Jim Hiller says his bond with Auston Matthews never faded, and that matters more than ever now.
Back in June, when Toronto introduced Hiller as its new head coach, he made a point of describing just how close that relationship still was.
Hiller last coached in Toronto from 2015 to 2019 as an assistant under Mike Babcock, running the power play at the time.
"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 said.
"So it hasn't been seven years since we've communicated," he added.
That familiarity matters given everything happening around the league right now. Several of Matthews' Olympic gold-medal teammates have already left Canadian teams for American ones.
Matthew Tkachuk went from Calgary to Florida back in 2022, and his younger brother Brady followed him to Sunrise after eight seasons captaining Ottawa.
Jim Hiller drops major Auston Matthews revelation before Leafs camp
Quinn Hughes, another Canadian-team captain, was moved from Vancouver to Minnesota partway through last season as well.
There have been rumblings since that Matthews and Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, both stars of that gold-medal run, could follow the same path.
Is Hiller's personal touch actually enough to keep Toronto's captain invested, or is it just one variable in a much bigger decision?
Hiller's coaching style leans on connection first. "You have to communicate, but I think beyond that you have to connect," he said.
"Once people feel comfortable, they can talk to you, have good conversations with you," he added.
Matthews posted 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games last season, numbers that dipped as he took on more defensive responsibility under Craig Berube.
Hiller specifically wants to get the power play sharper too. "Auston was always a really dangerous player on the power play," he said.
Toronto hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and has just two playoff series wins over the last 21 seasons, a weight Hiller doesn't seem rattled by.
My take: relationships help, but they don't fix systems or box scores. Hiller's history with Matthews buys goodwill, not results.
Camp is close, and whether that old Arizona lunch friendship still means anything on the ice is about to actually get tested.
Source : Leafs coach Hiller says he has maintained good relations with star captain Matthews
Is Jim Hiller's personal bond with Auston Matthews enough to keep him in Toronto long-term?
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