The new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs says that he is overjoyed to be returning to a city that he believes is “one of the meccas of hockey.’
Jim Hiller was formally introduced as the 41st head coach of the Maple Leafs during a media availability on Thursday afternoon.
Hiller spent four years as an assistant coach with the Leafs from 2015-2019.
He most recently served as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings but was fired from that role in March.
Here is everything he said about returning to Toronto:
Why have the Leafs not broken through?
Hiller was short on answers when it comes to some of the playoff failings of the Maple Leafs in recent years.
He said that it is “really difficult” for any team to break through and win in the playoffs.
“I haven’t been here so I don’t really have a strong opinion on that. In my time here, we had two great series’ with Boston - Game 7s. A bounce here, a bounce there, maybe the whole story is different,” he said. “But I am just looking here. I am here today. I am not going to worry about that, I wasn’t part of that and we are just going to move forward.”
‘No better place to do it’
Hiller says that while there is “added pressure” to the Toronto market, it is not something that he is concerned about.
“If you are a competitive person what a great place to be competitive in,” Hiller said of Toronto. “We will get held accountable and that is part of being competitive. But if you are going to do it there is no better place to do it.”
Power-play must get better
Hiller was asked about the decline in production from Auston Matthews, who scored a career low of 27 goals last season.
He told reporters that while Matthews “was always a really dangerous person on the power-play,” the Leafs have been less effective with the man advantage recently.
Changing that, he said, could be the key to turning a lot of things around.
“Of course there are different things and him being completely healthy but I hope and envision that we can get our power-play going a little more,” he said. “A lot of guys when they get some good momentum on the powerplay it generally spreads out to the five-on-five game so that is going to be a real focus.”
Hiller kept in contact with Matthews
Hiller says that he has kept in contact with Leafs captain Auston Matthews since leaving that club and occasionally had lunch with him in Arizona over the years “just to keep in touch.”
He says that he also had a “great conversation” with Matthews following his hiring last week.
“I try to keep those relationships with some of those guys that I knew (in Toronto). You know, I am really fond of those guys, they are great players and I am just looking forward to being able to get on the bench and coach them again,” he said.
‘One of the meccas of hockey’
New Leafs Head Coach Jim Hiller says it “feels like there is a lot of positive momentum” with the club right now, coming off a Marlies AHL championship and with Toronto picking first overall in tomorrow night’s NHL draft.
He says he is really excited to get to work and to be back in Toronto.
“It really struck me driving into the city, we didn’t land until 11:30 at night so the Gardiner wasn’t busy and just driving into the city and seeing the lights, you know this is one of the meccas of hockey,” he said.
Top pick can ‘change franchises for decades to come’
Maple Leafs GM John Chayka says drafting first overall tomorrow night is a “special opportunity” for the team and something that can “certainly change franchises for decades to come.”
“Historically it has been a pretty good impact (from the top pick) but obviously there is some variance as well. We are less focused on the immediate impact and more focused on the opportunity of having the best player over their career,” he says.
‘An easy transition’
Maple Leafs Head Coach Jim Hiller says he is incredibly excited to be returning to Toronto after working as an assistant coach with the club from 2015 to 2019. He says that he still has relationships with many of the people around the team and believes that will help make it an “easy transition.”
“There are so many people that I know already here. Walking around the Ford Performance Centre, every time I turn a corner there is somebody I recognize and it is a bro hug,” he says. “So this is really an easy transition for me in that sense and it really makes it easier to have those key people in places and those relationships with the support staff, never mind some of the players I have had already.”
