It wasn't too far into the 2026 offseason that former Los Angeles Kings interim head coach DJ Smith found a new opportunity in the NHL.
Early this week, the Edmonton Oilers added Smith to their coaching staff under newly-hired head coach Mike Babcock, giving him a quick return to the league just a couple of months after the end of the 2025-26 season.
After briefly serving as Los Angeles Kings' interim head coach, D.J. Smith has found a new opportunity with the Oilers
It was officially announced on Tuesday morning (June 23) that the Oilers hired Smith as an associate coach early this offseason.
This news comes a couple of weeks after the Kings officially announced the hiring of former New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette as the new full-time head coach earlier this month in early June. Smith was originally considered to be in the running to be the new full-time head coaching candidate for the Kings, and general manager Ken Holland earlier this offseason.
Ultimately, the Kings opted for the more proven and experienced coaching option in Laviolette. But Smith getting hired so quickly with the Oilers indicates that his experience and reputation are still strong around the NHL.
Smith was recently the interim head coach for the Kings this past regular season. He was named the interim head coach for the Kings on March 1, where he helped the team get into the postseason while posting a near-.500 record down the stretch.
Before joining the Kings' coaching staff, Smith was the head coach of the Ottawa Senators for five years, where he registered a record of 131-154-32. His coaching career began this past decade in 2015 when he was named to the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff under Babcock. Smith spent four seasons with the Maple Leafs' coaching staff before getting hired to be the Senators' full-time head coach in 2019.
The Oilers were probably wanting to get a proven coach with NHL experience on their resume to join Babcock's staff this offseason. Smith brings roughly a decade of coaching experience and he's coached in a multitude of different situations, including with young players and playoff-caliber rosters.
A move like this on the surface makes sense for Smith. He has a previous working relationship with Babcock from their time together with the Maple Leafs coaching staff.
While Smith's tenure as the Kings' interim head coach was very brief, it goes to show the connections and relationships he has around the league that he got hired so quickly in Edmonton early this offseason. Now with the Oilers, Smith will have the opportunity to help guide a playoff-contender in the Western Conference in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Edmonton this upcoming season.
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