Jim Hiller was fired as coach of the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday and replaced by associate D.J. Smith.
The 56-year-old was in his third season after taking over for Todd McLellan, who was fired Feb. 2, 2024. Los Angeles is 24-21-14 this season and fifth in the Pacific Division. A 2-0 win against the Calgary Flames on Saturday was just its second win in eight games (2-5-1). The Kings had allowed 22 goals in their previous four.
“I want to thank Jim Hiller for his dedication, professionalism, and the commitment he showed to our players and our team every day,” Kings general manager Ken Holland said. “He is a respected coach and person, and we appreciate the work he’s done behind our bench.
“At this point in the season, we believe a change in leadership is necessary to give our group the best opportunity to reach its potential and compete at the level we expect. These decisions are never made lightly, but our responsibility is to position this team for success now and moving forward.”
More to come.