Middling Kings Make Change - Marcus M Markis Hired as GM
Apr 21, 2016 23:34:44 GMT -5
bjernagris (PHI), brentdog, and 3 more like this
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 23:34:44 GMT -5
After half of a season yielding just 18 wins and 39 points, the Los Angeles Kings have hired rookie GM Markus M Marciss to take the helm and right the ship.
Star goaltender Jonathan Quick, top-two centers Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter and perennial Norris candidate Drew Doughty have been unable to win games for their team, which is known to have a roster admittedly sapped of offensive and defensive talent. The Kings are known to have weak starts to their seasons, often closing in on the Trade Deadline out of a playoff spot and looking to climb their way back in. But with very little to work with besides their top four players, it is going to be a difficult road to climb.
"Well, you know, we just have to fight back," Captain Dustin Brown said after this morning's practice skate. Rumors have been circulating that Brown, who has no goals and 5 assists through 41 games, will not only be stripped of his captaincy, but be shopped around to other teams in need of a veteran winger. "Those are things that you just can't focus on right now. We have to go out and do better than we are - as simple as that. We have to find ways to win games."
Newly hired General Manager Marcuss M Mariks was vague during his first ever press conference. His father, Abrahim Makiss, was the General Manager of the Sarnia Sting for 26 years until his health began to decline in 2012. Marcus was assistant General Manager for five years, where he and Abrahim ran a tight-lipped ship. This was evidenced by Markisus's very short conference, as well as by the attitudes of the players following their mandatory morning skate and workout.
"All I will say is that something was not right - be it leadership or the team itself," Markiss said, "and now it's my job to figure out what that was. I've met with all of the staff and plan to meet with the players later while we go over some tapes. We have half of a season left and we're far from out of it, and that's the message I want to get across to the players, the fans, everybody."
As of this morning, all of the players with facial hair had shaved their beards, and all social media accounts beyond that of the team's were deactivated.
"I'm not trying to be a tyrant," Mrakus said in an even brief post-conference session, "but I always thought of it as distracting. Not that the team seemed more focused on it, but I want their heads to be in the game and the game only right now."
The rookie GM even mentioned that the Kings, who are rumored to have a toxic relationship within their locker room (although names have not been named, it is believed that a good portion of the players are on poor personal terms with each other), will be set up in hotel rooms after all of their games from this point on. Markiss called it a, "necessary bonding procedure".
Center Anze Kopitar laughed when asked about his new General Manager's statement, saying, "Yes, we've been given strict orders not to use social media - and we will be set up with room arrangements for after our games. Yes, home games too."
However he did not think that this was a new GM trying to go a little to far.
"If you think about it, well, we have to win. We have to do something," Kopitar said, "I'm not being kept in a training facility 24/7, I get to see my family as much as I want, whenever I want. But we have to do something.'
For now, all of the players agreed that drastic changes were needed, and that General Manager Marikiss seemed to know what he is doing already.
"He's got quite a bit of Lou [Lamiorello] in him, that's for sure," Defenseman Drew Doughty said, reminiscing about the old New Jersey Devils General Manager, whom Doughty's Kings beat out in 6 games to win their first franchise Stanley Cup during the 2011-2012 season.
It looks like Kings fans around the country will have to wait and see how their new General Manager's tactics work out - there's still 41 games left in the season, and plenty of wiggle room to sneak their way back into the playoffs.
Star goaltender Jonathan Quick, top-two centers Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter and perennial Norris candidate Drew Doughty have been unable to win games for their team, which is known to have a roster admittedly sapped of offensive and defensive talent. The Kings are known to have weak starts to their seasons, often closing in on the Trade Deadline out of a playoff spot and looking to climb their way back in. But with very little to work with besides their top four players, it is going to be a difficult road to climb.
"Well, you know, we just have to fight back," Captain Dustin Brown said after this morning's practice skate. Rumors have been circulating that Brown, who has no goals and 5 assists through 41 games, will not only be stripped of his captaincy, but be shopped around to other teams in need of a veteran winger. "Those are things that you just can't focus on right now. We have to go out and do better than we are - as simple as that. We have to find ways to win games."
Newly hired General Manager Marcuss M Mariks was vague during his first ever press conference. His father, Abrahim Makiss, was the General Manager of the Sarnia Sting for 26 years until his health began to decline in 2012. Marcus was assistant General Manager for five years, where he and Abrahim ran a tight-lipped ship. This was evidenced by Markisus's very short conference, as well as by the attitudes of the players following their mandatory morning skate and workout.
"All I will say is that something was not right - be it leadership or the team itself," Markiss said, "and now it's my job to figure out what that was. I've met with all of the staff and plan to meet with the players later while we go over some tapes. We have half of a season left and we're far from out of it, and that's the message I want to get across to the players, the fans, everybody."
As of this morning, all of the players with facial hair had shaved their beards, and all social media accounts beyond that of the team's were deactivated.
"I'm not trying to be a tyrant," Mrakus said in an even brief post-conference session, "but I always thought of it as distracting. Not that the team seemed more focused on it, but I want their heads to be in the game and the game only right now."
The rookie GM even mentioned that the Kings, who are rumored to have a toxic relationship within their locker room (although names have not been named, it is believed that a good portion of the players are on poor personal terms with each other), will be set up in hotel rooms after all of their games from this point on. Markiss called it a, "necessary bonding procedure".
Center Anze Kopitar laughed when asked about his new General Manager's statement, saying, "Yes, we've been given strict orders not to use social media - and we will be set up with room arrangements for after our games. Yes, home games too."
However he did not think that this was a new GM trying to go a little to far.
"If you think about it, well, we have to win. We have to do something," Kopitar said, "I'm not being kept in a training facility 24/7, I get to see my family as much as I want, whenever I want. But we have to do something.'
For now, all of the players agreed that drastic changes were needed, and that General Manager Marikiss seemed to know what he is doing already.
"He's got quite a bit of Lou [Lamiorello] in him, that's for sure," Defenseman Drew Doughty said, reminiscing about the old New Jersey Devils General Manager, whom Doughty's Kings beat out in 6 games to win their first franchise Stanley Cup during the 2011-2012 season.
It looks like Kings fans around the country will have to wait and see how their new General Manager's tactics work out - there's still 41 games left in the season, and plenty of wiggle room to sneak their way back into the playoffs.