Jim Hiller will return as LA Kings' head coach, general manager Ken Holland says during his intro
Holland praised Hiller and looked ahead to their new partnership Thursday during the Hall of Fame hockey executive's introductory news conference at the Kings' training complex. Holland is returning to the NHL after a one-year absence, taking over as the replacement for Rob Blake.
The 69-year-old former GM of the Detroit Red Wings and the Edmonton Oilers immediately made it clear he isn't in Los Angeles to blow up a team that has made four straight playoff appearances, only to lose to the Oilers in the first round every spring. Holland won't make an immediate change behind the Kings' bench — or even in the front office, where he plans to retain the assistant GMs and hockey executives who worked for Blake.
'Jim is going to be the coach,' Holland said. 'Jim Hiller did a fabulous job in leading the team to 105 points. They were good defensively. They were good on special teams. The team played hard. I thought three weeks ago that this was a team that had the potential, the ability to go on a long playoff run. He'll be a better coach next year for the experience that he went through this year.'
Holland and Hiller spent two hours in discussion Wednesday, the GM said. Hiller, who replaced the fired Todd McLellan in February 2024, was an assistant coach to Mike Babcock in Detroit a decade ago while Holland was the Wings' general manager.
The Kings tied the franchise records for victories (48) and points this season under Hiller, only to lose four straight playoff games to Edmonton after going up 2-0. Los Angeles is a consistent playoff team with star power and solid depth, but Holland knows his job is to get the Kings off this franchise plateau.
'I'm hoping to add something to it, maybe a little different idea,' Holland said. 'I'm looking forward to getting going. ... I understand that this is a marketplace that's really competitive. You talk about all the competition for the entertainment dollar, so it's important that you win and you compete. Got to find a way to make the team a little bit different, a little bit better. I think the experiences they've been through here will benefit us down the road.'
Blake voluntarily left the team less than two weeks ago, according to president Luc Robitaille. Holland called the Kings 'a legitimate Stanley Cup contender' this season, and he praised Blake for his rebuilding job.
The Kings' search quickly zeroed in on Holland, who spent the past year working in the NHL's hockey operations division after he left the Oilers by mutual consent. Robitaille said the Kings are 'very fortunate' to hire Holland.
'He knows the path of what it takes to get to the championship,' Robitaille said. 'That's a hard thing to do, and that's a hard thing to learn. His experience, what he's done over the course of his career, is very important for this franchise to get to that next level.'
Holland won one Stanley Cup as an assistant GM in Detroit and three more during his 22 years as the Wings' general manager. In 2019 he moved on to Edmonton, which made the playoffs in all five years of his tenure and even advanced to Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final before falling to Florida.
Holland said he wasn't sure whether he would return to a front office after he left Edmonton, but he's ready. He spent the winter watching games every night at home in British Columbia when he wasn't working alongside NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell.
'I'm excited to be back in the saddle,' Holland said. 'I've got a lot of energy. I had an opportunity this past winter to get my batteries re-juiced.'
Holland called Los Angeles 'one of the great sports cities in all the world,' and he is already getting to know the breadth of the city in a way he never did as a visitor: He spent the past two nights in a hotel in Manhattan Beach, the beautiful seaside enclave where most of the Kings' players and executives live.
'My wife is excited, and my grandkids are really excited,' Holland said. 'Let me tell you, they're looking forward to coming to LA, watching some Kings games and going to Disneyland.'
