There have been multiple rumors swirling around the Los Angeles Kings and head coach Jim Hiller regarding the potential hot seat for the bench boss and the coaching staff for the team this fall, early this regular season. Various rumors making the rounds in fan circles and on social media in the medai this week have placed Hiller on the hot seat as the Kings' head coach this fall.
Los Angeles Kings assistant coach and power play specialist Newell Brown placed on the hot seat by the media early this regular season this fall
The Kings haven't found much consistency early this regular season this fall. The team also hasn't made it past the first round of the postseason in the playoffs in the past couple of years. If the Kings keep losing on home ice early this regular season, the pressure will dial up on Hiller for the coaching staff this fall.
Patience is wearing thin with the fans for the Kings with all the adjustments for Hiller and the coaching staff this fall. It's a hard place for him to be in right now, given that the fans want change and want to see results on the ice with the special teams this regular season.
For what it's worth, Pierre LeBrun reported on Dec. 5 that "there's zero truth" to Holland and the Kings reaching out to another coaching option on the market this fall.
From what I know of sorting through sports rumors and coaching changes in the league in the NHL, I don't think it makes much sense for the Kings to be reaching out to other head coaches in the media right now early this regular season. If the Kings are struggling in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division in the next couple of months this regular season, it wouldn't be surprising to see rumors start to heat up to have a plan to find another head coach and right the ship this year.
The Kings rank at the bottom of the Western Conference in power play percentage on special teams.
The team is having trouble scoring goals, and the Kings are suffering as a result in the standings in the Pacific Division this fall.
"There’s some [visible frustrations] for sure, but for the most part, we’ve stuck with it and stayed the course. If I would’ve seen this game two weeks ago and then maybe a decent game and then this game again, then I would say absolutely, absolutely, but no, I think our guys have stuck with it. "Jim Hiller
Andre Leal of The Hockey News wrote on Dec. 5 that the responsibility for the team's struggles is Hiller offensively in the league. Not all of the specialized issues the Kings are dealing with can't be placing the blame only on Hiller's shoulders this fall.
Leal suggested that assistant coach and forward specialist Newell Brown hasn't produced great results on special teams on the power play top unit in the past few years in the West with the Kings and the Anaheim Ducks a couple of years ago.
The Kings and Brown ranked in the bottom three in the Pacific Division in the West in power play conversion percentage on special teams with the top two units in the past couple of seasons (since the 2023-24 season).
Brown and the Kings had over two dozen opportunities on special teams in the past three weeks, only scoring twice with the top two units at 5-on-4 on the man advantage.