The Los Angeles Kings have hired Peter Laviolette to be their next head coach, according to multiple reports. The agreement is for three years.
Laviolette, 61, most recently served as an NHL head coach in the 2024-25 season. He has 23 seasons of NHL head coaching experience across six different franchises: the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and New York Rangers. He won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and led the Flyers and Predators to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010 and 2017 respectively. In total, he has made the playoffs 14 times as a head coach.
Having begun his coaching career when ties still existed in the NHL, his career record is 846-562-25-161, making him the winningest American-born head coach in NHL history. His career playoff record is 88-82.
Laviolette played 11 seasons of professional hockey as a defenseman, mostly in the minor leagues. His NHL playing career consisted of 12 games, all with the Rangers, during which he did not register any points.
Laviolette will be the 29th head coach in Kings history, and the first who did not take over midseason since Todd McLellan was hired in 2019. This past season, the Kings fired head coach Jim Hiller 59 games into the campaign, ending his time behind the bench in his third season with the team. He was replaced by D.J. Smith, who led the Kings to an 11-6-6 record to close out the regular season. Smith and the Kings made the playoffs as the final wild card in the Western Conference, losing to the Colorado Avalanche in a first-round sweep.
Smith was a candidate for the permanent head coaching position, according to Kings general manager Ken Holland. Current Anaheim Ducks assistant and former Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft was also reportedly considered. Additionally, the Kings attempted to interview former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy, but the Knights denied them permission to do so.
The Kings are entering a period of uncertainty and a new era following the retirement of their longtime captain Anze Kopitar. Now they have identified the coach who will help guide them through it.