The Los Angeles Kings have named Ken Holland of Vernon, British Columbia as their new general manager and vice president according to the Associated Press on Wednesday. Holland takes over from Canadian Olympic gold medalist Rob Blake of Simcoe, Ontario, who held that role since 2017.
Holland has been an extremely successful general manager over the last three decades. He won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings in 1998, 2002, and 2008, and helped the Edmonton Oilers reach the 2024 Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Florida Panthers. Also with the Red Wings, Holland was Detroit’s amateur scout, director of amateur scouting, assistant general manager, and executive vice president of hockey operations. He held the role as general manager from 1997 to 2019, Holland then became the Oilers general manager on May 7, 2019, and held that position until 2024. Holland was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2020.
As a National Hockey League player, Holland was a goaltender with the Hartford Whalers in 1980-81, and the Detroit Red Wings in 1983-84. He played four NHL games, and had three losses and one tie. Holland had a goals against average of 4.96 and a save percentage of .825. Holland was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 12th round, 188th overall, in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, and played with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League.
