The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Jim Hiller of Port Alberni, British Columbia as their new head coach according to Luke Fox of Rogers Sportsnet on Wednesday. This will be Hiller’s second National Hockey League coaching job as he was previously the bench boss of the Los Angeles Kings for three seasons from 2024 to 2026.
Hiller had a record of 93 wins, 58 regulation losses and 24 losses in extra time for a winning percentage of .600. He helped the Kings make the postseason for three consecutive years but did not win a playoff series. Los Angeles lost twice to the Edmonton Oilers and this past season to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Kings fired Hiller on March 1, and at the time they hired D.J. Smith of Windsor, Ontario. In the offseason, Peter Laviolette has since replaced Smith. Meanwhile in Toronto, Hiller replaces Craig Berube of Calahoo, Alberta.
The Maple Leafs missed the 2026 NHL playoffs. They had a regular season record of 32 wins, 36 regulation losses and 14 losses in extra time for 78 points. That was the second fewest points in the Eastern Conference. Only the New York Rangers (77 points) had fewer points than the Maple Leafs.
Hiller was a right winger for three teams over two NHL seasons from 1992 to 1994 with the Kings, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers. In 63 games, he had eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points. Hiller was a +8 with 116 penalty minutes, two power-play points, two game-winning goals and 83 shots on goal. In the postseason, Hiller played two games for the Red Wings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
