Todd McLellan Fired as LA Kings Head Coach; Jim Hiller Named Interim HC

Todd McLellan is out as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, the franchise announced Friday.

Jim Hiller has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.

Kings vice president and general manager Rob Blake said in a statement:

"We want to thank Todd for his hard work and dedication to the organization. He has done a tremendous job in moving us forward and making a positive impact on our group and in our community. This was not an easy decision, but we felt the change was necessary at this time. Jim is a well-respected member of our staff who is familiar with our players. We are confident in his ability to lead our team effectively during this pivotal time."

The Kings are fourth in the Pacific Division with a 23-15-10 record, but they've experienced a rapid decline in performance dating back to December, having lost 14 of their last 17 games entering All-Star Weekend.

Some of those losses have come to some of the league's worst teams in the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres.

With the coaching change coming at the All-Star break, the Kings are hoping players will come back refreshed and ready to win under a new bench boss. The team's first game back is Feb. 10 against the surging Edmonton Oilers.

McLellan had been head coach of the Kings since the 2019-20 campaign. He led the franchise to a 164-130-44 record and two playoff appearances in his four and a half seasons at the helm.

Those two postseason appearances came in each of the last two seasons. The Kings were eliminated by the Oilers in the first round both times.

McLellan got his first NHL head coaching job in 2008 with the Sharks. He spent seven seasons in San Jose, leading the franchise to a 311-163-66 record and six playoff appearances in his tenure.

Following his stint with the Sharks, McLellan became head coach of the Oilers, spending four seasons with the franchise between 2015 and 2019. He led the team to a 123-119-24 record and a playoff appearance during the 2016-17 season.

Hiller, meanwhile, joined the Kings in July 2022 and has spent the last two seasons as an assistant. He previously served as an assistant for the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.