Los Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller was relieved of his duties on Sunday, with associate coach D.J. Smith named interim head coach for the remainder of the season, the team announced.
The move comes after a recent slump for the Kings, who are 24-21-14 and currently fifth in the Pacific Division. While they secured a 2-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday, it was only their second win in their last eight games, a stretch that included allowing 22 goals in their previous four contests. The Kings are scheduled to host the Colorado Avalanche on Monday evening.
Kings General Manager Ken Holland cited recent performances, particularly an 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday and a 6-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, as key factors in the decision. Holland stated he discussed the situation with team president Luc Robitaille on Friday. “Couple of tough games going into the Olympic break and I was hoping that the time off and then the mini training camp, that our team was able to respond,” Holland said, according to remarks posted on LA Kings Insider. “Tough couple of games coming out, especially the game against Edmonton on Thursday night.” He added that he wanted to avoid making a coaching change immediately before a game.
Hiller, 56, had a record of 93-58-24 over three seasons with the Kings, taking over from Todd McLellan, who was fired in February 2024. Last season, Hiller led the team to a 48-25-9 record, but the Kings were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers for the fourth consecutive year.
The Kings’ offensive struggles this season have been notable, ranking 29th in the league in goals per game (2.53). They also currently rank 26th on the power play (16.3 percent) and 28th on the penalty kill (75.7 percent). Their home record at Crypto.com Arena stands at 9-13-7, a significant decline from last season when they tied for the NHL lead with 31 home wins.
D.J. Smith, 48, returns to a head coaching role after being fired by the Ottawa Senators in December 2023. He compiled a 131-154-32 record in 317 regular-season games with the Senators. Prior to his time in Ottawa, Smith served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015 to 2019. Player development coach Matt Greene will join Smith as an assistant coach.
Holland expressed his appreciation for Hiller’s contributions to the team, stating, “I want to thank Jim Hiller for his dedication, professionalism, and the commitment he showed to our players and our team every day. He is a respected coach and person, and we appreciate the work he’s done behind our bench.” He emphasized the need for a change to maximize the team’s potential.
Artemi Panarin, recently acquired from the New York Rangers in a trade on February 4, has one assist in two games with the Kings. He signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the team.
