Jim Hiller Takes Over as Maple Leafs’ 41st Head Coach
jim hiller is back in Toronto and back behind an NHL bench, this time as the Maple Leafs’ head coach. The hire makes him the 41st head coach in franchise history since the club was founded in 1917.
That gives Toronto a familiar face with a different title. Hiller already worked for the Maple Leafs from 2015-16 to 2018-19, then moved on to assistant roles with the New York Islanders and Los Angeles before taking over the Kings.
John Chayka on Hiller
General manager John Chayka called Hiller “an experienced coach with a strong understanding of what it takes to win in today's NHL.” He added that Hiller “has worked with successful teams throughout his career, connects well with players and brings a clear approach behind the bench.”
Chayka also said, “We believe he's the right person to lead our team and help us reach our goals.” That is the job now: take a roster that knows him, and turn familiarity into results.
Toronto’s prior ties
Hiller’s first run with Toronto covered four seasons, and the Maple Leafs reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs on three occasions during that span. He brings more than one layer of experience to the post, including two seasons as an assistant coach in Los Angeles from 2022-23 to 2023-24 before becoming head coach.
His track record in junior hockey runs deep, too. Hiller spent 11 seasons coaching in Canada between the Western Hockey League and British Columbia Hockey League, then led the Tri-City Americans from 2009-10 to 2013-14 to two division titles and five consecutive playoff appearances.
Kings record and resume
In 2011-12, he was named the Canadian Hockey League Coach of the Year and Western Hockey League Coach of the Year after guiding Tri-City to a 50-18-2-2 record and a 104-point season. He also helped Canada win gold at the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament as an assistant coach.
His NHL path started long before Toronto hired him. The Los Angeles Kings drafted the Port Alberni, British Columbia native in the 10th round, 207th overall, of the 1989 NHL Draft, and he played 63 career NHL games with Los Angeles, scoring 20 points with eight goals and 12 assists.
Hiller’s most recent NHL head-coaching stint came with the Kings from 2023-24 through 2025-26, when he posted a 93-58-24 record and a.600 win percentage in 175 games. For Toronto, the move closes the search with a coach who already knows the building, the market and the expectations that come with it.
