Getty

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 16: Assistant coach Jim Hiller and head coach Mike Babcock of the Toronto Maple Leafs watch from the bench during the third period of the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on February 16, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Maple Leafs 2-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

One former Toronto Maple Leafs veteran who is very familiar with Jim Hiller is not a fan of the organization’s latest head coaching hire.

Daniel Winnik had a long NHL career spanning 798 games from 2007 until 2018. Winnik notably spent two seasons with the Maple Leafs during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, playing 114 games for his hometown team. It was during the 2015-16 season that Winnik had experience playing under Hiller, who served as an assistant coach under then head coach Mike Babcock.

While appearing on TSN 1050’s First Up radio show, Winnik didn’t hold back at all in his assessment of the hiring of Hiller, who isn’t exactly a household name.

“To hear that name, I was just like, what the heck, Jim Hiller? Because to me, that’s not the guy to coach this group,” said Winnik in an interview on Thursday.

Jim Hiller Is a Defensive-Oriented Coach, Not an Offensive One

The 57-year-old Hiller more recently served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, leading them to back-to-back playoff appearances after taking over midway through the 2023-24 season. However, they were eliminated in the first round in both years by the Edmonton Oilers, winning just three total combined games.

One of Hiller’s biggest criticisms is his heavy reliance on defensive schemes to win, with his teams lacking high offensive output. Hiller coached part of the 2025-26 season before his dismissal, with the Kings finishing 29th in goals. They finished 14th in goals in 2024-25 and 16th in goals in 2023-24.

“I don’t think you need another defensive-minded coach,” explained Winnik. “I think you need someone that wants to play an up-tempo kind of scoring style and let your stars be stars and outscore the other team. I don’t think Jim’s style is proven. They [Kings under Hiller] were very defensive. Sure, they were the best five-on-five defensive team in the league, but they’re one of the worst offensive teams. I think the Leafs just went through having a guy [former head coach Craig Berube] that wanted to have them play defence and it just didn’t work. It’s just your roster isn’t constructed that way.”

Daniel Winnik Believes Auston Matthews and William Nylander Had Input on Jim Hiller Hire

The hiring comes at a time when the Maple Leafs are at a crossroads as an organization. They just missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade, leading to an organizational restructure. The overhaul of the front office led to the hiring of John Chayka as the new general manager and Mats Sundin as the new senior executive advisor.

The Maple Leafs just made some major moves in trading goalie Joseph Woll to the Philadelphia Flyers while acquiring former Tampa Bay Lightning standout Darren Raddysh and signing him to an eight-year, $68 million deal. Toronto will also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, where they’re expected to select standout Gavin McKenna.

Winnik said Auston Matthews and William Nylander — who were both young players when Hiller was an assistant coach with the Leafs — probably consulted on the decision to hire him.

“They probably had a great relationship with Jim when he was here because again, he’s an assistant coach, ran the power play,” said Winnik. “He is personable, I’ll give him that, like he’s not a cold gu. So, they probably like him, but again, everything changes as a head coach. I think the guys in LA probably really liked him as an assistant. And then you saw at the end, you know, you see Drew Doughty talking about the way that they’re playing, he hated it. So, it probably just wore them down.”