Kyle Garcia 
The LA Kings have reportedly found their new bench boss in long-time NHL head coach Peter Laviolette.
Peter Laviolette is being hired as the next head coach of the LA Kings.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 8, 2026
Laviolette, 61, will be coaching his seventh franchise and his 24th season as a bench boss, most recently with the New York Rangers in 2024-25. Laviolette led the Carolina Hurricanes to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2006 and came close to lifting hockey’s most valuable prize in 2010 with the Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators in 2017, but both teams lost in six games.
According to Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic, Laviolette’s contract length will be for three years.
Laviolette has agreed to a three-year deal with the Kings. https://t.co/k7mCLEWVMB
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 8, 2026
It was also reported by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period that former Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft was a finalist for the position before the Kings and Laviolette agreed to a deal.
The LA Kings are close to naming their next head coach, and it will be a new one. Per sources, DJ Smith is no longer in the running. Keep eyes on Jay Woodcroft and Peter Laviolette.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 8, 2026
As with every hire, you have the good, concerns, and questions. We’ll dive into it here with my thoughts on Laviolette being the fourth head coach in ten seasons (not counting interim head coaches).
I don’t mind it
I know Laviolette isn’t the hire some Kings fans are parading. Reports indicated the Kings and the Edmonton Oilers were seeking permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to interview the recently fired Bruce Cassidy for the vacant head coaching positions, but both were subsequently denied. David Carle was always a pipe dream, and it’s clear he’s not leaving the University of Denver (NCAA) at this moment.
With Laviolette and Woodcroft as the two finalists for the position, I personally wouldn’t have minded either one. It’s a new voice and one outside the organization.
Quick turnarounds
Almost everywhere Laviolette has been, his teams have seen improvement early in his tenure. From 2001-03, in his first NHL head coaching job, he guided the New York Islanders to the playoffs both seasons after the organization had missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons. His next stop in Carolina saw his team win the Stanley Cup in his first full season behind the bench before missing the playoffs the following two seasons and being fired during the 2008-09 season.
His first season behind the bench in Philadelphia was another Stanley Cup Final berth and two second-round appearances after. His next stop in Nashville, he took the Predators to the Stanley Cup Final in year three before early exits saw him get the boot.
His three seasons in Washington didn’t see the immediate success as his previous stops did, but in his first season behind the New York Rangers bench in the 2023-24 campaign, he guided them to the President’s Trophy (best record in the league) and an Eastern Conference Finals berth.
I’m not saying that Laviolette will turn the Kings around and win a playoff round or lead them to a Cup Final appearance, but the Kings will be hoping he can bring the immediate success he’s brought to other organizations in his coaching career.
New style and philosophy
The Kings have built their identity as a defense-first organization for almost the last 20 years. Laviolette’s style features more of an up-tempo one, where defensemen join the rush and create scoring chances if the opportunity presents itself. The best example is when he had PK Subban, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Mattias Ekholm on the backend in Nashville. Perhaps we will finally see Brandt Clarke allowed to be himself.
Ken Holland has some work to do
With that style of play comes the right player personnel, and right now, the Kings don’t have the right personnel on the backend for that faster pace. Clarke is the only Kings defenseman that can create offense, and somewhat Drew Doughty at this stage of his career, while the rest aren’t fleet of foot or can move the puck.
Ken Holland inherited a defensive group that had the same issue when he took over the helm as general manager and made things worse by signing Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci to three and four-year deals, respectively. Let’s see if he can get out of this mess and make some changes to the defensive core somewhat suited for Laviolette’s system
Featured image credit: Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images