May 16: According to a report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Holland’s contract with the Kings will run for three years.
May 13: After days of anticipation, it has been released that Ken Holland has accepted the Kings’ general manager role, per Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press (paywalled content). St. James covered Holland for many years during his extensive career with the Detroit Red Wings. Holland will become the 10th GM in Kings’ history.
May 12: It appears that the Kings are making progress with Holland. Friedman reports that indications are that Los Angeles is closing in on landing Holland as their next GM.
May 10: Former Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland recently met with the Los Angeles Kings to discuss their open GM position, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in his 32 Thoughts podcast.
As Friedman notes, the Kings are surveying both internal and external options, but Holland is firmly in the mix. On the podcast, Friedman said, “One of the names that is starting to circulate a little bit right now for the Kings is Ken Holland. He was in the mix for the Islanders and I am reserving judgment for where I think the Islanders could be going here,” Friedman said. “But I’ve heard Holland’s name with the Kings and if they go external, he may have a shot here.”
The longtime general manager of the Red Wings, Ken Holland, led the team to four Stanley Cup championships. In 2019, he was promoted to senior vice president to make way for Steve Yzerman to take over as general manager. Soon after, Holland was named general manager of the Oilers and tasked with leading a young, talented roster to championship success—just as he had done in Detroit. Despite several deep playoff runs, including falling just one win short last season, he was ultimately unable to deliver a title. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Holland and the team mutually agreed to part ways. Holland has also been rumored for other teams this hiring cycle, including the New York Islanders.
As Pierre LeBrun notes, Holland met with Kings president Luc Robitaille to discuss the position. But as Lebrun adds, the expectation is the team will meet with several more candidates before any decision is made. On May 5, the Kings and former GM Rob Blake mutually agreed to part ways, with Robitaille tasked to lead a search for Blake’s successor. Blake leaves his successor with a favorable salary cap structure. The Kings have over $23MM to spend this summer with just four roster spots to fill, per PuckPedia.
Soon to be the most hated man in LA ala Rob Blake
I’m 50-50 on Blake. He made some very good trades, and one very bad trade and extension. But then he corrected it somewhat by trading that guy for a Vezina candidate. They were good enough this year to get by Edmonton and go deep, but questionable coaching and a bad clear by a young kid spoiled that.
So, Holland was the GM who signed Robitaille as a free agent in Detroit that led to Luc’s only ring?
Bet that transaction looks good on his resume to his potential employer there.
This is the same guy who signed Darnell Nurse to that absurd contract…no thanks!
Hit the bricks,Ken.
Luc better hire Yanetti or Futa and call it a day. No Bergy either!
He is terrible in the salary cap reality and his drafting sucks.
Agree with you completely…look no further than his pick of Filip Zadina over Quinn Hughes and not to mention trading Datsyk’s contract to Phoenix so he could sign Frans Nielsen and draft Dennis Cholowski instead of Jacob Chychurn. He left the prospect cupboard so bare for Yzerman it’s no wonder the Red Wings have missed the playoffs for 9 years now
+1
So Los Angeles hires the former GM Ken Holland of Edmonton, the team who’s beaten them 4 straight years in the first round of the playoffs. I guess, if you can’t beat them, then get the guy who crafted them to beat you lol. Kind of ironic.
Didn’t Holland suck at his job in Edmonton? I’m pretty sure they improved after he was gone
Sounds like a good fit to me! 4 Stanley Cups on his resume, and almost winning one last year? Sign me up! We need to win now. Go Kings Go!
Any G.M in Edmonton signs Nurse to same contract. You have too overpay to keep people in Edmonton.
And in Florida you can underpay!😎
Seems like cognitive dissonance has turned into Stockholm Syndrome for some Kings fans.
We watch hockey. We not know big words!
Holland BAD
This is not an upgrade…
The contention window just slammed shut.
At least now they won’t have to worry about being beaten by Edmonton in the 1st round. They won’t even make it.
And boy do the Kings ever love the Oilers sloppy seconds. McLellan, Foegele, Holland…
Foegele played well in his 1st season in LA. Not sure he can be considered “sloppy seconds”
The other 2, yes
Does Gretzky count? Jk
So then, the Kings are paying Dutch…
Cannot believe the Kings could not find a better, younger candidate… this hire reeks of the old boy network that is so prevalent in the NHL. Kings will end up regretting this decision as Holland is OVERRATED
Kings tried that with Blake! Kings need to win now and experience and pedigree count!
Luc is and has been the problem in LA the last 10 years.
how do these guys keep getting hired ? ? just got through wasting five mcdavid/leon years .. maybe another team will pull of a byfield heist
Who better to know how to beat your biggest advisory, but to hire their last GM??
Let’s see how quickly he can ruin their cap situation. I think he has plenty of experience, but he had trouble building around Zetterberg and Datsyuk once the salary cap was put in place, and couldn’t find a solution in net and defence in a McDavid and Draisatl-led Oilers team.
This is like hiring an electrician to do your plumbing. Holland has been a disaster over the last decade at least.
At least my Islanders dodged a bullet. Our ownership was interviewing him. But then again they want to bring Grandpa Lou back as an advisor.
Abdelkader, Justin. Cap Charges 25-26 1,055,556
Need I say more. So long Kings