General manager Rob Blake of the Los Angeles Kings is reportedly under tremendous pressure to lead the team to postseason success in the upcoming season, according to Adam Proteau of The Hockey News. The Kings have not won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup ten years ago, having been eliminated in the first round three times in a row.
Since taking over on April 10, 2017, Blake has led the team through a rebuild that has resulted in the acquisition of several talented young players but has yielded inconsistent results on the ice. For Los Angeles, Blake has acquired Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, and Phillip Danault, among other notable players. He has, meanwhile, also made some grave mistakes, most notably with the Pierre-Luc Dubois deal (and extension that followed).
Foegele’s signing is fine, as he fills a need for the Kings in their middle-six and could potentially play on the top line in the right circumstances, while Edmundson’s signing is confusing. Los Angeles didn’t necessarily need a player with his skillset, and Edmundson’s four-year $15.2M contract could become a problem if his back problems force him to change his game or keep him out of action.
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