Jim Hiller Finally, the temporary label was withdrawn from its title as Kings coach, with the team affirming that Wednesday that the long -standing assistant received the position.
The announcement, in a press release from Managing Director Rob Blakewas not a surprise after Blake and the president of the Luc Robitailles team said this month that the Kings were planning some changes after their third consecutive release of the NHL qualifiers in the first round.
A press conference to officially present Hiller as the 30th franchise coach was scheduled for Thursday.
After the last Kings' match, Hiller said that he had appreciated his time behind the bench and hoped that he had done enough to deserve an invitation to come back.
“It goes without saying,” he said. “It's a large group of players with great character. They made my task easier in what was perhaps difficult circumstances for them because of the way we played for about six weeks. So I have them a lot.
“They are good players and very good guys, very good people. So I appreciated. “
Hiller, 55, was appointed acting coach on February 2 after being deputy coach to Todd McLellan the last two seasons. Hiller, whose mission, according to Blake, was to bring the team to the playoffs, made his coach debut on February 10 against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Kings went 21-12-1 in 34 games under Hiller to finish the season, winning third place in the Pacific division with a prolongation victory against Chicago in the last match. Under Hiller, the Kings were the best NHL home team, recording 14 victories in 18 games in Crypto.com Arena.
Edmonton has done a quick job in the playoffs, however, winning the series of seven best games in five games. It was the third consecutive season that the Oilers eliminated the kings in the first round.
Hiller joined the Kings as an assistant in July 2022 after spending eight seasons in the same way as the New York Icelanders (2019-22), Toronto Maple Leafs (2015-19) and Detroit Red Wings (2014-15).
Originally from Port Alberni, British Columbia, Hiller also played for the Kings after being selected in the 10th round (207th in total) of the 1989 draft. He appeared in 40 games for the Kings, recording six goals and 12 points before spending Detroit and later the New York Rangers. Hiller adapted to 63 career games, recording eight goals, 12 assists and 20 points, playing his last match in 1994.
He began his coach career in 2002 in the WHL with the Americans of Tri-City and was assistant to Team Canada during the Ivan Hlinka 2010 commemorative tournament in Slovakia, helping to guide his country of origin to his third consecutive championship.
