Kings, GM Rob Blake mutually agree to part ways

The Los Angeles Kings announced Monday that the club has mutually parted ways with general manager Rob Blake, adding that a search for his successor will begin immediately.

“Rob deserves a great deal of credit and respect for elevating us to where we are today,” Kings president of hockey operations Luc Robitaille said in a statement. “He has been an important part of the Kings and will always be appreciated for what he has meant to this franchise.”

Named GM in April 2017, Los Angeles qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five of eight seasons under Blake’s guidance but never managed to advance beyond the opening round, punctuated by last Thursday’s Game 6 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, the Kings’ fourth consecutive loss to the Connor McDavid-led squad.

Entering the 2024-25 campaign, Blake made a handful of key acquisitions, most notably goaltender Darcy Kuemper from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. In his second stint in Los Angeles, Kuemper put together a formidable 31-11-7 showing coupled with a .922 save percentage, 2.00 goals-against average, and five shutouts, helping him to earn consideration for the Vezina Trophy, presented annually to the NHL’s Goaltender of the Year.

Ahead of the 2024-25 NHL trade deadline, Blake then added forward Andrei Kuzmenko from the Philadelphia Flyers for a third-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft. With the Kings, Kuzmenko registered 17 points through 22 regular-season contests before adding another six points in six postseason appearances.

Under Blake, the Kings posted a 309-238-71 regular season record. In June, Blake’s contract with the Kings was set to expire as he was in the final year of a three-year agreement signed in August 2022. Prior to his appointment as GM, the former NHL defenseman served as the Kings’ assistant GM for four seasons.