Less than a year ago, Jim Hiller tied a franchise record for points and had the Kings playing strong night in and night out. The future was looking bright with Hiller and Los Angeles, but a year later, the Kings have one of the worst power plays and are currently out of the playoff picture.
For most of last season, Jim Hiller looked like the right coach at the right moment for the Los Angeles Kings.
The results are encouraging. The Kings finished with 105 points, tying a franchise record and establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Their home dominance gave them an advantage over every team in the league, and they finished with the best home record last season.
For long stretches of last season, there were debates about whether the Kings were the favorites to come out of the West and be a serious threat to win the Stanley Cup. Everything was looking great: the defense was better, players wouldn't take nights off on the ice, and their identity was clear.
This season, it totally got lost and went out the drain.
Less than a year from tying that franchise record and being dominant at home, Hiller finds himself under growing scrutiny as the Kings stumble through a disappointing season filled with drama and noise all year long.
Los Angeles was solid last season in converting power-play goals, ranking 14th; they're one of the worst, ranked second-to-last, only ahead of the Calgary Flames. All this struggle and discombobulation is happening under Hiller, who has him on the verge of being let go by the Kings organization.
No replacement is confirmed yet if the Kings were to fire Hiller. But the conditions the Kings are under right now could quickly have him out of Crypto.com Arena if he doesn't make adjustments.
A Record Season That Still Ended Disappointingly
The Kings were consistent, strong, and challenging to play against last season, winning close games whenever opponents thought they had won. This helped them earn home-ice advantage against their arch rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, who had knocked them out of the first round in the last three seasons before they met again last year.
Instead of the Kings finally getting through Edmonton, the same result came to pass for Los Angeles, and perhaps the most depressing one for Kings fans. Los Angeles jumped out to a 2-0 series lead, appearing to have the answer for the Oilers, finally. Then the collapse began.
A crucial coach's failed challenge that shifted the series momentum to Edmonton. A missed Quinton Byfield clear that became symbolic of the series slipping away from Los Angeles. Four straight losses followed, extending the Kings' streak of first-round exits and the same team's ability to defeat them time and time again, no matter the circumstances.
Fair or not to Hiller, those moments of collapsing after a 2-0 series lead and not being able to figure out the team that continues to beat you are the coach's fault.
The Power Play Collapse
If there is one definite area to blame Hiller for this season, it's the power play and the irony is hard to miss.
Hiller arrived in Los Angeles with a reputation as a strong offensive mind. During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was part of an elite power-play unit that helped the team succeed in that area.
Yet this season, the Kings sit near the bottom of the NHL with one of the league's weakest power plays, and it's not hard to notice. But, most of the blame has been placed on assistant coach Newell Brown, who is the most responsible for operating the Kings' power play.
The Kings Link to Deboer
Officially, there is no link between the Kings and DeBoer. No confirmed talks or interest from both parties.
But speculation and fantasies remain ongoing. Even though DeBoer has never won a Stanley Cup, only making two trips in 2012 and 2016, famously losing to the Kings when he was the coach for the New Jersey Devils and just got fired in the offseason after not elevating the Dallas Stars to Stanley Cup champions in his three seasons there, his track record of immediate impact and playoff experience remains very enticing.
What's Next for Hiller
For now, Hiller remains the coach and deserves it. Last season's results matter, but they won't continue to matter if the Kings keep sliding out of the playoff hunt. The margin is slowly sinking and will continue to if Hiller doesn't find a way to turn the season around.
If the power play does not improve, the conversations around Hiller's future will continue to grow louder than the noise at Crypto.com Arena.
Again, all the blame isn't on Hiller; most of it falls on the Kings' front office, since they made no big pickups in the offseason and have yet to make a trade this season to upgrade their team. But largely coming back with the same team, the drop-off from last season's results has Hiller to blame the most, given the great season he had last year. Now, with the same team, it's worse.
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