For the LA Kings, it was groundhog day. When they were knocked out by the Edmonton Oilers for the 4th straight year in a row in round 1 of the NHL playoffs, it wouldn’t be surprising to wonder, “Have we been here before?” The Kings put up a valiant fight but ultimately suffered a big loss against their perennial round 1 rivals 6-4 to end their postseason. But this time, all is not the same. Because just days after the heartbreaking defeat another shocking update in the Kings’ dressing room invited mixed reactions from fans.

Minutes ago, it was reported by several sources that the Kings’ GM, Rob Blake, will not return for the next season. This comes after the team’s below-expected result in the playoffs, leaving the Kings hierarchy unhappy. The news spread like wildfire on social media, inviting some interesting reactions from hockey fans.

Announcing the news of Blake’s departure, the President of the LA Kings, Luc Robitaille, said, “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. Reaching this understanding wasn’t easy and I appreciate Rob’s partnership in always working toward what is best for the Kings.” 

While some fans felt that it was the right decision, others strongly opposed the end of the partnership between Blake and the LA Kings.

Fans divided as LA Kings and Rob Blake mutually parts ways

It has been quite an eventful time for the Kings, first winning two playoff games and then squandering the lead to bow out of the tournament. A section of fans put the blame for Blake’s departure on the Oilers, who have been quite infamous for inflicting such situations upon their opponents. One fan wrote, “Oilers ended him,” as the defeat had a drastic impact on the future of the Kings’ GM.

However, some fans were strongly opposed to Blake leaving the Kings at a time when they were considered potential contenders to win the Stanley Cup. “Horrible for LA,” exclaimed one fan, who didn’t want the Kings’ GM to quit. As Blake mutually ended his contract with the Kings, fans came up with varied opinions about who should replace him. In this regard, one fan suggested, “Hire Jim Benning.” Benning is the former GM of the Vancouver Canucks and served them for more than seven years.

Even as Blake ended his partnership with the Kings, fans felt that that the team was beaten by a more superior Oilers team, who have inflicted such situations on other teams several times in the past. Thus, a fan felt, “His fault for having McDavid n Draisatl in the same division! One by one, everybody in the pacific is getting tossed into a rebuild by the Edmonton Oilers.” Interestingly, McDavid was one of the key players in the Oilers’ turnaround against the Kings. Similarly, another Twitter user reminisced history, as the Oilers ended another stint of the opposition GM. “Oilers broke another franchise lmao,” a fan said, remembering the several occasions where the bond broke after a defeat against the Oilers.

Even as Blake’s exit was announced, the Kings haven’t named his replacement yet. On the other hand, the status of coach Jim Hiller is still uncertain. Although he still has a couple of years left on his contract, it remains to be seen if he suffers the same fate as Blake.