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Former Nelson minor hockey product named coach of NHLs Maple Leafs Hiller named Leafs coach From Leafs to Maple Leafs, Nelsons Jim Hiller has attained one of the highest positions in professional hockey when he was named head coach of the NHLs Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
The former Nelson Leafs minor hockey product, now 57, was chosen to coach in one of the toughest places to coach in the professional hockey ranks, after serving for parts of the last three seasons as the Los Angeles Kings head coach.
He brought a decade-long resume of assistant coaching including stints with the Maple Leafs, the New York Islanders and the Kings to the table when he was chosen to succeed Craig Berube, who was fired by the Maple Leafs in May.
Jim is an experienced coach with a strong understanding of what it takes to win in todays NHL, said Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka in a press release.
He has worked with successful teams throughout his career, connects well with players and brings a clear approach behind the bench.
We believe hes the right person to lead our team and help us reach our goals.
Hiller was raised in Nelson born in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island and cut his teeth on Leafs hockey until be left to play in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the Melville Millionaires in 1987.
That stint gave Hiller an NCAA career with the Northern Michigan University Wildcats, winning an NCAA championship in 1991 and leading the club that season with 86 points (playing on a line that included Dallas Drake of Rossland).
He was then drafted in the 10th round by the Los Angeles Kings a team he would later be head coach of in the 1989 NHL draft, suiting up for 63 NHL games with the Kings, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers.
In the late 1990s Hiller played six seasons in Germany and Italy, but made the switch to the other side of the bench in 2002 as an assistant coach for the Tri City Americans in the WHL for two seasons before moving onto a head coach role with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL) three seasons later.
The WHLs Chilliwack Bruins were Hillers next stop for three seasons relocating to become the Victoria Royals before he took the helm of the Americans for five seasons, winning the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as WHL coach of the year (2012) and the Brian Kilrea Award as the top coach across the entire CHL (2012).
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