Welcome back to Last Word On Hockey, and today we bring you big news from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Today it was announced that a head coach Jim Hiller contract has been finalized, and he is set to take over as the Toronto Maple Leafs new bench boss. General manager John Chayka is keeping busy as yesterday was his first trade as Leafs GM, and now another big move in naming their latest head coach. With this news, Hiller becomes the 41st head coach in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history. Let’s check out how we got here.
Credit Image: © Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire
Toronto Maple Leafs New Head Coach Jim Hiller Contract Finalized
Jim Hiller has been head coach of the Maple Leafs. He previously spent four years as an assistant coach with the team.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 17, 2026
This was not Chayka’s first big move as Leafs GM, as it was only a little over a month ago he had decided to fire previous Leafs head coach Craig Berube. It seems that Chayka is taking many important initial steps here in putting his footprint on the organization. So, how did he land on Jim Hiller?
Hiller has had a long career in hockey. After three years of playing at Northern Michigan University, he went on to play professionally for parts of 10 seasons, that did include 63 games, once upon a time for the Los Angeles Kings. Moreover, after completing his playing career, it was the very next season, 2002-03, that he was hired as an assistant coach for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. Before making it to the NHL, he had been a head coach in junior hockey for nine seasons.
His NHL coaching career started as an assistant. This included four years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in that capacity. Therefore, there is some familiarity for him with the organization and how it works, and how big the spotlight can be in Toronto. That advantage should not be understated.
In terms of specific NHL head coaching experience following the news of a Jim Hiller contract to coach the Leafs, that came for him during the 2023-24 campaign. He had been an assistant at the time of then head coach Todd McLellan’s tenure, until McLellan was fired partway through that season. Hiller came in to right the ship, and saw the Kings go 21-12-1 to finish that campaign. He had similar success in the next two seasons in L.A., however, each time, their season ended in first-round Stanley Cup Playoff exits. Chayka hopes this experience will be good for Hiller and the Leafs now, and knowing what it takes to make the playoffs.
It is noteworthy, that from Hiller’s last year in Toronto as assistant to Mike Babcock, he would’ve worked with some of the current players from today’s Leaf core. Names like Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly, John Tavares, and even William Nylander were all there at that time. There is hope that his positive relationships within the hockey circles, and his reputation as a smart hockey mind, will help the Leafs come together for 2026-27, and beyond.
Main Photo Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
