The move that could help the Los Angeles Kings get the younger players in the active roster lineup on the right development path this regular season in the West in the Pacific Division could be the announcement from this past weekend on Sunday with the parting ways with now-former head coach Jim Hiller.
Los Angeles Kings replace now-former head coach Jim Hiller with interim head coach DJ Smith behind the bench this regular season
While it is always unfortunate news to see someone lose their job as the head coach, the move to promote DJ Smith to the interim head coach could help light a fire under the Kings' younger players in the active roster lineup this regular season in this upcoming couple of months in the West in the Pacific Division.
Smith had good experience in his time as the Senators head coach in his time in Ottawa up north of the border in Canada in the late 2010s and early-to-mid 2020s decades with the franchise as their bench boss leader. He was a good coach for the Senators in Ottawa in the East to help that team rebuild in the Atlantic Division in the standings.
Here are three Kings' players who could benefit from the presence and experience of Smith as the new interim head coach this regular season in the West in this upcoming couple of months in the Pacific Division.
Warren Foegele, W
Winger Warren Foegele was fantastic offensively and on both ends of the ice this past season in the West in the 2024-25 campaign for the Kings and Hiller last year. Foegele hasn't been the same this regular season for the Kings in the West, struggling to consistently score the puck and missing time due to injury issues in this past few months.
The strong defensive game and the push that Smith has given to shake up the active roster lineup offensively this regular season and this upcoming spring for the Kings could be a necessary jump in the forecheck and around the net on the stat sheet for Foegele.
Quinton Byfield, F
This past week, center Quinton Byfield didn't show up like the Kings needed him to in this past few games in the Pacific Division against the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights in back-to-back games for the team. Byfield needs to improve and develop offensively, scoring the puck for the Kings and Smith this next couple of months in the West.
Center captain Anze Kopitar will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season, and the Kings don't have a clear replacement at the center position for the top-six forward lines core group next campaign.
The Kings need to figure out how to better use key players in the active roster lineup offensively, like Byfield and winger Adrian Kempe, scoring the puck this regular season in the West consistently on both ends of the ice.
If the Kings can get Byfield's analytics numbers up scoring the puck offensively this regular season in the West, it could help spark the rest of the active roster lineup in the Pacific Division for the playoffs this upcoming spring in the postseason picture.
Alex Turcotte, C
General manager Ken Holland and the Kings' team has a promising core of young and talented developing players in the West this regular season in the Pacific Division, including Byfield, defenseman Brandt Clarke, and center Alex Turcotte in the active roster lineup.
Smith had some really good relationships and development track records with younger and developing stars in the active roster lineup offensively with the Senators in Ottawa this past decade or so north of the border in the East. He helped to develop young and rising talents offensively at the time in the East for the team scoring the puck, like Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle.
Turcotte hasn't reached his potential offensively in this past couple of years in the Pacific Division for the Kings this regular season. He was drafted fifth overall in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He's registered over a dozen goals and 41 total points in over 150 career games played.