The Kings enter December with a pulse that never quite steadies. One night, their pace and puck movement earn applause. Next, they lean into tight checking just to escape with a point. It is not a collapse or a surge, just a middle ground that keeps questions alive.
Those same questions now shift from the ice to the front office. Speculation brewed this week about a change, and the coaching topic was in the spotlight. Yet it took only one response from the top to bring everything back to silence.
Ken Holland Shuts Down Talk of Coaching Change
The Los Angeles Kings are 12-8-7 and holding their place in the Pacific Division. They are looking good, resilient, and still searching for that extra punch that turns tight games into decisive wins. They have beaten strong clubs like Toronto, Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg, which shows what happens when rhythm clicks. But too often the same chemistry fades just enough for results to fall short.
It was only months ago, in May, that Ken Holland was named the 10th general manager in franchise history and handed complete control of day-to-day hockey operations. Now, during this difficult stretch, online chatter began to point toward a potential coaching change.
That speculation ended quickly once NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reached out directly to the man in charge. When asked about the talk surrounding a new hire, Holland responded simply that “there’s zero truth” to the rumor. One answer, no uncertainty, and the conversation stopped where it stood.
Holland arrived with championship experience from Detroit and later oversaw Edmonton’s run to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. His stance signals stability. Tweaks might come, but not the sweeping shift that a coaching change brings, at least not under rumor or assumption.
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Attention returns to the schedule, where the Kings meet the Chicago Blackhawks on December 6 at 9:00 p.m. EST. This will be a rematch at home after the Kings’ 2-1 loss on Thursday. Both teams sit in a similar range, having built their foundations on structure and patience in recent years. Chicago leans on Connor Bedard’s scoring touch while Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore continue to drive Los Angeles’ offense. Darcy Kuemper remains their primary goalie in net, and Anton Forsberg offers support if the night demands another look.
It is a matchup defined by small margins and two teams still shaping their identities. With the GM clearing the air and the noise quieted, Los Angeles moves forward with focus narrowed and direction set. What comes next will be decided by execution on the ice, not speculation off of it.