The Los Angeles Kings and general manager Ken Holland have continued to expand their coaching search on the carousel this offseason.
Holland and the Kings in the front office are searching for a coach capable of helping the franchise move beyond repeated first-round playoff exits.
One candidate already familiar with both the Pacific Division and Holland is Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft, who previously served as head coach of the Oilers from 2021-24.
A report from Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast this past week indicates that the Kings are probably going to reach out to request to speak with Woodcroft as a coaching candidate on the carousel this offseason. If Los Angeles formally reaches out to Woodcroft, it would add another experienced and increasingly realistic option to the organization’s growing coaching search.
Given the past ties that Woodcroft has with Holland from when he was Edmonton's head coach a few years ago (from 2021-2024), it makes sense that the Kings would be interested in at least kicking the tires of the possibility of hiring him to be the next full-time head coach in LA.
Woodcroft’s previous working relationship with Holland during their time together in Edmonton could make him one of the more logical candidates for Los Angeles to seriously evaluate. Mayors Manor also previously reported that the Kings had interest in Woodcroft during earlier coaching discussions in 2025.
He has also helped develop Anaheim’s younger offensive core while contributing to the Ducks’ power-play improvement under Joel Quenneville’s staff this season. He's earned a reputation for coaching a faster-paced offensive system that emphasizes puck movement and transition play, something that could help modernize parts of the Kings’ offensive attack.
Woodcroft’s offensive coaching background could especially appeal to a Kings team that has struggled at times to generate enough offensive creativity and consistency in recent postseasons.
Woodcroft also played a role in helping Anaheim’s younger core develop into a playoff team that reached the second round this postseason.
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