Overview
- General manager Ken Holland made his first coaching change in Los Angeles, elevating associate D.J. Smith for the rest of the season and adding Matt Greene as an assistant.
- Los Angeles is 24-21-14 (62 points) and sits outside playoff position after dropping five of six, including an 8-1 home loss to Edmonton that drew “Fire Hiller” chants.
- Hiller departs with a 93-58-24 record in 175 games; the Kings reached the playoffs twice under him but never won a series, exiting in the first round each time.
- The Kings rank near the bottom in scoring despite acquiring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, with Kevin Fiala out for the season after a broken leg at the Olympics.
- Andrei Kuzmenko is listed week-to-week following knee meniscus surgery, adding to injuries as Smith takes over to try to stabilize the offense and push for a wild-card berth.