While some teams see the NHL All-Star break as a chance to relax, reflect on the season and rest before the final sprint to the post-season, the Los Angeles Kings saw it as an opportunity to make a change behind the bench, firing head coach Todd McLellan.
Assistant coach Jim Hiller will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. Despite the hot start by the Kings, the team had fallen back to Earth through December and January. Going into Monday night, the Kings were 23-15-10 with 56 points, clinging on to one of the Western Conference’s Wild Card spots.
On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss last Friday’s coaching move and if the Kings will see their own version of a coaching bump or continue to fight for a wild card spot.
Tyler Yaremchuk: After having a weekend to sit on it and debate if they’re going to get a coach bump, I’m going to say they won’t get a significant boost and will continue to stay in a wild card spot between now and the playoffs. Frank, is that fair or foul?
Frank Seravalli: I think fair, but that’s more to do with the three teams in front of them than what the Kings have going on. Yes they’ve fallen back to Earth, but I don’t want to say their playoff chances are hanging on by a thread, because I don’t know who is going to catch up to them.
At the same time, I can’t see them getting past the Vegas Golden Knights or the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers look like they’re going to push for home ice in the post-season, and I think the Golden Knights have hit their “rock bottom” and won’t get any worse. Also, Vegas has a few players coming back from injury, and I don’t see how the Kings can get past them.
For the rest of the segment and the full episode, click here…
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