Leafs Name Jim Hiller as 41st Head Coach
The former LA Kings bench boss returns to Toronto after serving as an assistant under Mike Babcock from 2015 to 2019.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Jim Hiller their 41st head coach in franchise history.
Hiller, 57, previously served as an assistant with the Leafs for parts of five seasons under Mike Babcock, from 2015 to 2019, overseeing the power play. He's familiar with stars Auston Matthews and William Nylander from that tenure.
Most recently, Hiller was the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. He took over mid-way through the 2023-24 season but was fired on March 1 of this past season.
This is only Hiller's second NHL head coaching job. He also has a prior relationship with new Maple Leafs GM John Chayka, having interviewed with Chayka's Arizona Coyotes for an assistant position in 2020.
The Leafs conducted an extensive coaching search featuring more than 20 candidates after dismissing Craig Berube on May 13, following a playoff-less 2025-26 season. Hiller and Chayka will now shift focus to next week's NHL Draft, where the team holds the first-overall pick.