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Following the end of the 2025-26 NHL season, multiple changes were made by the Toronto Maple Leafs, which included the dismissal of head coach Craig Berube by new general manager John Chayka, who was hired as the official replacement of Brad Treliving.

The removal of Berube was Chayka’s first major decision as GM of the Maple Leafs, and he later indicated that the club interviewed over 50 candidates for the vacated position, including former San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski along with assistant coach Derek Lalonde.

However, the Maple Leafs went in somewhat of a surprising direction, hiring former Los Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller to fill Berube’s shoes.

Hiller returns to the Maple Leafs, where he served as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock for several seasons, and still knows a handful of players from his time with the club, including Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and William Nylander.

Jim Hiller Releases First Official Statement As Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach

Hiller, who is officially the 41st head coach in the history of the Original 6 club, has released his first official statement since being hired on Wednesday.

“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to return to Toronto and lead the Maple Leafs,” said Hiller. “This is a special organization with great players, passionate fans and high expectations. I’m looking forward to getting to work with our players and staff and doing everything we can to help this team reach its full potential.”

Later speaking with Maple Leafs reporters via Zoom, Hiller emphasized the importance of skating as part of the overall attack.

“I believe skating is the first chain in competing,” said Hiller. “And when I say skating, it’s up, it’s back, it’s there, it’s quick, it’s stop. It’s as quick and hard as you can do things. That’s how you start to know that your hockey team, and the spirit of your team, is starting to grow.”

While with the Kings as head coach, Hiller amassed a record of 93-58-24. However, the Kings lost in the opening round of the postseason in 2024 and 2025 with Hiller behind the bench.

He was fired by the Kings in early March after the club posted a 24–21–14 record.

The Maple Leafs Believe Jim Hiller Was The Top Candidate They Interviewed

According to Chayka, the club felt that Hiller was the best candidate for the position from among the long list of names they interviewed.

“We were exhaustive in pursuing everybody,” Chayka said Wednesday, via Zoom. “It became very clear that Jim, through his preparation, through his plan, through his knowledge of the market, we just felt like he was the best candidate amongst all of them.”

“It was clear that the players who had been around him really valued who he is as a person. They really felt like they could trust that he had their back. They felt like he was committed to making them the best versions of themselves, and that he was a coach that was going to be player-centric,” Chayka explained. “He wanted the best out of people. And he was creating an environment that brought that out.”