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Maple Leafs Hire Jim Hiller as New Head Coach

6/19/2026

Summary

Hiller Named Coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs named Jim Hiller, 57, head coach on Wednesday, replacing Craig Berube.
GM John Chayka praised Hiller’s experience, citing his 2015-2019 stint as a Maple Leafs assistant under Mike Babcock.
Hiller was fired by the Los Angeles Kings on March 1, 2026 after the club ranked near the bottom in goals per game, power-play and penalty-kill percentages.
Retired forward Daniel Winnik said Hiller’s defensive mindset does not match the Leafs’ need for up-tempo scoring.

Summary

Leafs Eye Byram

The Maple Leafs are evaluating a trade for defenseman Bowen Byram, who has one year left before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Leafs executives say they must secure an extension before trading Byram because analyst Darren Dreger reports NHL teams are interested, the salary required may be high, and agent Darren Ferris adds complexity.
The ‘Leafs Morning Take’ program will discuss the Byram scenario and Jim Hiller’s hiring.

Summary

Leafs Miss Playoffs

After a three-game winning streak entering the Olympic break, the Maple Leafs suffered an eight-game losing streak that sealed a 32-36-14 record and missed the playoffs.
Forward Dakota Joshua, acquired from Vancouver on July 17 2025, tallied 10 goals and eight assists before a lacerated kidney on December 28 2025 sidelined him for 20 games.
Jim Hiller returned for his fourth year in Toronto after a two-year head-coaching stint with the Los Angeles Kings.

History

Historical Context

After the franchise’s 1993 hiring of Pat Burns—who cut the goals-against average by 0.8 and became the only Maple Leafs coach to win the Jack Adams Award—the club has cycled coaches to chase stability. On June 17 2026, owner-backed Jim Hiller, a former Mike Babcock assistant, was appointed head coach, continuing the pattern of defensive-focused hires amid ongoing roster turnover.

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Hiller Named Coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs named Jim Hiller, 57, head coach on Wednesday, replacing Craig Berube.
GM John Chayka praised Hiller’s experience, citing his 2015-2019 stint as a Maple Leafs assistant under Mike Babcock.
Hiller was fired by the Los Angeles Kings on March 1, 2026 after the club ranked near the bottom in goals per game, power-play and penalty-kill percentages.
Retired forward Daniel Winnik said Hiller’s defensive mindset does not match the Leafs’ need for up-tempo scoring.

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