Kings Hire Peter Laviolette as Head Coach After Firing of Interim Coach D.J. Smith

The Los Angeles Kings are hiring Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, sources told ESPN on Monday. It is a three-year deal, sources said. Laviolette, 61, did not coach in the NHL last season after he was fired by the Rangers following two seasons.

He has coached 1,594 games, which ranks in the top 10 all time, for the Capitals, Flyers, Islanders, Hurricanes and Predators. Laviolette won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. He was also considered for the vacant Maple Leafs and Oilers jobs this cycle, sources said.

The Kings made the playoffs in captain Anze Kopitar's final season, but were swept in the first round by the Avalanche. J. Smith finished the season as interim coach.

The Kings were 11-6-6 under Smith and got a major boost after trading for star winger Artemi Panarin, whom Laviolette had previously coached in New York.