LOS ANGELES (AP) — Interim head coach D.J. Smith will be among the candidates for the Los Angeles Kings' full-time job when general manager Ken Holland conducts his coaching search this month.
Smith took over March 1 when Holland fired Jim Hiller with the Kings at 24-21-14 and out of the playoff picture. The former Ottawa head coach rallied Los Angeles to an 11-6-6 finish to claim the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but the Kings were
swept by the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche in their fifth consecutive first-round postseason exit.
“D.J. did a great job,” Holland said Friday. “The team responded to him, so he’s a candidate. … I don’t want to talk to 20 people. I’d like to talk to probably five to eight people, and then make a decision. Some with experience, some maybe assistants, and some who haven’t been a head coach.”
Holland will begin his coaching search next week, looking for a candidate who can get this team out of its good-but-not-great rut. He reiterated his disinterest in a full-scale rebuild, but also hinted that the Kings might want to make adjustments to their longstanding defense-first philosophy.
Los Angeles has failed to advance beyond the first round in seven consecutive postseasons since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, including six first-round exits since team president Luc Robitaille took ultimate charge of hockey operations in 2017. The current Kings recorded 15 fewer standings points than last season's team.
“As I sit here today, I’m not happy,” Holland said. “Luc Robitaille isn’t happy. Our players aren’t happy. It was a disappointing season. Under .500 at home, 29th in the league in goals scored, squeaked into the playoffs, got swept up by a Presidents’ Trophy-winning team. So I’m not happy. We’ve got to make the team better.”
Holland, who replaced Rob Blake just one year ago, identified the obvious reason the Kings weren't a real Stanley Cup contender this season: Their long-standing offensive struggles. Los Angeles scored only 225 goals, fourth-worst in the NHL and 25 fewer than last season.
Holland attempted to address the problem during his first year in charge by trading for Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but the high-scoring forward couldn't make up for the Olympic injury loss of fellow high scorer Kevin Fiala. Holland revealed Fiala might have been ready to return from his broken leg if the Kings had advanced to the second round.
The Kings have prioritized defense for most of the past two decades, often playing a sticky, trapping style that doesn't promote offensive creativity or attack. That's tough to overcome against opponents that are more talented while equally committed to defense — such as the Avalanche, who allowed only five goals in their four-game sweep of LA.
Defense won two Stanley Cups for the Kings, but Holland openly wondered whether LA needs to think bigger.
“Are we too defensive-minded? I've got to sort that out,” Holland said. “You've got to be good defensively. ... You can't win four games 6-5 in the playoffs. But we're 29th in the league in goals scored. We've got to find ways. Power play has got to be better. We've got to generate a little more attack from the back end.”
The Kings also had inept special teams this season, ranking 28th in the NHL on the power play and an inexplicable 30th in penalty-killing. Los Angeles was the league's third-best team at 5-on-5 defense, but only seventh in total goals allowed thanks to its feckless special teams.
Holland's coaching hire will have responsibility to fix those units without the help of two-time Selke Trophy-winning forward Anze Kopitar, who is retiring after a 20-year career with Los Angeles. The Kings will need a new captain to replace Kopitar in the dressing room, but also a high-usage center to take Kopitar's minutes.
The Kings will be relying even more heavily on Quinton Byfield, the former No. 2 overall draft pick who has grown into a dependable two-way player with the potential to improve in a more open system.
“Obviously it's going to be Q.B.'s team up front,” Holland said. "Kopi (leaves) a massive hole. He’s the highest-scoring forward in the history of the franchise. He plays 200 feet. He’s big and he’s strong. He wins draws. In my opinion, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I don’t think we’re just going to be able to go out and find a way to replace him with one person, and I don’t expect it.”
The Kings still have ample veteran talent next to Byfield, Fiala and Panarin, including top scorer Adrian Kempe, emerging forward Alex Laferriere and promising defenseman Brandt Clarke. Holland claims he is eager to add talent across the lineup after he settles on a coach.
“We have lots of good players,” Holland said. “I’ve got to build a better team.”
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