LA Kings Set To Go ‘Big Game Hunting’ Under New Boss Ken Holland

The Los Angeles Kings made their first big addition of the offseason this week, signing Ken Holland as their new vice-president and general manager. But there are more significant moves to come, says Holland, in an interview with insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic.

The Kings moved on from Rob Blake after eight years, and their fourth straight season being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs. They never won a playoff series under Blake.

Now is the time, Holland tells LeBrun, for the team to get aggressive, and go 'big game hunting.'

I plan to be aggressive. Ownership is prepared to go to the cap. The goal is to put a competitive team on the ice and, at the right time, be aggressive to try to make the team better and more exciting. Whether that happens in the next six to seven weeks or next year at the trade deadline or next offseason … but certainly the plan is to be aggressive at the right time.

Expect the LA Kings to make a pitch for UFA Mitch Marner

When it comes to "making the team better and more exciting", LeBrun can see them going after a Mitch Marner, at the very top of the free agent class this summer. 

"No name will be too big for Holland," writes the insider. 

Marner will command in the $13-$14 million range on an AAV, and the Kings will have the cap space to get it done, if they so choose—over $23 million, per PuckPedia. 

Word came out earlier this month that the previous Kings administration made a big pitch for Brad Marchand at the trade deadline, but unlike in that pursuit, Holland has no plans to come up short when he's ready to go on the hunt and bag his 'big game' prize, whomever that may be.