After four straight seasons of the same script and falling to the hands of the Edmonton Oilers in Round 1 again, the Los Angeles Kings have opted for some change, and a fresh new face to pull the strings behind the scenes.
The Kings and president Luc Robitaille announced Wednesday that they named Ken Holland the team’s vice president and 10th general manager (GM) in franchise history, heading into the 2025-26 season.
“I’m incredibly excited today,” Holland said. “I talked to a few teams over the last three weeks, just thought this was a great fit for me personally and professionally.”
Holland, who has spent 26 seasons as a GM in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, has a very seasoned resume. From winning four Stanley Cups to being the fifth-winningest GM in NHL history, Holland has found loads of success.
“It was very important to get the right person to guide this franchise to where we want to be, which is not about beating one team, winning one round, it’s about winning four rounds,” Robitaille said during his opening remarks. “It became clear to me that the best person was Ken […] he knows the path of what it takes to get to the championship and that’s a hard thing to do and a hard thing to learn […] it’s very important at this time for this franchise that we get to that next level.”
Jim Hiller Remains as Head Coach
There was loads of speculation after Rob Blake and the Kings decided to mutually part ways on whether or not Jim Hiller would be welcomed back as head coach of the Kings. After just one and a half seasons of being the head coach and two playoff berths, for one, there isn’t enough there to say he’s incapable of continuing as head coach, and for another, there hasn’t been enough time to really judge his progress.
Yes, we know what happened in this year’s playoffs and the terrible challenge that was made in Game 3 (which he was probably told to make) and the odd philosophy to sit back with a lead and allow the two best players in the league to take it to you, but the truth is after the incredible regular season he had, it would be irrational to say that he doesn’t deserve another shot to learn from his mistakes and grow from them.
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It took just over two minutes into Holland’s opening statement to confirm that Hiller, whom he has had experience working with in the past, would return as the Kings’ bench boss.
“I look forward to working with Jim Hiller going into next year,” Holland said. “Thought Jim did a great job, the team checked, goals against were down, penalty killing was good, the team played hard.”
“As I look back and analyze my own personal career, I probably made two or three or four decisions that might be a mulligan or I might do something a little bit different and I think that we’re all the same and that Jim Hiller did a fabulous job in leading the team to 105 points […] he’ll be a better coach next year for the experience he went through this year.”
Holland Likes What’s Been Built So Far
If there is one thing you should take away from Holland’s introductory presser, it’s that he’s not here to drastically shake things up. He made it clear about how great of a job he thought Blake and company did during the rebuild and getting the team to where it’s at right now. Holland isn’t here to take away from that, but to look to add on how he can get this roster to a place where they can finally get over that hump.
“I think he (Blake) did a tremendous job as the general manager of the LA Kings and rebuilding the franchise,” Holland said. “When I look at the job Blakey did in retooling, rebuilding, and the team had 105 points this year, tremendous regular season and in my mind was a legitimate Stanley Cup contender before the playoffs started, it’s a credit to Luc and all the people that have worked together to work so hard to build the team where it’s at.”
“Obviosuly we want to win some playoff series, but I don’t want to screw it up. Like, they had a good year […] this is a good hockey team that I thought three weeks ago when I looked around the league that was one of the teams that I thought they could go to the final four and beyond.”
“Everybody wants to evaluate based upon six games, well, there was 82 out there that count too, and I understand that these six are more important than the 82, but if you don’t do something in the 82, you don’t even get to these six.”
Having 105 points and being a consistent playoff team is cool and all, and obviously the first major step to the ultimate goal, but what does it really accomplish? It doesn’t really matter how many points you finish with or how many times you make the playoffs if you can’t manage to win a round in over 10 years, and that’s the big dark cloud that has loomed over the Kings for years that Holland was brought in to address. What needs to happen in order for this team to achieve playoff success?
“You just got to stick with it and find a way to win a series, and every time you can get a little more confidence from accomplishing something, it builds you going forward, so I think you just got to stick with it. There are no magic wands or tricks, you got to believe in a plan. We’ll try and make a few tweaks to the roster. Part of this has got to be internal growth, some of the players that are here that are 21, 22, 23, we need them to take a step. It can’t all be about free agency or this big mega trade,” Holland said. “I watched in Detroit and I watched it in Edmonton and certainly that’s what we hope to accomplish here.”
“We want to win the Stanley Cup, that’s the ultimate goal, but it starts with pieces, with building blocks, and lots of building blocks are in place here (because of) the work that Jim and his staff have done, these players have done, and I’m hoping to come to add to it, build upon it.”
Holland Has Authority to Make a Big Splash
For a team that is consistently making the playoffs, major roster changes aren’t something anyone would expect to happen, but one thing has been clear for years: the Kings are lacking superstar talent and have been shown year after year just how impactful it can be. Adrian Kempe is the closest thing the Kings have to a superstar, and maybe Quinton Byfield turns into one, but at this stage, it’s not enough. Depth is what has made the Kings a consistent playoff team, but it’s time they do what they can to bring a big name to the city of angels.
“The LA Kings want to be in the big boy league, we’re prepared to go to the cap, now you’re not just going to spend it to spend it,” Holland said. “If we think there’s a player out there that is going to cost a lot of money and a lot of term, the answer is yes (he has full authorization to make that deal), I will work with Luc, I’ll work with Dan and obviously ownership, but this is an organization that is committed, certainly that’s why I’m here.”
From what we know about the Kings and what was relayed to us during yesterday’s presser, Holland has the full authority from ownership to sign a big contract in the offseason, and there’s no doubt the Kings will be one of the teams that try and make a big splash come free agency.
The message that has been received since the Kings were eliminated from the playoffs, and from both Robitaille and Holland, is that this franchise is in win-now mode. The Kings as a whole truly believe they are right there and that the process of building a winning, Cup-contending team isn’t far away from reality. The idea that they not only want to remain a competitive playoff team but take that next step was relayed through the hiring of Holland, and the expectation is that he comes in, works with what has already been built, and makes the necessary moves to give this group the best chance at reaching that level.
