EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jim Hiller is sticking to the hard-nosed, defense-first philosophy that got the Los Angeles Kings to the first round of the playoffs — and no farther — in each of the past three seasons.

General manager Rob Blake introduced Hiller as the Kings’ permanent head coach Thursday, retaining the former Kings assistant who took over for the fired Todd McLellan in February and led Los Angeles to its third consecutive third-place finish in the Pacific Division and third straight early postseason ouster.

“Where Jim always seemed to come to the top was in the aspect that we’ve had time together,” Blake said. “We’ve seen him work … [and we’re] very comfortable, very confident in Jim’s approach to challenges. His presence in front of the group is very important to us. The way he can command the room and drive home the point that we make, the direction we want to go together, confident he can drive that home.”

With Blake and Hiller returning after weeks of speculation about their futures, the Kings’ playoff struggles clearly won’t lead to a reboot or a rebuild. Los Angeles was eliminated by Edmonton on May 1 in five games.

The GM and his first-time head coach remain committed to the style they’ve embraced with their 1-3-1 neutral zone trap. The system has made the Kings a nightmare to face, but L.A.’s players sometimes chafe at the regimented strategy — and even Hiller acknowledges it hinders the Kings’ offensive production.

“We’ve started the process of looking at everything about our game,” Hiller said. “We are a top defensive team in the National Hockey League. Have been for some years now. The identity of the L.A. Kings is a checking team that’s difficult to play against. We feel we have to find some areas where we can create more offense, but not at the expense of what our identity is, and what we’ve taken some time to create.”

Only two teams allowed fewer goals than the Kings (210) during the regular season, but Los Angeles was squarely in the middle of the NHL pack on offensive production despite a roster with expensive top-end talent.

“There’s teams that are playing in the NHL [conference] finals right now that play a 1-3-1, and there’s teams that don’t,” Hiller said. “The common theme is they play good defense. They check. It doesn’t necessarily matter what the system is. You’ve got to check within that system. We’ll look at the areas where we think, with our personnel, how we can maximize some more offense.”

That’s important, because the Kings appear to be stuck in a rut: They’ve lost to Edmonton in three consecutive first-round series after finishing the regular season with totals of 99, 104 and 99 points. They’ve stayed in this spot despite spending big money to add high-scoring forwards Kevin Fiala — who has 145 points in two strong seasons — and Pierre-Luc Dubois, who only managed 40 points in his dismal debut with Los Angeles after signing a long-term contract last summer.

Blake said the three weeks since the Kings’ ouster “have not been comfortable at all.” Blake retained his job even though the Kings haven’t won a playoff round in his seven seasons as GM, although they’ve reached the postseason four times.

Despite a roster frequently packed with top-end talent, Los Angeles has yet to advance in the postseason since raising its second Stanley Cup a decade ago.

“What we’ve come to realize is there’s a certain desire to win that needs to be raised within our team here,” Blake said. “And what that is, is getting a little uncomfortable. … It starts right now, right here, today, with me, with Jim, right down to our players. If that’s where we want to get to, that’s what we’ve got to do.”

Hiller was drafted by the Kings in the 10th round in 1989, and he eventually played 40 games with the team before being traded to Detroit as a rookie. Hiller has been passionate about coaching since even before his brief NHL playing career, and he gave special thanks Thursday to Jacques Lemaire, the Stanley Cup-winning coach and player who mentored Hiller.

Hiller got a three-year deal with incentives that could trigger a fourth season, Blake confirmed without giving specifics.

D.J. Smith will stay on Hiller’s staff after being hired as an assistant in February, and the Kings will hire a new assistant coach to focus on the power play, filling Hiller’s role under McLellan.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The first sign this wasn’t a Gabriel Landeskog retirement announcement: The Colorado captain showed up wearing an Avalanche hat, shirt and shorts as if he’d just gone through a workout.

“I think I’d dress up a bit more,” he cracked Thursday as he chatted alongside general manager Chris MacFarland for around 50 minutes about his health, the pain of watching the team being eliminated from the playoffs, Val Nichushkin’s suspension and his desire to keep playing.

