Kings remove interim tag from Hiller
The Los Angeles Kings removed the interim tag from head coach Jim Hiller to make him their full-time bench boss, the team announced Wednesday.
Additionally, the club signed Hiller to a three-year extension, reports ESPN's Kevin Weekes.
Hiller took over for the fired Todd McLellan midway through the 2023-24 campaign and guided the Kings to a 21-12-1 record. Los Angeles was then ousted by the Oilers in Round 1 for the third year in a row.
The Kings' defense and power play both improved under Hiller's watch.
| Stat | McLellan | Hiller |
|---|---|---|
| Points% | .583 | .632 |
| GF/G | 3.15 | 3.03 |
| GA/G | 2.65 | 2.44 |
| PP% | 21.2 | 25.0 |
| PK% | 87.3 | 80.6 |
This is Hiller's first stint as an NHL head coach. He previously served as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. The 55-year-old was also a head coach in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans and Chilliwack Bruins. He was named the WHL and CHL coach of the year in 2011-12 for leading the Americans to a 50-18-0-4 record.