LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings have hired former St. Louis Blues coach Davis Payne as an assistant coach, the team announced Friday.

"Davis was clearly the guy at the top of our list," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "We wanted somebody with NHL head coaching experience, and preferably a younger guy who communicates well with players and fits in well with our staff. We're excited about having him."

Payne, 41, was named the Blues' interim head coach on Jan. 2, 2010, when the team fired Andy Murray. The interim tag was removed after the season. But he was fired Nov. 6, 2011, after the Blues got off to a 6-7 start. He was replaced by Ken Hitchcock, who went on to win the NHL coach of the year award.

The Kings swept the Blues in the second round of the playoffs this past season.

The former NHL forward had a 67-55-15 record with the Blues, and won his first NHL game as coach on Jan. 9, 2010, in Los Angeles.

Sutter's coaching staff also features assistant coach John Stevens and goaltending coach Bill Ranford. Stevens was coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2006-07 to 2009-10, when he was fired early in the season.

Stevens served as the Kings' interim coach for four games this past season after Terry Murray was fired, before the team hired Sutter.