2024-02-02 18:47:14
The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach Todd McLellan Friday morning and named Jim Hiller on an interim basis.
McLellan thus became the sixth head coach to lose his job this season in the NHL.
“It was not an easy decision to make, but we had the impression that a change had become necessary,” we might read in the Kings press release broadcast on the ‘X’ platform. Jim is well respected among our staff and knows the players well. We are sure that he will be able to lead the team effectively during this pivotal period. »
The Kings (23-15-10) posted a poor 3-8-4 record in January, which relegated the California team to seventh place in the Western Conference, just two points ahead of the ninth place holders. as of Friday morning, the St. Louis Blues (26-21-2).
McLellan seemed relieved as the Kings entered the All-Star break with a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.
“We still have a lot of work to do before we get back to the level of play we want to achieve, but starting the break (of the All-Star game) in this way is a very good thing,” he said following the match. .
The Kings have been having trouble on offense lately. They have scored just 2.35 goals per game over 17 games, the third worst average in the league during that time.
McLellan was spending his fifth season behind the Kings bench. He led them to the playoffs the last two campaigns, but they were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. He became the eighth head coach in the history of the franchise to reach the 100-win plateau on October 31, and the fifth fastest to achieve it (in 219 games).
He has a career record of 598-412-134, and his 598 victories rank 23rd in NHL history. Before leading the Kings, McLellan was the head coach of the Oilers for five seasons, and the San Jose Sharks for seven more.
Hiller, a 10th-round pick of the Kings in the 1989 NHL draft, had been an assistant coach for two seasons, having successively held the same position with the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings for eight seasons. Before making the jump to the professionals, he also managed in the minor ranks, notably the Tri-City Americans (WHL) for five years.
The Kings will play their next game Saturday night once morest the Oilers.
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