The LA Kings have named D.J. Smith as an assistant coach, joining assistant coaches Trent Yawney and Derik Johnson, goaltending coach Mike Buckley and video coordinator Samson Lee on interim head coach Jim Hiller’s staff.
Smith, 46, joins the Kings organization after serving as the head coach of the Ottawa Senators for parts of the last five seasons (2019-24). Smith also served as an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs (2015-19), spending four seasons behind the bench alongside Hiller before being hired by Ottawa.
Prior to his NHL coaching career, the Windsor, Ontario native spent a decade coaching in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) between his hometown Windsor Spitfires (2005-12) and Oshawa Generals (2012-15). During his time in Windsor as assistant and associate coach, Smith helped guide the Spitfires to back-to-back J. Ross Robertson Cups (OHL championship) and Memorial Cups in 2009 and 2010 as the best team in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
Following his time in Windsor, Smith was named head coach of the Oshawa General for three seasons. In that time, Smith accumulated a 135-53-16 record, including a 42-20-6 record in the 2013-14 campaign to earn OHL’s Coach of the Year honors. In his third and final season with Oshawa, Smith’s squad captured both the J. Ross Robertson Cup and the Memorial Cup.
Smith was drafted in the second round (41st overall) by the New York Islanders in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Smith skated in 45 NHL games as a defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1996-97; 99-00) and Colorado Avalanche (2002-03).
