Auston Matthews just gave his most direct read yet on Jim Hiller, and he didn't hide how rough things are for the Maple Leafs right now.
Toronto has lost five straight, most recently a 5-2 home loss to Minnesota on Thursday, and the captain was asked how his coach is handling a room that's clearly frustrated.
Mark Masters passed along Matthews' answer this morning, and the center admitted the frustration is real while crediting Hiller for keeping the group together.
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Matthews said Hiller "comes in with the same attitude & energy every day" and that, despite how hard it is right now, he's done a good job of keeping the team "grounded & together."
It's a notable choice of words. Nobody calls a coach steady and mentions frustration "creeping in" when the team is winning.
Matthews also isn't dodging the subject. After Hiller's postgame approach after another loss became a talking point Friday, he's now been asked twice in two days and has answered both times.
Is Hiller's job safe while the Maple Leafs keep sliding?
The record says Toronto has a problem. The Maple Leafs are 8-11-2, 23rd in the NHL and seventh in the Atlantic Division, with a 3-7-0 mark over their last 10 games.
The home ice has been the biggest issue. Toronto is 4-8-1 at home, while the road record sits at 4-3-1. A team that can't protect its own building will always have its coach questioned, no matter what the captain says.
And the goal differential of -6 shows this isn't a case of bad luck. Toronto has scored 69 and allowed 75, and there's no hiding behind a one-goal-game excuse when the team keeps losing by multiple goals.
Matthews, for his part, is doing his share. He has 12 goals and 29 points in 21 games, and he's a +9 on a team that sits at -6 overall. That's a captain producing, and it's why his words carry weight.
Still, a vote of confidence from the best player is not a vote of confidence from the front office. John Chayka hasn't said anything on Hiller in this story, and a sixth straight loss would push that conversation louder.
The Maple Leafs get their next chance tonight, when the Edmonton Oilers visit Toronto.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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