Kings GM Ken Holland Outlines Trade Deadline Strategy Amid Coaching Change

Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland has been navigating a busy landscape as the regular season enters its final stretch. Following the acquisition of star forward Artemi Panarin, Holland has also had to manage a series of significant injuries, including those to Joel Armia, Kevin Fiala, and Andrei Kuzmenko. However, the most notable recent development came Sunday morning with the official announcement of a coaching change, as the Kings parted ways with head coach Jim Hiller. D.J. Smith, previously the associate coach, has stepped in as the interim head coach.

During a press conference at Sunday’s practice, Holland elaborated on his decision to make the coaching switch and discussed his approach to the upcoming NHL trade deadline on Friday. Despite the urgency of the deadline, Holland indicated that he does not plan to be overly aggressive in the trade market. “If on Thursday I added Panarin, it’d be a big deadline deal,” he remarked, noting that the team had already made significant moves ahead of the deadline.

Holland expressed confidence in the roster changes made thus far, asserting that the addition of Panarin from the New York Rangers effectively serves as the Kings’ major trade acquisition. “We made a big deadline deal,” he explained, emphasizing that the timing of the transaction does not diminish its impact.

As for the team’s injury situation, Holland confirmed that Fiala is out for the remainder of the season along with Armia and Kuzmenko. He projected that the return of these players would provide a boost comparable to that of a trade acquisition. Armia is expected to be the first to return, which could reinvigorate the lineup.

Holland also touched on the Kings’ draft capital, revealing that the team holds all of its first-round picks for the next three drafts, as well as two second-rounders in 2026. However, he is hesitant to part with this year’s first-round pick. “Given where we are in the standings, I don’t anticipate our first-round pick being in play,” he stated, which is crucial as the Kings find themselves seven spots above the bottom of the league standings.

Currently, if the season were to end today, the Kings would miss the playoffs for the first time in four years and hold the seventh-best odds in the draft lottery. This position mirrors the Buffalo Sabres’ last year when they fell two spots in the lottery, ultimately selecting ninth overall. While Holland is not looking to move the 2026 first-round pick, he affirmed that he will remain active in discussions leading up to the trade deadline, stating he will “work the phones” to explore potential opportunities.

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