The Los Angeles Kings recently removed the intern tag and officially named Jim Hiller head coach for the 20242-5 season.
Hiller previously took over for former head coach Todd McClellan and led Los Angeles to a playoff spot.
Kings’ Hiller Gets Full Season to Fix Imperfections
Hiller did not have a chance to make the team his with system and roster line changes. He went with what he had and made the best of it. This season will be different as Hiller will have his team from the start of training camp to make changes and import system changes.
The previously criticized 1-3-1 system may be one of his changes, as some players hinted at playing a different system. We could see this tinkered with during the exhibition season.
Another thing Hiller may want to take a deep dive into is the Pierre-Luc Dubois scenario.
Dubois did perform slightly better under Hiller, but his first season in Los Angeles was a disappointment. Dubois feels as if he should be a top-two center on this team, but his production says otherwise. Hiller might want to place him as a second-line center and see how Dubois responds. If changes need to be made, they will be made. However, if he finds a solution for Dubois to be successful, this could be the season the Kings make it past the first round.
Finding lines that click and are successful may be something to watch heading into training camp. A lot of line shuffling occurred during the season, and the lines could not find chemistry.
Would Hiller keep the lines the same and give them time to work it out? Or does he completely try to find lightning in a bottle?
Eliminating offensive zone mistakes cost the Kings on several occasions last season. Whether it was due to turnovers or offensive zone penalties, Los Angeles made it bad for themselves on more than one occasion as they were not disciplined in their own zone. If they can clean it up and play a safer game in their zone, it could be the difference between a playoff spot and sitting at home after the regular season.
Head Coach Hiller has plenty of time to make this his team. Through development camp, training camp, and exhibition games, he has the time to sit back and see what needs attention and what works for him.
This is an important season for Los Angeles, as another first-round exit could see a massive turnover for the following season.
PHOTO: Los Angeles Kings
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