Kings hire former Blues coach Payne as assistant

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Kings have hired former St. Louis head coach Davis Payne as an assistant to coach Darryl Sutter.

The Stanley Cup champions announced the move Friday.

St. Louis fired Payne on Nov. 6 after nearly two years behind the bench. Ken Hitchcock took over and led the Blues to the second round of the playoffs, where Los Angeles swept them.

Payne will replace Jamie Kompon, who left the Kings for the same job with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this month. Kompon and John Stevens stayed on in Los Angeles as assistants when Sutter replaced Terry Murray last December.

Sutter says the 41-year-old Payne topped his list of candidates, noting his combination of youth and head coaching experience.

Stevens, the former Philadelphia coach, will return with Sutter and Payne next season.

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