After a few seasons of treading water rather than diving toward a Stanley Cup, the LA Kings decided to pull the plug on head coach Jim Hiller on March 1. The man who replaced him on an interim basis, assistant coach D.J. Smith, knows the job. He was the head coach of the Ottawa Senators from 2019 to 2023. To understand what changes Smith might make, we can look back at his time in Canada’s capital.
D.J. Smith’s Tenure in Ottawa
When Smith took over the Senators, the franchise was basically a construction site. There was no foundation, with just a pile of high‑end draft picks and a lot of hope they would grow into a Stanley Cup contender. However, during his tenure, Smith became known as the ultimate “player’s coach.” He could relate to stars like Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle, pushing them to play a heavy, hard-hitting brand of hockey while the roster was still maturing.
Even when the Senators lacked the depth to compete with the league’s elite, they were rarely an easy win. They finished checks, they played with a certain aggression, and they never seemed to quit on their coach. The criticism centred mainly on defensive structure and a lack of tactical evolution once the rebuild ended.
The Senators could score, and they could hit, but they struggled to lock games down in the third period, which eventually led to Smith’s departure. He left with 131 wins, 154 losses, and 32 overtime (OT) losses in 317 games.
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The Kings Are Different
The Kings don’t need a head coach to teach them how to be professional or how to survive a rebuild; they need someone to optimize a group that already knows how to win but has lost its offensive physicality. Jim Hiller’s system was often criticized for being a bit too rigid, particularly the infamous 1‑3‑1 neutral-zone trap that has defined Kings hockey for years, and is known to limit the creativity of high‑end talent. This is where Smith can make adjustments. In Ottawa, he was accused of being too loose with his systems, allowing his players a level of offensive freedom that resulted in high‑scoring games.
The Kings have struggled to find the back of the net, despite a roster that features elite playmakers and a high‑profile new acquisition, Artemi Panarin. This is where “looseness” might be the perfect solution to their problems. If Smith can take the existing defensive structure and introduce a little bit of that Ottawa‑style offensive aggression, the results could be explosive and finally get those wins the Kings desperately need.
Where Smith Can Make the Kings Better
When players start tuning out their coach, their game starts to look heavy. Their legs look slow, the power play becomes predictable, and the joy seems to vanish from the rink. Smith’s first job as the interim coach is to bring back the energy. He knows how to keep the bench alive and focuses heavily on the “vibe” of the locker room.
In a long NHL season, especially in a market like Los Angeles where the distractions are plenty and the expectations are high, having a coach who can lighten the mood while still demanding a solid work ethic can be a massive advantage.
There is also the matter of the young core. Players like Quinton Byfield and the rest of the Kings’ rising stars are at a pivotal stage in their careers. They need a coach who trusts them with offensive responsibility. Smith’s track record with young talent in Ottawa is arguably his strongest selling point. He knows how to let young players fail, learn, and eventually thrive without benching them for minor defensive lapses. In moving on from Hiller, the Kings have to tap into the full potential of their youth, and Smith’s approach might be the key to unlocking that door.
Fresh Start for the Kings
Is Smith the long‑term answer behind the bench? That will depend on whether the Kings make the playoffs and how far they go. But as an interim solution for a team that felt consistently and unnecessarily stuck, he is a good choice. He brings a different energy than Hiller, more diplomatic and more motivational. He brings a history of offensive encouragement that could benefit the team’s star players, and a perspective that says, “Simplify the game and compete harder.”
The Kings are in a win-now window. In firing Hiller, management sent a clear message that they aren’t willing to waste another year missing the playoffs or losing in the first round to Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. By handing the reins to Smith, the Kings are gambling that his familiarity with the team, and a bit of the hustler attitude he brought to the Senators, mixed with LA’s elite structure, will be the formula that propels them into the playoffs and onto a run. If Smith can find that balance, the job could be his next season.
