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Terry Murray replaces Crawford as head coach of Los Angeles Kings

The Canadian Press

2008-07-16 15:10:00

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Kings went with experience in choosing a head coach.

Terry Murray, who guided Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup finals 11 years ago and has coached 737 regular-season NHL games, was hired late Wednesday to succeed Marc Crawford. A team spokesman said Murray will be introduced Thursday at an afternoon news conference at the Kings' training facility in suburban El Segundo.

Murray, who turns 58 on Sunday, has been an assistant with the Flyers since 2003-04. He hadn't been a head coach in the NHL since being fired by the Florida Panthers following the 2000-01 season. He has a 360-288-89 regular-season record and a 46-43 post-season mark as a head coach with Philadelphia, Washington and Florida.

Murray spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL and WHL as a defenceman before starting his coaching career as an assistant with Washington in 1983. After 1 1/2 seasons as a head coach in the American Hockey League, he was promoted to head coach of the Capitals during the 1989-90 season. They reached the Eastern Conference finals before being eliminated from the playoffs.

The Capitals made the playoffs each of the next two seasons, but didn't advance past the second round, and Murray was fired 47 games into the 1993-94 season.

Philadelphia hired Murray at the start of the following season, and they reached the conference finals, the conference semifinals, and the Stanley Cup finals in his three seasons. But after the Flyers were swept by Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals, Murray was fired.

Florida then hired Murray as general manager, and in his second season, Doug MacLean was fired as coach and Murray took over. In his two full seasons with the Panthers, they missed the playoffs once and lost in the first round.

Murray then worked as a scout for the Flyers before becoming an assistant coach in 2003.

Murray is not related to former Kings coach Andy Murray, but his brother, Bryan, was the coach and general manager for the Anaheim Ducks.

The 47-year-old Crawford was fired June 10 after two years on the job, coaching the Kings to a 59-84-21 record. He had one year left on his contract. Los Angeles had 71 points last season, tied with Tampa Bay for the fewest in the NHL.

The status of assistant coaches Mike Johnston, Dave Lewis, Jamie Kompon, Bill Ranford and Nelson Emerson is unknown. General manager Dean Lombardi is believed to have interviewed four candidates to succeed Crawford, including Johnston.

COMMENTS (15)

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Marcus Posted
(2009-04-30 06:38:39)



"Major League" the movie anybody???
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Gary Posted
(2009-04-30 06:37:38)



Mentioning alot about the owners. Mostly the comments are in reference to Phil Anshutz. What about Edward Rowiski or however you spell his last name. I thought he was a real L.A. Kings fan who lived in So Cal. Now going back to Phil, is he really too cheap or is he trying to do what Georgia Fontiera did? What I mean by that is trying to destroy the fan base by putting out a crappy team. This is done by putting a very low salary cap on your own team. The results is of course, you can not get talent because it is too expensive. Therefore you become the league's laughing stock. You have a cross town rivals who do much better than you. The newfound fans prefer the crosstown rivals. Then when the opportunity arises, Phil moves the team to his new location, and then is when he adds insult to injury to the L.A. fans, he pumps the team up to be a true cup contender. This is what Georgia Fonteria did when the Rams were here in Southern California. She deliberately tanked them when they were here. Then in St. Louis, she spent for the championship. I'll never forget her California bashing, the night the ST Louis Rams won the Superbowl. I am not mentioning that is exactly what Phil is doing, I am only wondering if that is what he is doing. As for the Staples Center lease, well there is the Lakers and the Clippers of the NBA.
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Marcus Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:54)



No Teddy Nolan huh. Now I hear they want do a 3-way trade with Chicago and Ottawa giving away Kopitar for Mezaros and Gerber. Lombardi, why don't you sell the team. God knows you don't care about us (the fans) or the team. Then you can concentrate on doing your real estate deals or whatever real reason your in LA. I hear Bouwmeister might be available. He would be great for the team. So it makes sense that you won't go after him and give away Kopitar. I felt your commitment when you wouldn't sign Souray or Jason Smith (adding the muscle and leadership we need on the blue...someone who will drop the gloves). And you'll probably end up trading our defensemen prospects we have now. Just go away already. Los Angeles is sick of your crap. Our show us that your really committed.
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Otty Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:48)



The color or style of jersey will not matter, what the Kings need: 1) Goalies, very good ones. 2) Defense 3) Good coaching 4) Owners that care and want to win no matter what. Kings have great fans, we have to be great to put up with all the !!!! that our owners have put us through. Saw some of the youngsters at the camp, good promise just hope that our !!!!! owners will not screw it up.
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Lombardi Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:47)



Murray is just a older version of Crawford. Same o same o. Should have done what the Ducks did a few years back hire a up and coming coach like Morris instead of another retread.
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Terry Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:46)



Another march towards mediocrity in the NHL. Recirculate mediocre coaches and hope for different results. And winning hockey players dont need good looking sweaters to play well. Winning payers and teams could play in pink if they were asked to.
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Connie Kim Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:43)



Mark Morris is staying in Manchester to develop the kids in the AHL farm. Ted Nolan was apparently adverse to giving his "kid line" ice time. The Kings will be almost all kids next year, so that seems like a bad direction to go in. The only person worse to hire than Nolan is Tortorella. He's notorious for railing his goalies and that's going to do nothing for the goalies if the Kings can't shore up their blueline. I agree with Dann, the Kings jersey is awesome. The crown is simple and clean with the city name across the bottom.
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Dann Bjerregaard Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:42)



I absolutely dont agree with Gordon if there is someone who need new jerseys its Detroit or Toronto but personal i liked the shield more than te logo that they are whetering now I think the desicion to hire Murray is okay Kings have to take some chances and maybe this is a chance worth the concequences
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Flake Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:41)



I agree with Robert Binder. The Kings owners could give a rats ass if the team wins, just as long as they make a profit....
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Gordon Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:40)



What the kings really need is new jerseys. I mean those things are just ugly to look at. The retro gold and purple is better even. Go back to that or the black and silver days, at least then Ice Cube will wear a kings hat.
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