Chris Johnston just reported that Jim Hiller's job as Maple Leafs head coach isn't seen as being in jeopardy anytime soon.
That cuts against what has been floating around Toronto for days. With the team on a five-game losing streak, plenty of people assumed a coaching change was only a matter of when.
Johnston pushed back on that hard, and he used the calendar to do it. He pointed out that the Maple Leafs have played only about 21 games, and asked when a coach was last let go this early.
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The words come from his quote in the post: "I don't see how they could fire him. They just hired him." Johnston added that a coach usually gets 25 or 30 games, and the post cuts off before he finishes the thought.
The timing matters. Thursday night's 2-5 home loss to Minnesota was the fifth in a row, and Matthew Boldy scored three times for the Wild. We reported earlier today on Auston Matthews' view of Hiller's postgame approach, and that quiet room after losses had fans asking what comes next.
Toronto sits 8-11-2, 23rd in the NHL and seventh in the Atlantic Division. Over the last 10 games the Maple Leafs are 3-7-0, and the home record is 4-8-1.
Those numbers are ugly. They also don't make a coaching change automatic.
Is Jim Hiller really safe in Toronto?
For now, yes, and Johnston's read is the clearest signal we've had. Firing a coach 21 games into a season is a drastic move, and the front office has to weigh that before pulling the trigger. John Chayka, the general manager, has not been reported as moving in that direction.
We think the patience is the right call. The Maple Leafs have a minus-6 goal differential and 75 goals against, which points at the whole roster, not just one voice behind the bench. Anthony Stolarz stopped 21 of 25 shots against Minnesota, and the defense in front of him gave up far too much.
None of that makes the bench boss bulletproof, either. Hiller already called out Gavin McKenna after the Colorado loss, and how he handles the room through this slide will matter when the next report comes.
Toronto's next chance to stop the bleeding is Saturday at home against Edmonton.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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