The Los Angeles Kings have officially let go of head coach Jim Hiller today and quickly chose former player Matt Greene to be an assistant coach.
General manager Ken Holland couldn’t take the team’s up-and-down performance anymore. Right now, the team’s record is a disappointing 24 wins, 21 losses, and 14 overtime losses this season.
Being three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference is not acceptable. The team leaders expect to make a strong playoff push.
The embarrassing 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers right after the Olympic break was the final straw. You can’t be completely dominated on your own home ice.
Hiring D. J. Smith as the interim head coach offers a much-needed fresh perspective in the locker room. The defense fell apart completely under the previous coaching staff.
But bringing Greene from the development team to the NHL coaching staff is really an interesting choice. He has instant credibility and a lot of tough experience.
He won two Stanley Cups while playing for the Kings and knows what it takes to play championship hockey in California. His strong presence earns him respect from the players right away.
Former Oilers defenseman starts working with the LA Kings’ defense.
The defense really needs to focus on executing well and making quick passes to get through the neutral zone. Giving up 14 goals in just two brutal games requires major changes in the organization.
Greene had 731 blocked shots during his nine seasons with the Kings. He knows the hard work and physical effort needed to protect the area in front of the net.
The Kings also announced that Matt Greene will be on the bench as an assistant coach.
He naturally brings a tough and aggressive style that this team currently lacks. Other teams’ forwards have been having a field day attacking the net against this soft defensive lineup lately.
We have relieved Jim Hiller of his duties and named D.J. Smith interim head coach for the remainder of the season, Kings Vice President and General Manager Ken Holland announced.
In addition, Kings player development coach Matt Greene will join Smith as an assistant coach.… pic.twitter.com/3MCzFfNF41
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 1, 2026
Holland is basically taking the money he has available to change the whole coaching strategy right away. The trade deadline is getting closer quickly, but improving the team’s internal setup is the top priority.
Smith and Greene need to quickly fix the terrible penalty kill before it ruins the whole season. They have about 23 games left to really turn around this very frustrating year.
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