The 31-year-old Landeskog has missed the last two seasons because of his right knee. But he’s making strides toward a return after undergoing cartilage replacement surgery last May. Precisely when he will be back, though, he’s not quite certain.

“Between mid-September and the start of April,” Landeskog said with a laugh. “I feel pretty good about it.”

Like Landeskog, Nichushkin’s status remains to be determined. The Russian forward received at least a six-month suspension without pay last week for violating terms of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. He’s sidelined until some point next season.

But the door is open for Nichushkin to come back.

“Priority 1 is for Val to get the help he needs,” MacFarland said. “Assuming he does, and after the six months, we’ll have to read and react on that. But it’s very plausible that he will be back with the Avalanche.”

Landeskog, the Avalanche captain since 2012, said he struggled with how best to help Nichushkin, whose off-the-ice issues led to him leaving in the middle of a second straight postseason.

“Immediately when the news broke, my reaction was, ‘What else could I have done?'” Landeskog said. “Everybody has their own opinions of the situation, but he’s a teammate of ours. We hope he gets right. We hope he gets what he needs and is able to come back and help us moving forward.

“He needs to look out for himself, but he also needs to be a part of what we’re trying to accomplish here, and I think that’s important as well.”

Landeskog skated with the team before they were eliminated in the second round by Dallas. After the series, coach Jared Bednar said Landeskog wasn’t that close to a return.

The player called “Landy” hasn’t played since June 26, 2022, when Colorado beat Tampa Bay to secure its third title in franchise history.

“It’s just kind of a slow form of torture,” Landeskog said of rehabbing and not helping in the postseason. “You want to be there to support them and just kind of go through all those things with them, whether it’s the ups or downs.”

To return to hockey’s summit, MacFarland said, the team needs a healthy Landeskog, who has five seasons left on a $56 million, eight-year contract signed in 2021.

“Listen, we can’t go and get a guy the caliber, the player or the person that Gabe is,” MacFarland said. “He’s a massive cog in what we’re trying to do. He’s earned the right to have as much time as it takes to get back on the ice. Absolutely, it’s a cap challenge.”

Same with Nichushkin, who signed an eight-year, $49 million contract in 2022. There’s a trust factor to win back, too. In a first-round playoff series a year ago against Seattle, Nichushkin abruptly left the team for what was explained as personal reasons. He missed the final five games of the postseason as the Avalanche lost the series 4-3.

“I think it’s hard,” MacFarland said of earning back trust.

Termination, MacFarland mentioned, wasn’t an option at this time.

“The best thing I can say is we’re pulling for Val to do what he needs to do, to take care of himself,” MacFarland said. “Hopefully he’ll take the next six months to get himself right.”

Landeskog’s injury stems back to the 2020 bubble season when he was sliced by a skate in a playoff game against the Stars. He said he suffered a cartilage injury on the bottom of his patella.

It’s been a long road back.

“There are days when I go out there and I’d love to try to go for a max sprint for a puck,” said Landeskog, the second overall pick by Colorado in 2011. “But I know that’s not going to be the best decision for my health. You’ve got to earn the right to do those things.”

Because his goal is not only to return for his teammates but for his family, which includes his young daughter and son. Just so they can see him play.

“I say I’m going to work but my son will question, ‘Well, you’re not skating, though, you’re not playing, so are you really going to work?'” Landeskog said. “I’ve explained to them that I need to get stronger. I need to get healthy.

“I just can’t wait to be back out there and give my family big hugs after the game. It will be pretty special.”

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen will have a shoulder procedure in the next week, general manager Chris MacFarland confirmed Thursday.

After scoring goals in all five games in a first-round series win against the Winnipeg Jets, Lehkonen managed only one goal in the six-game loss to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference semifinals.

Lehkonen, 28, recorded 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 11 playoff games after tallying 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 45 games during the regular season.

The Finland native has collected 243 points (117 goals, 126 assists) in 521 games with the Montreal Canadiens and Avalanche. The Canadiens drafted him in the second round in 2013 and he won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022.