The Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs almost a month ago, but they remain in the news thanks to the speculation and rumors surrounding the search of the 29th Head Coach in franchise history.
With the Playoffs still in high gear, the rumors are nothing more than speculation and insiders sharing what they have heard. Hiring a new bench boss is a long process that absolutely has to be done correctly.
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The Kings have been linked to some notable names including current interim coach D.J. Smith and the recently fired Bruce Cassidy. And now entering the mix is former Vancouver Canuck and current Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach, Manny Malhotra.
According the NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Kings are likely to move on from DJ Smith and head in a younger direction, and he then mentioned Malhotra’s name specifically.
Los Angeles isn’t the only team expected to be interested in the former Canucks assistant. The Toronto Maple Leafs have also reportedly expressed interest in hiring the 46-year-old fresh off of firing Craig Berube, who could also be an option for the Kings job. But based on Pagnotta’s comments that seems unlikely at this moment in time.
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Malholtra’s Coaching Experience
After retiring as a player in 2016, Malhotra joined the Canucks coaching staff as an Assistant Coach where he served behind the bench until 2020 before he joined the Maple Leafs in the same role.
Malhotra spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Leafs before he was hired to be the bench boss by the Abbotsford Canucks, making yet another return to the Canucks organization,
His time in Abbotsford was perhaps the most up-and-down two years a team has ever. In 2024-25, Malhotra led his squad to a 44-24-4 record in the regular season before marching their way to a Calder Cup Championship. However, in 2025-26 his Canucks finished with a 28-37-7 record which of course had them missing the postseason.
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Now, the former 16-year NHL veteran finds himself in the midst of the yearly head coaching cycle with a real chance of landing a job.
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