Maple Leafs' Jim Hiller Hire Brings Old Concerns Back Into Focus
The Toronto Maple Leafs have turned to Jim Hiller to lead their latest reset, naming him the franchise's 41st head coach on June 17. The hiring follows a disastrous 2025-26 season that ended with Toronto missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
On paper, Hiller's recent track record appears impressive. During his 175 games behind the Los Angeles Kings bench, the club ranked first in the NHL in goals against per game at 2.60. The Kings also led the league in five-on-five goals (273) against while posting a strong 55.39 percent share of five-on-five goals.
Those numbers helped build Hiller's reputation as a detail-oriented coach. However, not everyone is convinced those results were driven by the coach alone.
Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, ESPN analyst Greg Wyshynski questioned how much credit should go to Hiller.
"That team excelled in that style," Wyshynski said. "Like I pointed out yesterday, for all the love that he's getting for his underlying numbers in his time behind the bench in Los Angeles, they had similar numbers before he took over as head coach and they had better numbers when he was fired last year to D.J. Smith."
"So I just think that team is what produced the analytic results that maybe had some tongues wagging about Jim Hiller. I'm not thrilled with it, to be honest with you."
"Players don't respect him. He's the kind of guy you never win with... He doesn't read the game well, he doesn't react to what's going on in the game."
— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) June 19, 2026
- An NHL Source on Jim Hiller earlier in the season
Presented by @FanDuelCanada@JeffMarek | @wyshynski | #LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/7orK0KLSno
The comments highlight a growing debate around Toronto's decision. While Hiller inherits a retooling roster and a new front office led by John Chayka, concerns remain about his ability to guide a team through adversity.
Wyshynski shared a particularly harsh assessment he received from an NHL source earlier in the season.
"The players don't respect him," the source said. "He's the kind of guy you never win with. He panics, he doesn't read the game well. He doesn't react to what's going on in the game."
Those criticisms stand in contrast to how some view Hiller.
Toronto is betting that a different roster will reveal a different coach. The Maple Leafs have cap space, the first overall pick, and a reshaped management group. But after years of failed coaching changes, Hiller faces immediate scrutiny.
His defensive results in Los Angeles are undeniable. Whether he can command a locker room and lead a turnaround in Toronto remains the bigger question.
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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 9:47 AM.