A turnaround in the making
The Los Angeles Kings finished the 2025‑26 season with the league’s worst power play and penalty kill, a combination that left them near the bottom of the standings.
Adding to the overhaul, the franchise promoted assistant coach Chris Hajt from the AHL’s Ontario Reign to head the penalty‑kill unit, giving the role to a coach who already knows the organization’s defensive philosophy.
Hajt brings a résumé that includes stints under Phil Housley in Buffalo and years of work with young defensemen in the Kings’ system, giving him a practical grasp of the structures that produced the league’s top defensive teams.
His coaching style emphasizes structure and trust, aiming to clarify each player’s responsibilities and improve communication on the ice.
Potential impact
If the Kings could match league‑average special‑team efficiency, they would have generated roughly nine additional power‑play goals and avoided seventeen shorthanded goals, a swing that could translate into several more points in the standings.
The new coaching staff, which also includes veteran Ray Whitney, plans to fine‑tune both the power play and penalty kill, hoping the adjustments will reduce the overtime losses that plagued the team last year.