DJ Smith (LA Kings interim head coach)
Former Ottawa Senators head coach Smith does have the experience and clearest path to be the next full-time head coach for the Kings this upcoming summer for the franchise in the West. But it does feel like Smith hasn't had the success on the ice or on the stat sheet necessary for the Kings to consider him to be the next full-time head coach in 2026 for the franchise for the next regular season.
If Smith is able to pull off a big feat and work some magic in the West to get the Kings in the postseason in the playoffs this upcoming spring this regular season, he could be given the chance to take the interim tag off as the new full-time head coach for the franchise this summer in 2026.
It wouldn't be the first time that the Kings have taken this route to hire a former interim head coach to be the new skipper in the regular season for the franchise in the West. The Kings hired Hiller to be the full-time head coach this past couple of years in the 2023-24 season when he was the interim head coach for LA a couple of years ago.