Kings move quickly to hire Peter Laviolette as head coach

The Los Angeles Kings are expected to name Peter Laviolette as their next head coach, putting a veteran with a track record of instant adaptation back behind the bench after a season away from the NHL. Multiple outlets reported the move on Monday, with a three-year agreement described, while the financial terms have not been publicly detailed. If finalized, Laviolette becomes the 32nd head coach in franchise history and the latest attempt by Los Angeles to change the outcome of recent playoff exits.

Laviolette’s return is also a swift turnaround from his last NHL job. He was fired by the New York Rangers on April 19, 2025, after two seasons in which he was hired on June 13, 2023 and coached the club through a first-year surge that ended with a Presidents’ Trophy win. The Rangers missed the playoffs the following season, which preceded the coaching change that ended Laviolette’s tenure in New York.

The Kings, meanwhile, have been searching for stability since the 2025-26 season. Los Angeles dismissed head coach Jim Hiller on March 2, 2026, replacing him with associate coach D.J. Smith as interim. The club finished under Smith and then reached the playoffs, where it was swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round, marking a fifth consecutive first-round elimination.

In the coaching market, Laviolette checks the box of experience in both regular-season structure and high-pressure playoff environments. Sportsnet credited him with 1,594 career NHL games across multiple franchises, and noted he won the Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006 and reached the Final with Philadelphia in 2010 and Nashville in 2017. That resume matters for the Kings because it suggests a coach capable of building systems that can survive the tightening pace and matchup hockey of the postseason.

For the Kings organization, the hire is also about resetting leadership after a late-season shakeup. Smith closed the year as interim, but the club has now decided it wants a long-term voice in the room, not just a caretaker. Reports tying Laviolette to the job also described other clubs as having interest during the cycle, underscoring how Los Angeles may have viewed this as a window to secure a proven veteran rather than gamble on a less-established option.

Whether Laviolette can deliver immediate playoff results will likely hinge on how the Kings translate his first-year impact reputation into a roster that can consistently compete from puck drop to finish. The key next step is confirmation from the Kings in an official announcement, followed by the outline of his staff and the priorities he sets in training camp. In the near term, Los Angeles will be watching for improvements in the areas it has struggled to sustain, especially when opponents tighten defensive coverage and special teams swings become decisive.

Because this development is based on reported terms and expectations rather than an official Kings release, some particulars could still change. Still, the outline is clear enough to frame the appointment as a win-now coaching bet, with the Kings betting that Laviolette’s experience and prior success can help them finally break through the recurring pattern of early postseason exits.