The Los Angeles Kings have announced that Jim Hiller will be their permanent head coach moving forward, removing the interim tag he had held since taking over for the fired Todd McLellan in February. Under Hiller’s leadership, the Kings went 21-12-1 in the regular season before being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year. In this article we talk about Los Angeles Kings Announce Jim Hiller as Permanent Addition to Coaching Staff.
Hiller Brings Championship Pedigree to Kings
Hiller has a winning pedigree, having been part of the 1991 NCAA national championship team at Northern Michigan University as a standout right wing. That season, he tallied 22 goals and 41 assists for 63 points in 43 games, tied for second-most on the team. He played a key role in the Wildcats’ dramatic 8-7 triple-overtime victory over Boston University to capture the title.
NHL Playing and Coaching Experience
After his collegiate career, Hiller went on to play parts of two NHL seasons with the Kings, Red Wings, and Rangers before continuing in the minors and in Europe until retiring as a player in 2002. He transitioned to coaching, serving as an assistant for the Kings for two seasons after eight years as an assistant with the Islanders, Maple Leafs, and Red Wings organizations.
Head Coaching Debut with Draft Team
When he took over as interim head coach in February, Hiller became the 18th coach in NHL history to make his debut with the team that originally drafted him, as the Kings selected him in the 10th round in 1989. Prior to the NHL, he spent 12 seasons coaching in the WHL and BCHL, including five years as head coach of the Tri-City Americans.
Regular Season Success Not Carried to Playoffs
Though the Kings saw improved penalty killing and an excellent home record under Hiller in the regular season, those areas were exposed in the playoffs as the Oilers converted 9 of 20 power plays while Los Angeles went 0-for-12 on the man advantage. The Kings also lost both home playoff games after winning 9 of their last 10 at home in the regular season.
Challenges Ahead for Hiller and Kings
Now installed as the permanent head coach, Hiller faces some significant challenges to get the Kings back to contending for the Stanley Cup. Veterans like Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are aging, the team lacks high-end prospects, and they have salary cap issues with only David Rittich under contract in goal for next season.
A key task will be getting high-priced acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois going after he struggled mightily with just 16 goals and 40 points in his first season in LA. Dubois never seemed to find chemistry with his new teammates after arriving from Winnipeg on a massive 8-year, $68 million contract.
The Pacific Division is unforgiving, but GM Rob Blake is counting on Hiller to help navigate these choppy waters and get the Kings back into contention. Hiller’s track record of winning and decades of NHL coaching experience make him the trusted voice to lead this new era in LA. I sincerely hope you find this “Los Angeles Kings Announce Jim Hiller as Permanent Addition to Coaching Staff-Find Out Details” article helpful.
Source: Click Here
Julio Figueroa is a seasoned chef with over 12 years of experience in fine dining. He holds a degree in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu and is passionate about culinary innovation. As the lead contributor to chefdecuisinelosangeles.com, Julio shares his expertise and unique recipes with food enthusiasts. Connect with him on Instagram for more culinary inspiration.