The Toronto Maple Leafs raised more than a few eyebrows by selecting Jim Hiller as the team’s next head coach.
Personally, the news was a relief. I feared that someone like Patrick Roy or Dallas Eakins would get the job. While I wasn’t thrilled about Joe Pavelski, I kind of had my heart set on Torts.
Be that as it may, the hiring of Jim Hiller raises far more questions than it answers the existing ones.
For starters, how do the Maple Leafs expect that a coach who’s never made it out of the first round lead the Leafs to a Stanley Cup?
Also, Hiller was notorious for mismanaging the assets he had in Los Angeles. What guarantee do the Maple Leafs have that he won’t decide to roll with four defensemen and two lines for most of a game?
Then, there’s the matter of flaming out this past season in Los Angeles. While you could argue that the Kings had a subpar roster, his replacement, DJ Smith, managed to squeak them into the playoffs.
There are more questions. The Leafs wanted an experienced coach. John Tortorella fit that mold. The organization also wanted someone more analytics-driven, and so on. Well, Hiller doesn’t leap off the page as a data freak.
Is there something here that we’re missing?
Is it just the familiarity between Hiller and Auston Matthews that made the most sense? Is that it? Is this Matthews saying to the organization: It’s better going with someone you know than someone you don’t?
It’s striking that the Leafs would pick Hiller after all of the hullabaloo of the last two months. It’s kind of like sitting through a three-hour movie, only to see a disappointing ending.
That’s what this feels like.
In all fairness, the Leafs likely made a strong push for David Carle. They might have even seriously considered someone like Joe Pavelski. But it might be that neither one wanted the gig.
Carle has a good thing going at the University of Denver. Meanwhile, Pavelski might not have wanted his first NHL coaching gig to be in the pressure cooker that is Toronto.
So now, John Chayka has put all of his chips into a coach who hasn’t impressed anyone. It’s a highly risky bet. But I will say this: Hiller is experienced enough to the point where he won’t need someone babysitting him. Hiller is familiar with the organization, and that should be a major selling point.
There will be plenty of time to dissect this decision throughout the summer. But the early returns are no bueno for an organization at such a critical juncture.
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