The Los Angeles Kings remove Jim Hiller's interim tag
Jim Hiller received a pleasant surprise on Wednesday, having his interim tag removed by the Los Angeles Kings. He's now the 30th head coach in the club's history, leading a franchise that needs some offensive firepower. Pierre-Luc Dubois wasn't the answer Los Angeles was hoping for, with the team scrambling for answers this offseason.
That should be good news for the Vegas Golden Knights, who've had some issues with the Kings in the past few seasons. Vegas has a 5-5-1 record against Los Angeles in the past three seasons, with the group having trouble with the 1-3-1 defensive setup. Still, it should give them a leg up if no significant offensive upgrades are made this offseason for the royalty team.
So what does Hiller bring to the Los Angeles Kings? For one, his goal is to change the team's mentality, steering away from having a losing mindset. That includes those same offensive lapses that have put pressure on the team, causing them to be eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers this season. Mind you, they're 6-12 against the Western Conference Finals participant since 2021-2022. However, Hiller can change that team's mindset with a more positive view, which should help against Edmonton.