3 head coaching candidates worth pursuing for the LA Kings
The LA Kings made shockwaves earlier today when they relieved head coach Todd McLellan of his duties.
Jim Hiller will take over head coaching duties for the LA Kings after they announced Todd McLellan will no longer be with the organization moving forward. This was a long time coming for the Kings, who were tied with the Vancouver Canucks for the second-best team in the Western Conference between October 11th and December 7th with 35 points.
Since then, the Kings have been one of the Western Conference’s worst teams, amassing a 7-11-7 record, good for just 21 points. This is tied for the fourth-lowest points total in the West between December 8th and the All-Star Break. The monumental collapse has also resulted in the Kings clinging to the first Wild Card spot, but the upstart St. Louis Blues are looking to pass them.
While Hiller will look to prove he can turn things around in the interim, there are three candidates worth pursuing should the Kings continue their unfortunate decline.
Brad Shaw could finally join the head coaching ranks full-time
Brad Shaw is one name that jumps out more than any other, as he helped Philadelphia Flyers coach John Tortorella turn the team into contenders in 2023-24. It’s coaches with Shaw’s recent track record who will garner serious consideration when openings like what we have seen occur with the Kings.
But Philadelphia isn’t the only place Shaw has made a mark, as he also helped the Canucks achieve their highest points total in 2021-22 since the 2014-15 season, even if they fell short of the playoffs. Before his short stint in Vancouver, Shaw teamed up with Tortorella in Columbus, where they helped bring the long-suffering Blue Jackets to relevance.
Shaw’s most prominent run came in St. Louis, when he spent a decade as an assistant for quite a few successful Blues teams. He also has experience as a head coach when he posted an 18-18-4 record with the New York Islanders during the latter half of the 2005-06 season.
If the Kings are looking for a coach with more experience than many upcoming candidates, Shaw is their answer. He has shown a knack for sticking around organizations for quite a while, and he has been part of several successful rebuilds.
Todd Reirden has enjoyed head coaching success in the past
While Brad Shaw has sound experience as an assistant, Todd Reirden holds the edge in head coaching, having spent two seasons with the Washington Capitals. No, Reirden’s teams never made it past the first round in either of Washington’s playoff appearances, but they still took first in the Metropolitan during his reign, and that’s saying something.
Some may credit Reirden for inheriting a good situation in Washington, as the team was coming off of a victory in the Stanley Cup Final the year they promoted him to head coach. However, Washington didn’t lose a step in the regular season, and they still performed admirably in the first round of the playoffs under Reirden in 2019.
Following his time in Washington, Reirden has also helped keep the Pittsburgh Penguins in the running as playoff contenders, even as their core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang ages.
Reirden has seen more than a fair share of turbulence in Pittsburgh, and he would be a great fit to potentially turn around Los Angeles should the team’s turmoil continue for the rest of the season. Reirden has a proven track record, whether as a head coach or as an assistant, and that should attract a team with a good group of players, which the Kings have.
Joe Sacco has more than proven his worth as a coach
If the Los Angeles Kings want a coach with a perfect blend of experience as an assistant and head coach, they could end up with Boston Bruins assistant Joe Sacco. While his stint as an NHL head coach didn’t go well following four forgettable seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, Sacco has nonetheless shown he can play a significant role in keeping teams afloat.
You see that with the Bruins, whom Sacco has been with for quite some time, and the team has been among the NHL’s most relevant going on a decade. Even more impressive is the fact that recently, Boston has seen quite a bit of roster turnover, yet Sacco and head coach Jim Montgomery have kept this team rolling.
Keeping an organization afloat despite turnover is a trait that Sacco may have figured it out despite his poor showing with the Avalanche. This could, should the Kings opt not to remove the interim label from Hiller, warrant Sacco serious consideration if they pursue him.
Of course, it’s a risk every time a team hires a coach who didn’t fare well in a previous stop and has not held the same position for a while. But Sacco has had over a decade to retool his skill-set, and he may reward a franchise for bringing him back behind the bench in a full-time head coaching role.
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