The Los Angeles Kings have had enough. On Friday morning, during the break for the All-Star Weekend, the Kings have fired head coach Todd McLellan and replaced him with Jim Hiller on an interim basis for the remainder of the season.
“We want to thank Todd for his hard work and dedication to the organization,” said general manager Rob Blake. “He has done a tremendous job in moving us forward and making a positive impact on our group and in our community. This was not an easy decision, but we felt the change was necessary at this time. Jim is a well-respected member of our staff who is familiar with our players. We are confident in his ability to lead our team effectively during this pivotal time.”
Most fans saw this coming as the Kings went 3-7-5 in the month of January and have dropped to the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. This came after Los Angeles came wild out of the gates at the start of the season with 11 consecutive games on the road, an NHL record.
This was McLellan’s fifth season with the Kings. He led them to the playoffs the previous two seasons, unfortunately losing both times in the first round to the Edmonton Oilers.
Hiller has been part of the the Kings organization since July 2022 and has spent the last two seasons (2022-24) as an assistant coach. He served in the same capacity over the previous eight seasons with the New York Islanders (2019-22), Toronto Maple Leafs (2015-19) and Detroit Red Wings (2014-15). Prior to his NHL coaching debut, Hiller spent 12 seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), including his last five years as head coach with the Tri-City Americans.
He also played for the Kings, who selected him in the 10th round, 207th overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.
As insider Pierre LeBrun points out makes it 13 NHL head coaching changes since the end of last season after changes have been with the New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, two changes with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders. And now the Kings.
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