The first order of business for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2024 NHL offseason was to figure out their coaching situation. Jim Hiller has been coaching under the interim tag since February 2nd when the team fired Todd McLellan.
Under McLellan, the Los Angeles Kings went 23-15-10 and were on the outside looking in of the playoff picture. But, under Jim Hiller, they played much better. They went 21-12-1, finishing the season with 99 points and qualifying for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Kings didn’t last long in the postseason, as they were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in five games in Round One. But, it was enough that the team decided to keep Hiller around as coach.
According to NHL insider Kevin Weekes, via ESPN, the two sides have agreed to a multi-year contract, removing the interim tag. Jim Hiller has been with the Los Angeles Kings since 2022, following several stints as an assistant around the league.
He was with the Detroit Red Wings in 2014-15 before moving on to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he was from 2015-2019. From 2019-2022, he was on the coaching staff of the New York Islanders.
This was the first opportunity that Hiller had to be the lead man on the bench and he made the most of it. There will be some pressure on him and general manager Rob Blake to help get this team over the hump.
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, the Kings have advanced beyond the first round despite making the postseason five more times. In a loaded Pacific Division, that will be easier said than done.
But, if Jim Hiller and Rob Blake aren’t able to do it, ownership will find someone who may be able to. With some aging core pieces in Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, new reliable players have to be brought in or developed from what is currently on the roster.
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