties to the organization, it is a sad day, regardless of how they performed as an executive.
The Kings announced their search for a new general manager will begin immediately. While no potential candidates have been named, the search is expected to leave “no stone unturned.” It should be one of the more attractive jobs out there. They already have a team that has been proven to win in the regular season. All they need is someone to put the finishing touches so the team can finally get past the opening round of the playoffs.
Main photo by: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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