The Kings' lackluster offseason spells trouble for Rob Blake

The Los Angeles Kings will retain general manager Rob Blake for another season when his contract expires.

This is a big year for him because he wants to get the team into the race for the Stanley Cup and lead them back to the top.

However, this team lost a lot of players during the offseason and Blake did little to replace them.

Will this be his last season with the Kings?

Kings' Blake doesn't make many changes

Blake has made some questionable moves over the past couple of seasons that he claims were meant to get the Kings “back in the race.” Those moves have failed, and it appears Los Angeles is taking a step back, at least after the moves he has made over the past few months. Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois was released in a surprising but necessary move. Forward Viktor Arvidsson was signed as a free agent from the rival Edmonton Oilers. Forward Carl Grundstrom was signed from the rival San Jose Sharks. Defenseman Matt Roy signed with the Washington Capitals. Last season's lone All-Star, goaltender Cam Talbot, signed with the Detroit Red Wings. Forward Blake Lizotte is now with the Pittsburgh Penguins and is a free agent.

Roy and Lizotte were the cornerstones of this team. Lizotte was undersized, but she was there every night and played a crucial role. Roy was one of the best defensemen on the team and did everything well. Talbot was a good signing but played average hockey in the second half. Dubois was a huge disappointment. Arvidsson was a reliable point scorer but had injuries that prevented him from playing a full season. Grundstrom was a bulldog and gave his best every shift.

With the departure of these players, Blake faced a monumental task. His job was to make the team competitive again despite the losses in the roster.

These players played important roles and were crucial to the team's success, and Blake let them go without getting anything in return (except Dubois).

While Los Angeles has made some new additions, they will not fill the void left by players moving elsewhere. Forward Warren Foegele was a nice addition but will likely play in the middle six position. Forward Tanner Jeannot was a solid addition as he will add toughness and bite to the fourth line. Defenseman Joel Edmundson was not a bad signing, but the contract is one of the worst in the league. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper returns to Los Angeles in exchange for Dubois to Washington and will take on the role of starting goaltender. Defensemen Kyle Burroughs and Caleb Jones will play most of the season for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) and will be called up during the season.

Foegele, Jeannot, and Kuemper are all solid additions, but they don't make the team better or a contender. They just filled holes in the roster. This team can still make the playoffs next season, but they won't be among the top players if the teams around them want to improve. Blake missed a huge opportunity to improve the team and failed to make more than one or two solid moves. This team is no better than last season's team.

Blake has also made some transactions off the ice. He re-signed forwards Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, Trevor Lewis and Akil Thomas. Goalie Pheonix Copley was also re-signed. Byfield is the future of this team and is showing signs of leading this team and being the best center on the roster. Turcotte needs to have a good season and show the Kings that signing him was not a mistake. Thomas will be a solid player on the Kings roster as he is underrated. Lewis was also re-signed but I'm not sure why. Copley will likely be with the Reign to start the season.

Blake needs to compete for the Stanley Cup with this team to keep his job, and bringing him back for another season is nothing more than a proof game for Los Angeles.

If the Kings fail again in the playoffs, Blake is on his way out.

He had many chances to significantly improve the team and failed to do so.

He has signed and re-signed players who have performed well, but questionable deals have failed the team in the long run.

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