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On Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings dismissed head coach Jim Hiller, a decision prompted by the team’s loss in five of its last six contests, which resulted in their exit from playoff contention.
D.J. Smith, a native of Windsor, Ontario, has been appointed as the provisional successor for the remainder of the current season. Matt Greene, who serves as the player development coach, will be an assistant on Smith’s coaching team.
This marks the initial coaching alteration made by general manager Ken Holland since he assumed his executive role last May, having retained Hiller previously.
Holland stated, “I extend my gratitude to Jim Hiller for his unwavering commitment, professionalism, and daily dedication to both our athletes and the entire organization. He is a well-regarded coach and individual, and we value his contributions while leading our team.”
“Given the current stage of the season, we determined that a shift in leadership is essential to provide our squad with the optimal chance to achieve its full capability and perform to our anticipated standards. Such choices are never taken lightly; however, it is our duty to ensure this team is poised for immediate and future triumph.”
Hiller was only midway through his second complete season managing the Kings, who appeared listless during an 8-1 defeat against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Spectators erupted in continuous shouts of “Fire Hiller!” as the Oilers dominated throughout the second and third frames, contributing to Los Angeles’ most substantial loss of the current season.
The previous evening, Los Angeles conceded five goals in the final period during an humiliating 6-4 loss to a depleted Vegas team, marking the first game for both squads following the Olympic intermission. Even a 2-0 victory against Calgary on Saturday failed to preserve Hiller’s position.
Hiller achieved a record of 93 wins, 58 losses, and 24 ties with the Kings, guiding them to the playoffs on two occasions, yet he never advanced beyond the first round of a post-season series.
Hiller, aged 56, had a lengthy career as an NHL assistant before receiving his initial opportunity to head a team when the Kings elevated him to succeed the dismissed Todd McLellan in February 2024. He successfully stabilized their season and guided the Kings into the playoffs, where they subsequently fell to Edmonton in the opening round — mirroring their exits in the two prior seasons under McLellan’s leadership.
Last year, in Hiller’s initial full season, Los Angeles matched its club records for wins (48) and points (105), though this success led them to another first-round encounter with the Oilers — and once more, Connor McDavid eliminated them in six contests.
Hiller upheld McLellan’s established emphasis on defensive-first hockey as the fundamental characteristic of the Kings, regardless of whether this strategy occasionally resulted in a less exciting gameplay for supporters.
Holland sought to remedy their offensive challenges by securing the prolific scorer Artemi Panarin through a trade with the Rangers prior to the break; however, the Kings subsequently lost their star forward Kevin Fiala for the remainder of the season due to a leg fracture sustained while competing for Switzerland in the Olympics.
Following consecutive defeats after the break, Los Angeles fell three points adrift of Seattle, a team currently holding the last wild-card playoff berth in the Western Conference.
“Tonight was not a good feeling,” Hiller remarked right after the 8-1 thrashing by Edmonton. “I’m not comfortable standing here. Those athletes aren’t feeling well today, but we have responsibilities to fulfill.”
Smith previously managed the Ottawa Senators from 2019 to 2023, overseeing four seasons without playoff appearances before his dismissal 26 games into his fifth year. His earlier experience included a tenure as an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He became part of the Kings’ coaching roster subsequent to Hiller taking over from McLellan. Smith now represents the fifth coach for the Kings since Darryl Sutter, who guided Los Angeles to its sole two Stanley Cup victories, was relieved of his duties in 2017.
Since their second Cup triumph in 2014, the Kings have not secured a playoff series victory, accumulating a mere nine total wins across six initial-round eliminations.
Hiller stands as merely the second head coach to be terminated in the NHL during the current season. In January, Columbus swapped Dean Evason for Rick Bowness.
