If you can't beat them, join them.
The saying definitely applies here as it seems that the Edmonton Oilers have interviewed former Los Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller for their head coach opening, one that is still tainted with the potential return of Mike Babcock.
On a recent episode of 32 Thoughts the podcast Elliotte Friedman suggested that Hiller was part of a round of interviews conducted by the front office, one that included former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and former New York Rangers bench boss Peter Laviolette. The latter was hired by the Kings last week, which should only strengthen Hiller's positioning in the race should the Babcock hiring fail to materialize.
He might not be a name that Oilers fans like to hear, but Hiller has a reputation that might be appealing for the roster
While Hiller was on the receiving end of two playoff losses to the Oilers, his Kings teams have been relatively strong ones, particularly on the defensive side of the ice.
Over the course of the final 34 games of the 2023-24 season, Hiller's Kings were 21-12-1, which results in a point-per-game pace that would have put the Kings on course for an over 100 point season and then some. 16 of the Kings' 21 wins to close the season saw them concede two goals or fewer; that sample size also included four shutouts, one of which was against the Oilers.
The 2024-25 season saw the Kings put together a 48-25-9 record, which was good enough to allow the Kings to match the franchise record for regular season points, one that was set during the 1974-75 campaign. That season also saw the Kings give up the second-fewest goals per game and the second-fewest total goals conceded (both metrics saw the Kings bested by only the Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets). At the same time, the Kings had the fifth-best net save percentage at .908.
At the individual level, goaltender Darcy Kuemper had the league's second-best goals against per game measure, with the former Colorado Avalanche netminder conceding just 2.02 goals per game. He also was tied for the sixth-most amount of wins by a goaltender during the 2024-25 campaign, with his 31 wins putting him level with Filip Gustavsson, Logan Thompson, and Sam Montembeault. He also had the league's third-best save percentage at .922.
The big issues for Hiller? They couldn't get past the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs during the 2024 and 2025 playoffs, with the latter postseason seeing the Kings build a 2-0 lead while also having opportunities to build a commanding advantage heading back to Los Angeles for Game 5. A not-so-great start to the 2025-26 season saw the Kings' defense struggle mightily and fail to build any significant point total, which greatly contributed to Hiller's firing.
Even though Hiller might not have the record that someone like Laviolette, Berube, or Babcock (early-2000's playoff record, not any other kind of record), he does bring a defensive pedigree that easily puts him in the league's upper echelon in that category. For an Oilers team that gave up well over three goals per game, conceded the eighth-most goals, and posted the league's third-worst save percentage, Hiller would easily reinvigorate Edmonton's defensive play. Given that Edmonton is capable of scoring at will, improved defensive play could be all that is required to put the Oilers on course for another deep postseason run.
Even then, there is a lot separating Hiller from the job
With Babcock potentially getting the approval required to return to coaching, and with the Oilers seemingly intent on ensuring that the hire is completed, there already is a major hurdle separating Hiller from a second head-coaching stint. Add on the fact that Berube remains one of many options for the Oilers and you have an uphill battle for Hiller to earn the title of Oilers head coach.
But with Laviolette exiting the unemployment line and with the Vegas Golden Knights reluctant to let Edmonton interview Bruce Cassidy, Hiller is easily one of the more appealing options for the Oilers to consider at this moment. And if Babcock isn't cleared or if the front office decides to back away from completing the hire, Hiller could gain the inside track for the highly-coveted head coaching opportunity.
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