MARQUETTE, Mich. - NMU Hockey Alum Jim Hiller, a crucial piece to our 1991 NCAA Championship team, has been retained by the LA Kings and has signed a multi-year contract to become the 30th head coach in LA Kings history. 

Hiller, 55, was originally elevated to Kings interim head coach on Feb. 2, 2024, after serving as an assistant coach over the past two seasons. Hiller made his head coaching debut on Feb. 10 against the Edmonton Oilers.

In 34 regular-season games, Hiller led the Kings to a 21-12-1 record for 43 points and a .632 points percentage, the 10th-best points percentage in the league during that time, en route to the club's third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Under Hiller's guidance, the Kings were statistically the best home team from the All-Star Break through the end of the regular-season, accumulating a league-leading 14 wins (14-3-1), 29 points and .806 points percentage in 18 games at Crypto.com Arena. 

Hiller joined the Kings as an assistant coach on July 19, 2022, after spending the previous eight seasons in the same capacity with the New York Islanders (2019-22), Toronto Maple Leafs (2015-19) and Detroit Red Wings (2014-15). 

Prior to the NHL, Hiller spent five seasons as the head coach of the Tri-City Americans of the WHL from 2009-14, three seasons as head coach of the Chilliwack Bruins (WHL) before that, and earned his first head coaching gig with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the 2005-06 season. Hiller began his coaching career with the Tri-City Americans as an assistant coach for two seasons prior to Albernini. 

In three seasons with the Wildcats (1989-1992), Hiller racked up 76 goals, and 129 assists for 205 points; all-time, he is eighth in goals, third in assists, and sixth in points for his career numbers in the Green and Gold. A second-team All-American selection in 1991-92, his 86 points that season led all Northern scorers, ranking sixth all-time in single-season points, along with his 55 assists that season being T1 all-time for single-season assists.

The Port Alberni, British Columbia native, was originally selected by the Kings in the 10th round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. Hiller was later inducted into the Northern Michigan University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.