John Stevens Promoted To L.A. Kings Head Coach

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The Los Angeles Kings will introduce John Stevens as their new coach Monday, one day after announcing his promotion from associate head coach to replace the fired Darryl Sutter.

Stevens has been on the Kings coaching staff since 2010, when he was hired as an assistant coach. He was interim coach for four games during the 2011-12 season, between the firing of Terry Murray and Sutter's hiring.

Stevens was promoted to associate head coach following the 2013-14 season when the Kings when their second Stanley Cup in three seasons.

Stevens coached the Philadelphia Flyers to 120-109-34 record from 2006- 09 and a berth in the 2009 Eastern Conference final. He was an assistant coach with the Flyers in the 2005-2006 season and was appointed as their coach Oct. 26, 2006 after the team got off to a 1-6-1 start.

Stevens played 53 games in the NHL as a defenseman for Philadelphia and the Hartford Whalers over five seasons, beginning in the 1986-87 season.

Stevens began his coaching career in 1999 as an assistant with the Flyers American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, after an eye injury forced his retirement as a player. Stevens began a six-season stint as the Phantoms coach in 2000.

"John and I had very productive dialogue this last week in relation to his head coaching philosophy and specifically how he would implement a strategy to activate our players offensively while maintaining the defensive philosophies we have come to be known for," Kings general manager Rob Blake said.

"I am confident that we are both in agreement on how that can be executed. With that said, we believe John has the ideal qualities to lead our hockey club.

His wide array of coaching experience, including success as an NHL head coach and his inherent knowledge of our players and those in our development system, is very appealing to us. We are confident he is the best person to lead our hockey club forward."

Sutter was fired April 10, one day after the Kings completed the season 39-35-8, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

-- City News Service, photoc credit: PhotoGraphics Photography/AHL/Wiki Commons