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
A Win for Devils Fans Abroad - NHL Partners with DAZN to Stream Games Internationally
The New Jersey Devils and the NHL have announced that international fans can now stream every NHL game, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Final, on DAZN, as part of a new multi-year partnership. The deal covers over 200 countries and territories outside of North America, making it easier than ever for fans around the world to follow their favorite teams and players. DAZN is a British-based sports streaming platform, owned by Access Industries and headquartered in London. Originally founded as Perform Group in 2007, it rebranded as DAZN in 2015. The platform broadcasts a wide range of live and on-demand sports, with a core focus on combat sports like boxing and MMA, available without pay-per-view fees. DAZN is accessible by subscription across various devices. As part of this agreement, will be integrated into the DAZN platform. This means fans outside the U.S., Canada, and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) will now be able to watch NHL games through on DAZN. For the New Jersey Devils, this partnership is especially significant. The franchise has developed a strong and growing international fanbase, one that stretches far beyond the Prudential Center in Newark. During last season's NHL Global Series, the Devils traveled to Prague, Czechia, where they opened their season with a win against the Buffalo Sabres. But beyond the victory, the trip highlighted the team's global reach. According to fans came from across the world, including Scotland, Spain, and even Australia, to cheer for the Devils. One fan, Mikaela Mackie from Melbourne, told 'We all know each other from Twitter. It's fantastic to connect with other people and have that common interest. It makes it easy to start that conversation and get along.' That common interest, of course, is the New Jersey Devils. The team's global appeal is also fueled by its international roster. One standout example is Ondřej Palát, Devils winger and alternate captain, who hails from Frýdek-Místek, Czechia. Palát has a strong fan following in his home country, and thanks to this DAZN partnership, his supporters can now stream all 82 regular-season games, plus the playoffs, with ease. Globally, nearly 30% of NHL players were born outside North America. Reaching that international audience has become a core part of the league's long-term strategy. Steve McArdle, NHL Chief Operating Officer, explained to 'Media distribution is at the core of our global strategy, and we are thrilled to partner with DAZN to continue to expand our global reach and engage with our fast-growing international fan base. Our shared commitment to innovation, gold-standard technology, and providing an exceptional content delivery service will allow us to deliver NHL content to hockey fans around the world on the platforms they prefer.' This new partnership not only benefits Devils fans abroad, it also supports the NHL's broader mission to grow the game globally, making hockey more accessible to the next generation of fans, no matter where they live. Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada's para hockey players join women, NHLers at 2026 orientation camps
CALGARY - Hockey Canada has invited 20 para hockey players to a national team orientation camp in Calgary as first step toward the 2026 Paralympic Games. The roster includes 16 players who helped Canada win gold at the 2024 world championship, as well as nine who claimed a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympic Games in Beijing. Defenders Rob Armstrong, Zach Lavin and Tyrone Henry, forwards Adam Dixon, Liam Hickey, James Dunn, Tyler McGregor and Anton Jacobs-Webb and goaltender Adam Kingsmill played on both squads. The three goalies, six defenceman and 11 forwards will participate in an orientation camp Aug. 26-28 alongside 30 women and 42 NHL players also summoned to Calgary for the women's and men's Olympic team camps. The Paralympic Games run March 5-15 after the Olympic Games Feb. 6-22 in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Hockey Canada senior vice-president of hockey operations Scott Salmond called the camps the first step toward the goal of winning three gold medals across Olympic and Paralympic hockey. 'While the next several months will bring intense evaluation and difficult roster decisions, we look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together and start to become one team as we set our sights on February,' he said Friday in a statement. Each 15-player Paralympic roster will include two goalies. Goaltenders Corbin Watson and Jean-François Huneault, defenders Shawn Burnett, Gavin Baggs and Auren Halbert and forwards Vincent Boily, Jonathan Daigle, Dominic Cozzalino, Matteo Pellizari, Micah Kovacevich and Mathieu Lelièvre round out Canada's camp roster. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Stars Defenseman Makes 10 Worst Contracts List
The Athletic released their annual list of the ten worst contracts, and former Stars defenseman Cody Ceci came in as the ninth worst in the NHL leading into the upcoming season. Ceci was acquired via trade from the San Jose Sharks prior to the trade deadline last season in a package deal that also included Mikael Granlund. Ceci paired with Esa Lindell in a top-4 role for most of the remainder of the year, including the postseason. Ceci's numbers did not look great during his tenure in Dallas, and while many of his skills were needed for the Stars to fill a role, he did not end up making enough of a difference to get Dallas over the hump. Now, Ceci signed a four-year deal for $4.5 million per season with the Los Angeles Kings, who are also looking to get over the Edmonton Oilers hump. The Kings have been eliminated four seasons in a row by the Oilers in the first round and are re-tooling with new General Manager Ken Holland. Ceci is a right defenseman, which are few and far between these days, especially during free agency. That is part of what fetched him this price, but general managers have long over-valued Ceci for what he actually brings to the table. The Athletic estimates his value at $1 million per season, meaning the Kings are paying over $14 million in surplus value over four seasons. Those stats get him listed on the list of worst NHL contracts. Interestingly enough, the aforementioned Granlund who also just left the Stars for a big contract elsewhere (3 years at $7 million with Anaheim) was one of the next five players who just barely missed the list. The Stars wanted Granlund back, but the Finn got paid well above his estimated value after a successful run with Dallas over the final months of the season. Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. How a New CBA Change Will Affect Stars Fans Insider: Stars Only Have 50 Percent Chance to Keep Forward Two Stars Legends Get Hall of Fame Nod Familiar Face Fills Texas Stars Coaching Vacancy
