'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NHL Rumors: Elliotte Friedman believes Los Angeles Kings could make head coach decision involving Jim Hiller
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes the Los Angeles Kings are closing in on a decision on their next head coach.
The Kings fired head coach Todd McLellan in February and named Jim Hiller the interim head coach. Los Angeles ended up making the playoffs as the third seed in the Pacific Division but was eliminated in five games of the first round by the Edmonton Oilers.
Since the playoff exit, the Kings haven't announced their new head coach, but Friedman believes it is Hiller's job to lose.
"On Sunday, after a lot of the [Rod] Brind'Amour stuff was done, there's definitely a sense, at least to me, that the coaches are conceding that Jim Hiller is likely to be the next head coach of the LA Kings, no longer on an interim basis, that he's going to get the head job," Friedman said on '32 Thoughts.'
"You know, the Kings have made it very clear during this process that they liked a lot of what Hiller did, and they liked the way he thinks. And, like I said, nothing is done until it's done. I've used that line a lot this week. But there is definitely a feeling among coaches that Hiller is the big favorite, if not the overwhelming favorite, to get the job."
After taking over on an interim basis, the Kings went 21-12-1 with Hiller as the head coach.
Los Angeles Kings needed a 'new voice'
Los Angeles started the year going 20–7–4 but after a 3–8–6 record in the final 17 games, McLellan was fired.
After McLellan was fired, Kings players felt it was for the best, as they felt they needed a new voice in the locker room.
“You just kind of need a new voice in the room. Jimmy stepped up and he was great,” Kings forward Quinton Byfield said, via the LA Times. “Todd was really good for myself. He’s a great hockey mind and I’m sure he’s going to get another coaching opportunity, but we needed a little spark in here. Something new. A different voice.”
LA enters the off-season with some key free agents like Viktor Arvidsson, Cam Talbot, Matt Roy, Blake Lizotte, Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, and Phoenix Copley, among others.
The Kings have made the playoffs in five of the past 10 seasons. In each appearance, however, they have lost in the first round. LA has fallen to Edmonton in the first round in each of the past three seasons. They have not won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014.
Trending
