The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Jim Hiller as head coach, turning to a former Kings coach and one-time Toronto assistant after a weeks-long search for their next bench leader.
Pro Hockey Rumors reported the move on June 17, citing Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and adding that Toronto later confirmed the hiring. Hiller, 57, returns to an organization where he previously spent four seasons as an assistant coach.
Hiller Returns To Toronto With Head-Coaching Experience
Hiller's NHL path has moved through several coaching rooms. He worked five seasons as head coach of the WHL's Tri-City Americans before joining the Detroit Red Wings as an assistant for the 2014-15 season, the final year of Mike Babcock's tenure there.
When Babcock moved to Toronto, Hiller followed and spent the next four seasons as a Maple Leafs assistant. He later worked under Barry Trotz with the New York Islanders, then joined the Los Angeles Kings as an assistant for the 2022-23 season.
The Kings promoted Hiller to interim head coach during the 2023-24 season after firing Todd McLellan. Los Angeles finished that season 21-12-1 under Hiller, enough for the club to remove the interim tag the following offseason.
Kings Tenure Gives Leafs A Clear Template
Hiller's best full season in Los Angeles came in 2024-25, when the Kings went 48-25-9 and finished second in the Pacific Division. Their playoff problem remained Edmonton: the Oilers eliminated Los Angeles in the first round for the fourth straight year, this time in six games.
The 2025-26 season ended differently. Pro Hockey Rumors reported that the Kings were 24-21-14 when they dismissed Hiller on March 1 and handed the job to D.J. Smith.
Across 175 regular-season games as Los Angeles head coach, Hiller went 93-58-24. His postseason record was 3-8, with both playoff series ending against Edmonton.
Maple Leafs Bet On A Lower-Event Structure
The tactical fit is the immediate Toronto question. Pro Hockey Rumors described Hiller as a coach who generally leans toward a defense-first, low-event style and a 1-3-1 neutral-zone structure.
That approach would mark a meaningful tone change for a roster built around Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Matthew Knies. The appointment gives Toronto a coach who knows the market, has run his own NHL bench and arrives with a clear identity rather than a blank slate.