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Kings Part Ways With Head Coach John Stevens, Assistant Don Nachbaur; Name Willie Desjardins Interim Head Coach

The Los Angeles Kings looked good last night in a much-needed win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it apparently wasn’t enough to save John Stevens’ job.

Per Los Angeles Times reporter Helene Elliott (with Jon Rosen later confirming), the organization has relieved Stevens, as well as assistant coach Don Nachbaur, of their duties. Additional moves are pending.

Over the course of last season and this partial season, Stevens’ record was 49-37-9, and, of course, a sweep of an exit in the first round of the playoffs.

Nachbaur joined the coaching staff in 2017 and focused largely on the power play. Nachbaur was previously the head coach of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs.

Rumors abound as to who will replace Stevens and Nachbaur. We’ll update you as more information becomes available.


UPDATE: The coaching change is official: former Vancouver Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins will join the Kings as an interim head coach. Marco Sturm, head coach of the German men’s national team, joins as an assistant.

Desjardins coached the Canucks from 2014-17, going 109-110-27 over that span before he was relieved of his duties. He also coached the Canadian men’s national team at the 2018 Olympics, leading them to a bronze medal.

This will be Sturm’s first experience coaching in North America. He played 938 NHL games, including a brief stint with the Kings in 2010-11. He helped lead the German men’s national to new heights in the 2018 Olympics, where they surprised the world by taking home the silver medal.

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