Los Angeles Kings Dismiss Head Coach Jim Hiller, Name D.J. Smith as Replacement

The Los Angeles Kings terminated head coach Jim Hiller on Sunday after nearly three seasons and appointed D.J. Smith as interim head coach. The coaching change comes as the team sits three points behind a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Los Angeles Kings dismissed head coach Jim Hiller on Sunday following nearly three seasons with the organization and have appointed D.J. Smith to serve as interim head coach through the end of the current season.

Additionally, the franchise promoted player development coach Matt Greene to an assistant coaching position.

Currently holding a 24-21-14 record for 62 points, Los Angeles finds itself trailing the final Western Conference wild-card position by three points as of Sunday’s games. The team struggled immediately after the Olympic break, losing their opening two contests, including an embarrassing 8-1 defeat to Edmonton on Thursday where supporters loudly called for Hiller’s dismissal. However, they bounced back with a shutout 2-0 win against Calgary on Saturday.

The 56-year-old Hiller compiled a 93-58-24 coaching record across 175 games with Los Angeles. He initially came aboard as an assistant in July 2022, bringing experience from previous assistant roles with Detroit (2014-15), Toronto (2015-19), and the New York Islanders (2019-22).

Kings vice president and general manager Ken Holland expressed his thoughts on the decision: “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. 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.”

During his playing career, Hiller accumulated 20 points through eight goals and 12 assists along with 116 penalty minutes across 63 NHL games with Los Angeles, Detroit, and the New York Rangers. The Kings originally drafted him in the 10th round of the 1989 NHL Draft.

The 48-year-old Smith previously led the Ottawa Senators as head coach from 2019-24, recording a 131-154-32 mark before joining the Kings organization on February 5, 2024. His coaching background also includes an assistant role with Toronto from 2015-19.