Kings fire coach Jim Hiller as Los Angeles' playoff chances tumble out of Olympic break

The Los Angeles Kings have fired coach Jim Hiller, the team announced on Sunday. This move comes with the Kings in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, just three points out of the final wild card spot with 23 games left to play. D.J. Smith has been named interim coach. Hiller spent parts of three seasons leading the Kings as he replaced Todd McLellan midway through the 2024 season. Hiller was promoted from interim to full-time coach the following offseason, and he pushed Los Angeles to a 93-58-24 record in 175 games. In each of the Kings' two playoff appearances under Hiller, the team was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. "I want to thank Jim Hiller for his...