Kings name Holland as vice president, GM

The Los Angeles Kings named Ken Holland as the team's new vice president and general manager on Wednesday.

Holland will oversee the team's day-to-day hockey operations. He was the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers from 2019-24, and he worked as a consultant in the NHL's hockey operations department this season.

"As we did our due diligence, we identified Ken as the absolute best option and acted decisively to make him our general manager," Kings president Luc Robitaille said in a statement. "His track record of success is undeniable and, after our conversations with him, we were clearly convinced he was the right person for us at this time. He has the experience to lead us on the proper path that will help us win now and compete for the Stanley Cup."

The Kings parted ways with previous GM Rob Blake after Los Angeles' fourth straight first-round exit at the hands of the Oilers.

Holland has the fifth-most wins among general managers in NHL history. He's held the position for 26 seasons, most notably with the Detroit Red Wings from 1997 to 2019. He won four Stanley Cups in Detroit - three as the team's GM - and helped the club to four Presidents' Trophies.

Robitaille signed with the Red Wings while Holland was GM in 2001. He played two years in Detroit and won the Stanley Cup in 2002.

The Oilers made the playoffs every season with Holland at the helm, and Edmonton lost in the Stanley Cup Final in his final campaign with the organization.

Holland was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.