Ryan Sikes 
Photo Credit: Toyota Arena
According to multiple reports, the LA Kings will be on the lookout for at least one new assistant coach. Marco Sturm has reportedly been hired to be the head coach of the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign, the team announced on Friday.
The @LAKings have named Marco Sturm as head coach for the @OntarioReign. He becomes the sixth head coach to serve for the AHL affiliate in Manchester or Ontario. https://t.co/jtlJDNypO7
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) June 17, 2022
The Kings also announced that Chris Hajt, Craig Johnson, Brad Schuler, and Matt Millar will all return to the Reign coaching staff next year.
Hajt took over for head coach John Wroblewski after the latter unexpectedly left the Reign, and the two sides later agreed to mutually part ways.
Sturm, 43, was drafted 21st overall in the 1996 NHL draft by the San Jose Sharks, spending part of nine seasons with the club. He also spent time with the Bruins, Kings, Capitals, Canucks, and Panthers before retiring in January 2014.
From there, the Dingolfing, Germany native was named General Manager of the German national team before returning stateside as an assistant coach with the Kings in 2018.
Under Sturm’s direction, the Kings’ power-play and penalty kill were not great this past season, finishing sixth-worst and 11th-worst in the National Hockey League, respectively.