Kings Fire Jim Hiller, Appoint D.J. Smith as Interim Coach After Struggles

The Los Angeles Kings have made a significant change in their coaching staff, parting ways with Jim Hiller after a disappointing stretch that saw the team lose five of their last six games. The decision comes as the Kings find themselves slipping out of playoff contention, prompting general manager Ken Holland to act decisively. D.J. Smith, who previously served as head coach of the Ottawa Senators, has been named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season, with player development coach Matt Greene joining his staff as an assistant.

Holland expressed gratitude toward Hiller, acknowledging his dedication and professionalism. “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,” Holland stated. He emphasized the need for a change in leadership at this point in the season to enhance the team’s chances of success. “These decisions are never made lightly, but our responsibility is to position this team for success now and moving forward,” he added.

Hiller, who was in his second full season with the Kings, faced mounting pressure following a humiliating 8-1 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers, during which frustrated fans chanted “Fire Hiller!” as the team struggled. Just the night before, the Kings suffered a 6-4 loss to a short-handed Vegas squad, allowing five goals in the third period. Despite a brief reprieve with a 2-0 win over Calgary, it was not enough to save Hiller’s job.

During his tenure, Hiller compiled a record of 93-58-24, guiding the Kings to the playoffs twice, although they failed to advance past the first round in each instance. After taking over for Todd McLellan in February 2024, Hiller managed to steer the team into the postseason, but they once again faced elimination by the Oilers, echoing a frustrating pattern for the franchise.

Last season, under Hiller’s leadership, the Kings tied franchise records for victories and points, finishing with 48 wins and 105 points. However, their playoff journey ended abruptly in the first round against Edmonton, marking a continuation of their struggles in the postseason, having not won a playoff series since 2014.

In an effort to bolster the team offensively, Holland made a trade for high-scoring forward Artemi Panarin, but the Kings were dealt another blow when star forward Kevin Fiala suffered a season-ending leg injury while playing for Switzerland at the Olympics. With their recent losses, the Kings have fallen three points behind the Seattle Kraken, currently occupying the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Following the loss to Edmonton, Hiller reflected on the team’s performance, stating, “We didn’t feel good tonight. I don’t feel good standing here. Those players don’t feel good today, but we’ve got a job to do.” As Smith steps into the interim role, he becomes the Kings’ fifth coach since the dismissal of Darryl Sutter in 2017, a coach who led the team to its only two Stanley Cup championships.

Hiller’s departure marks only the second coaching change in the NHL this season, with Columbus having previously replaced Dean Evason with Rick Bowness in January. As the Kings look to regain their footing, all eyes will be on Smith and how he can turn the season around.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.