LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Kings have chosen Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday.
The source requested anonymity since the Kings have not yet officially announced the conclusion of their extensive search for a permanent replacement for interim coach D.J. Smith, who took over from Jim Hiller in March.
The 61-year-old Laviolette is anticipated to receive a three-year deal to lead his seventh NHL franchise. While the Kings have qualified for the playoffs in five straight seasons, they have also suffered five consecutive first-round eliminations under three different head coaches and two general managers.
Laviolette is making his return to the NHL following his dismissal by the New York Rangers in April 2025. Throughout his 23-year coaching career, he has guided the New York Islanders, Carolina, Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington, with his career highlight being a Stanley Cup title with the Hurricanes in 2006.
Teams under Laviolette’s leadership have qualified for the postseason in 11 of the last 14 seasons he completed behind the bench, and he also guided the Flyers (2010) and the Predators (2017) to Stanley Cup Final appearances. His 1,594 career games coached rank ninth most in NHL history.
In his first NHL position on the West Coast, Laviolette inherits a talented team that remains trapped in a significant slump, unable to emerge as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
General manager Ken Holland dismissed Hiller shortly following the Olympic break during the coach’s second complete season leading the team, and the Kings posted an 11-6-6 record after Smith was promoted from his assistant coaching position. Smith, who was considered for the permanent role, helped the Kings secure the final Western Conference playoff berth — but Los Angeles was eliminated in a four-game sweep by the Colorado Avalanche.
The Kings’ four prior first-round eliminations all came against the Edmonton Oilers, resulting in the exit of general manager Rob Blake one year ago.
Los Angeles has not advanced past the first round since capturing the Stanley Cup in 2014, though the roster maintains a strong core of talent despite the retirement of longtime captain Anze Kopitar.
Holland brought in high-scoring forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers last winter, and productive forwards Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala are all set to return this fall.
The passionate Laviolette has built a reputation for developing aggressive offensive systems and achieving rapid franchise transformations at his previous destinations. He may represent an organizational philosophy change for the Kings, who have operated as a defense-focused organization for two decades — often at the expense of their offensive production.
Los Angeles ranked 29th in the NHL in scoring last season with only 220 goals, by far the lowest total among playoff-qualifying teams. The Kings have ranked in the bottom half of NHL scoring over the past five seasons despite reaching the playoffs annually.
Holland publicly questioned whether the Kings rely too heavily on defensive play after they managed just five goals during their four-game elimination by the Avs, though he stopped short of promising a philosophical overhaul.
