Kings fire Jim Hiller, name DJ Smith interim coach

The Los Angeles Kings officially parted ways with head coach Jim Hiller on Sunday, March 1, 2026, amid a late-season slide that has put the team’s playoff hopes in jeopardy.

In a corresponding move, the club named associate coach D.J. Smith as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025–26 season. To round out the new-look bench, the Kings also promoted player development coach and former two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Greene to the role of assistant coach.

The decision comes as the Kings (24-21-14) find themselves sitting three points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and back-to-back losses. "At this point in the season, we believe a change in leadership is necessary to give our group the best opportunity to reach its potential," said Kings Vice President and General Manager Ken Holland in a statement.

Hiller finishes his tenure with a 93-58-24 record in 175 games. While he successfully stabilized the team after taking over for Todd McLellan in early 2024 and led the Kings to consecutive postseason appearances, he was unable to lead the club past the first round, falling to Edmonton both times.

Smith brings significant experience to the role, having served as the head coach of the Ottawa Senators for nearly five seasons (2019–2024) before joining the Kings as an associate coach in February 2024. While Greene played 464 games for the Kings from 2008–2017, Greene has spent the last five years in scouting and player development roles for the organization. This marks his first time behind an NHL bench as a coach.