theathleticuk
Two years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs took about a week to decide that Craig Berube was the right coach to replace Sheldon Keefe.
The process took much longer this time around, with new general manager John Chayka famously connecting with as many as 55 candidates to replace Berube over a span of five weeks.
Advertisement Some, such as Peter Laviolette, had loads of experience.
Others, such as Joe Pavelski, had none at all.
In the end, Chayka finally chose someone who hadnt even been whispered about: Jim Hiller, known best in Toronto for coaching next to Mike Babcock for four seasons with the Leafs when Auston Matthews and William Nylander were just getting started in the NHL.
Unlike Berube, who had a tough-guy reputation and a Stanley Cup ring from coaching the Blues, Hiller isnt a splashy choice for the Leafs, but theres reason to think he might be the right coach all the same.
A lot of his success, of course, will depend on what Chayka decides to do with the roster in the coming days and weeks.
The new Leafs GM has already parted with the teams best goaltender, Joseph Woll, in a huge roll of the dice and may soon deal away Morgan Rielly and perhaps even another significant piece like Matthew Knies.
How Chayka goes about restructuring the blue line and centre-ice position remains to be seen.
But with Hiller, Chayka looks to have found a candidate who makes a lot of sense.
Hillers track record as a head coach in the NHL isnt long parts of three seasons only with the Los Angeles Kings.
But what his teams showed there above all is what the Leafs need most right now: strong defensive play.
During Hillers one full season coaching in Los Angeles the 2024-25 season the Kings surrendered the second-fewest goals in the NHL (topped only by the Winnipeg Jets as Connor Hellebuyck stomped his way to Hart and Vezina trophies) and the second-fewest shots.
The Kings were the NHLs best at five-on-five in expected-goal rate defensively that season.
It wasnt an accident that Darcy Kuemper leapt from an .890 save percentage in his final season with the Washington Capitals to a Vezina Trophy finalist, with a .921 save percentage, in his first season with the Kings.
Advertisement Kuemper faced the third-fewest shots (25.6) per 60 minutes of any highly used goaltender (minimum 2,000 minutes) that year.
Hillers Kings, in other words, werent asking Kuemper to do yeomans work every night.
Not like last seasons Leafs, who were a mess defensively under Berube.
No goalie, in fact, was pelted with more shots than the 32.8 per 60 minutes chucked at Woll.
Dennis Hildeby was No.
2 in that department among goalies who logged at least 1,000 minutes of work (32.7).
Anthony Stolarz was No.
6 (30.6).
If the Leafs are going to lean on Stolarz and two young guys in goal next season, having a coach whos able to coach defence was going to be a must.
Thats assuming, of course, he can translate the success he had in L.A.
to T.O.
Its worth noting the Kings had stronger defence personnel than the group the Leafs currently boast.
But the defence Hiller is inheriting (for now) isnt completely devoid of talent that way either, not with Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe still in the mix and more newcomers (to join Emil Andrae) sure to follow.
They also continue to boast one of the NHLs best defensive centres in Matthews.
Hiller was fired by the Kings in March.
Their big problem at that point was scoring, due to a lack of high-end talent (hence the acquisition of Artemi Panarin).
That shouldnt be an issue with Hillers new team not with Matthews, Nylander, John Tavares and (maybe) Gavin McKenna in the mix, and not with Chayka clearly intent on boosting the offensive ability of the blue line.
One thing that Hiller must do: make better, more advantageous work of Matthews.
He cant bury him in defensive-zone draws all the time.
Hell also need to get the Leafs controlling the play much more often than Berube did.
The Leafs were the worst possession team in the NHL last season, winning just 44 percent of shot attempts and less than 46 percent of expected goals (fourth worst).
Advertisement The Kings were third in expected goal percentage (54.9 percent) in Hillers one full season and just outside the top 10 (51 percent) when he was dismissed.
Hiller isnt the most credentialed coach out there.
And the history of the Leafs very likely would have been altered significantly for the better had the team simply hired the still-available Peter DeBoer last winter when things were going astray.
Bruce Cassidy would have been the best possible fit this offseason, and if the Leafs didnt inquire about interviewing him, they should have.
Cassidy was open to the possibility.
Hiller might be the next best thing a better choice than the likes of Pavelski and Patrick Roy even if he lacks any of Cassidys postseason success.
The Kings lost each of their two first-round series under his watch, but with a big asterisk.
They were beaten both times by Edmonton teams that featured Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at their absolute postseason apex.
(McDavid and Draisaitl combined for a ridiculous 43 points in 11 games in those two series.) Hiller, who had a long career as a head coach in the WHL before he joined Babcock with the Red Wings in 2014, was on the staff of the Barry Trotz-coached New York Islanders teams that advanced deeper into the playoffs than expected in 2020 and 2021.
And of course, he has a history with the Leafs and their two best players.
That hes coached Matthews and Nylander before certainly cant hurt.
He is, at the very least, a familiar face to Matthews at a point when the captain is unsure about his future with the Leafs as seemingly everything about the team has changed.
This will be a big transition for Hiller to be sure.
Being the head coach of the Kings is a lot different than being the head coach of the Leafs.
And being an assistant coach with the Leafs is worlds away from being the head coach.
Advertisement The attention and scrutiny will be unlike anything he has experienced, even if he had a passengers seat next to Babcock once upon a time.
Handling all that will be part of a challenge ultimately defined by getting the Leafs back to the playoffs after last seasons disaster and back, once again, into the world of Stanley Cup contention.
Hiller isnt the most exciting choice.
But theres a chance hes the right one all the same.
Stats and research courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey.