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Will Jim Hiller adjust his style with Leafs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs underwent significant changes this offseason, many of which, at least with respect to their on-ice product, had an offensive bent.

Published: Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 9:00 PM
Will Jim Hiller adjust his style with Leafs?
Key Things to Know
  • Analysts on Daily Faceoff LIVE questioned whether new head coach Jim Hiller will adapt his defensive style for Toronto.
  • Toronto hired Hiller to replace Craig Berube following an offseason focused on adding offensive talent.
  • Analyst Steve Peters argued that Hiller's defensive system in Los Angeles limited goal scoring despite strong underlying analytics.
The Story in 60 Seconds

The Toronto Maple Leafs hired former Los Angeles Kings coach Jim Hiller to replace Craig Berube as head coach, raising questions about whether he will adapt his defensive system to Toronto's offensive roster. The question was debated on Daily Faceoff LIVE following an offseason in which Toronto added Darren Raddysh, Gavin McKenna, and Kirill Marchenko to a lineup featuring Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

Analyst Steve Peters noted on Daily Faceoff LIVE that while Hiller's defensive 1-3-1 neutral-zone structure produced low goals-against numbers in Los Angeles, the Kings ranked 24th in goals per game. Peters highlighted Hiller's shared reliance on analytics with general manager John Chayka as a key factor in the hire, but questioned whether his structured system might stifle Toronto's top offensive talents.

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