The Toronto Maple Leafs made what most would consider to be a surprising head coaching hire when they named Jim Hiller as the 41st head coach in franchise history.
But, after you think about it, it doesn't seem as shocking as many initially thought. Hiller may not seem like the right coach on paper, and only time will tell if he is the right choice. However, diving into the facts shows why the Maple Leafs landed on him.
Hiller's hiring makes sense for the Maple Leafs
First and foremost, it's important to remember that Hiller was the assistant coach under Mike Babcock from 2015 to 2019. That was at the start of the Auston Matthews era. He was the offensive coach and led the power play. He will have some familiarity with the biggest star on the roster.
This morning on the J.D. Bunkis show, James Mirtle of The Athletic talked about how he believes this was the right hire for the club. Largely due to how popular he was during his first stint as the assistant coach.
That makes sense; he was the first offensive coach that Matthews and William Nylander had during their time with the organization. So, to bring him back and have him be the head coach as they enter the new era of Maple Leafs hockey has a lot of value.
With them entering the new era, they now have a younger "core" of players on their roster. That would refer to Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, and most likely Gavin McKenna. Hiller gets the chance to have the same influence he had on Matthews, Nylander, and Mitch Marner as he will on the new young trio.
So, overall, Hiller may not seem like the "best" choice. But after you peel back the layers, the hiring actually works for the Maple Leafs.
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