John Chayka has made two coach hirings in the NHL: Rick Tocchet in Arizona and now Jim Hiller in Toronto. The unlikely general manager hiring the unlikely head coach marks a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but with a roster in flux and the draft looming, it remains unclear if either is up to the job.
Chayka's early moves and the Leafs' lottery win
Chayka's tenure has started with fortune: the Leafs won the draft lottery, captured the AHL championship, traded for and signed defenceman Darren Raddysh, and dealt starting goalie Joseph Woll. Yet questions persist about the team's direction.
Hiller's coaching pedigree and uncertainty
Jim Hiller spent 12 seasons as an assistant under Mike Babcock, Barry Trotz, and Todd McLellan. He became head coach in Los Angeles after McLellan and GM Rob Blake were ousted, and now takes the Leafs' bench after Brad Treliving and Craig Berube were fired. Hiller looks the part, but his only playoff series as head coach unravelled.
Goaltending confusion: GM vs. coach
When asked about the starting goalie, Hiller replied, 'I don't know much about goalies,' deferring to his goalie coach. In contrast, Chayka immediately named Anthony Stolarz as the starter, adding that Stolarz is ready for September. The betting is the Leafs will have a different goalie by fall.
Defence and roster questions
Chayka wants to move Morgan Rielly, while Hiller prefers to keep him. Rielly supplied four trade destinations after the Leafs indicated they wanted to deal him. The top defence pairs will start with Raddysh, Chris Tanev, and Jake McCabe. Up front, beyond Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares, the roster is thin, especially at centre.
Hiller's system and expectations
In Los Angeles, Hiller's Kings ranked first in goals against but 24th in goals for. He inherits a Leafs team that was 31st in goals against and 16th in goals for. He preaches defensive hockey, speed, and responsibility—but with no proven success as a head coach, his ability to deliver remains unknown.
As Steve Simmons writes, 'The better Hiller does, the better it looks for Chayka. Both men need to reinvent themselves under the bright lights of blue and white.'
