Leafs coach Hiller says he has maintained good relations with star captain Matthews

TORONTO – Jim Hiller says he kept the lines of communication open with Maple Leafs star centre Auston Matthews over the past seven years after leaving Toronto as an assistant coach.

Now back as the Maple Leafs’ 41st head coach, that familiarity with the team’s Arizona-raised captain may prove to be a secret weapon in a time when American NHL stars based in Canada are increasingly finding ways to return south of the border.

“Even after I left, there were times when Auston and I would get together in Arizona, have a lunch, B.S. just to keep in touch,” Hiller told reporters Thursday. “So it hasn’t been seven years since we’ve communicated.”

Hiller last worked in Toronto from 2015-19 under head coach Mike Babcock, where he was charged with running the power play. He says he has worked to maintain relationships with several players since joining the New York Islanders as an assistant before the 2019-20 season.

“I’m really fond of those guys,” Hiller said. “They’re great players, and so just looking forward to get on the bench and coach them again.”

Matthews captained the United States to a gold medal at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, with the run capped by a 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the championship game.

Several of his Olympic teammates have moved from Canadian to American clubs after demanding trades or threatening not to sign contract extensions. Matthew Tkachuk was dealt from Calgary to Florida in 2022. Younger brother Matthew joined him in Sunrise last week in a trade from Ottawa, where he spent eight seasons and was the team captain. Defenceman Quinn Hughes, also a captain of a Canadian team in Vancouver, orchestrated a move from the Canucks and was dealt to Minnesota 26 games into last season.

There have been rumblings since that Matthews and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who was stellar for the United States in the gold-medal game, may follow suit.

Amid the current air of uncertainty and with a flurry of movement already this off-season, Hiller said his communication style helps in a “people business.”

“You have to communicate, but I think beyond that you have to connect,” Hiller said. “Once people feel comfortable, they can talk to you, have good conversations with you, and then you can steer the conversations and try to get on the same page hockey-wise.

“Before that, it’s just about connection on a personal level.”

Toronto is the second stop for Hiller as a head coach. He most recently served as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, compiling a 93-58-24 record over parts of three seasons. The Kings fired Hiller on March 1 following an 8-1 loss to Edmonton. He replaced Craig Berube, who was first after two seasons in Toronto, after the Leafs finished well out of the playoff picture last season.

One area Hiller is keen to improve this season is the power play.

“Auston was always a really dangerous player on the power play, and I don’t think they’ve been as dangerous recently,” Hiller said.

“The top guys, when they get some momentum on the power play, (it) generally spreads out their five-on-five game,” he added.

The Maple Leafs have one of the NHL’s most dedicated fan bases, combined with one of the league’s sorriest post-season records. The Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and have just two playoff series wins over the last 21 seasons.

If that combination makes coaching in Toronto intimidating, Hiller isn’t showing it.

“What a city, what a fan base, what energy,” he said enthusiastically when asked how he would handle the pressure. “It’s just big-time. It just is. 

“And with that comes some added pressures and some extra questions and all that kind of stuff, but we’re in the game because we’re competitive people. So if you’re a competitive person, what a great place to be competitive in.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2026.