Ken Holland, recognized for his four Stanley Cup titles as an executive with the Detroit Red Wings, is expected to take over as general manager of the Los Angeles Kings.
Holland, a Hockey Hall of Fame member as a Builder in 2020, will replace Rob Blake, whose contract as Kings general manager and vice president of hockey operations was not renewed after a fourth consecutive first-round playoff elimination.
An official announcement is expected later this week.
At 69 years old, Holland was executive vice president and general manager of the Red Wings from 1997 to 2019, a period in which the team won four Stanley Cups. In 2019, he was promoted to senior vice president, clearing the way for Steve Yzerman to become the team’s general manager.
That promotion lasted only a month, as Holland left to become general manager and president of hockey operations for the Edmonton Oilers.
Fueled by stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the team reached the conference finals in 2022 and 2024, losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final with a roster built by Holland. Among his key acquisitions were forward Zach Hyman (free agent) and defensemen Mattias Ekholm (via trade with Nashville) and Philip Broberg (selected 8th overall in 2019). The Oilers made the playoffs in all five of Holland’s seasons.
Holland’s five-year contract with the Oilers expired on July 1, 2024. Edmonton ultimately hired former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman to replace him. Since then, Holland has been working as a consultant for the NHL’s hockey operations department.
Sources indicate that Holland had been considering a position in the New York Islanders’ front office, either as team president, general manager, or both. Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, senior advisor to the Kings, who many believed could be their next general manager, is in the running for the Islanders’ vacant positions.
Holland will take the helm of a Kings team that features key players from their Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014 (Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty), scorers at their peak (Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala), young prospects (Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke) and goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this season.
However, Los Angeles hasn’t managed to advance past the first round of the playoffs since 2014. The Kings had lost four straight first-round series to the Edmonton Oilers, conveniently, Holland’s former team, including their six-game defeat this postseason.
Holland will now determine the fate of Jim Hiller, who completed his first season as Kings head coach after serving on an interim basis in 2023-24. Hiller was an assistant coach with the Red Wings for one season (2014-15) during Holland’s time in Detroit.
