The Maple Leafs Suddenly Look Like One of the NHL’s Worst Teams and Jim Hiller Isn’t Helping

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in freefall.

After rattling off four straight wins, including a stunning 7-2 dismantling of the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto has completely lost its footing. The Leafs have dropped six of their last seven games, with their lone victory during that stretch coming against the last-place Vancouver Canucks.

As the losses pile up, head coach Jim Hiller is facing increasing scrutiny. Some of his decisions behind the bench have left fans and analysts scratching their heads, while Sergei Bobrovsky’s disappointing start has only added fuel to the fire.

The veteran netminder has just three wins through his first 13 appearances, posting a 3.47 goals-against average and .881 save percentage. For a team that expected stability in goal, the early returns have been alarming.

Jim Hiller’s Ice-Time Decisions Raising Questions

Hiller was always an intriguing hire for Toronto.

His reputation was built on structure and defensive responsibility during his years with the Los Angeles Kings. While the Kings often defended well and played a disciplined, low-event game, they consistently struggled to generate offense. Once opponents figured out how to break through their system, Los Angeles often had few answers, a problem that contributed to four straight first-round playoff exits against Edmonton.

That’s what made the hiring somewhat puzzling.

This is a team built around elite offensive talent like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and first-overall pick Gavin McKenna. After watching the offense sputter under Craig Berube, many expected Toronto to lean further into its strengths rather than double down on a defense-first philosophy.

Hiller’s lineup management has also come under the microscope. Against the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto recalled Ryan Tverberg and immediately inserted him onto the second line alongside John Tavares and Nylander. In just his third NHL game, Tverberg logged 15:31 of ice time, finishing with a minus-two rating.

More notably, he played over two minutes more than McKenna. The experiment failed to produce results. Tavares finished minus-three, Nylander was minus-four, and the line generated little offensively while spending far too much time defending.

McKenna hasn’t been perfect this season, but he still has 13 points in 20 games despite inconsistent usage. He’s averaging just 14:06 per night and carries a minus-11 rating.

Still, it’s fair to question the logic behind giving a 24-year-old AHL call-up more ice time than the franchise cornerstone who was selected first overall just months ago. That’s the type of decision that invites criticism when a team is losing.

Toronto’s Defensive Problems Run Deeper

Being known as a defensive coach doesn’t automatically mean defensive issues will disappear overnight. However, there should at least be signs of progress.

Instead, Toronto continues to struggle keeping pucks out of its net while allowing far too many high-danger opportunities. Whether the issue is Hiller’s system, personnel, or a combination of both, the results simply aren’t improving. Before the season even began, concerns existed about Toronto’s blue line.

Former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau openly questioned the defense corps, pointing to a lack of speed, aging personnel, and questionable depth. Twenty games into the season, those concerns appear to be justified. The Leafs certainly need upgrades on the back end, but they shouldn’t be this bad.

One name that could make sense is Simon Edvinsson, though Toronto’s asset pool isn’t exactly overflowing after its controversial Matthew Knies-for-Kirill Marchenko trade. If John Chayka wants to address the defense, he’ll likely have to get creative.

Is It Too Early to Panic?

Not anymore.

The Leafs have already played 20 games, tied for the most in the NHL. A quarter of the season is gone, and Toronto is tracking toward an even worse finish than last year’s campaign that ultimately ended with the franchise winning the draft lottery. This season was supposed to be different.

Instead of taking a step toward playoff contention, the Leafs look like they’re moving in the opposite direction. There is still plenty of schedule remaining, and 64 games leaves ample time to turn things around. Bobrovsky could settle in. Goaltenders often need time to adjust to a new environment.

At the same time, age-related decline is a legitimate concern. His numbers have been trending downward, and when combined with Toronto’s defensive breakdowns, it’s difficult to identify a quick fix.

If Hiller can’t find a way to adapt his system to better suit the roster he has, the losses are going to keep coming. Leafs fans are already questioning the coaching staff and regretting the Bobrovsky signing. What was supposed to be a summer of change designed to push the organization forward is beginning to look like the first step toward something much more concerning.

And if things don’t improve soon, talk of a playoff push could quickly be replaced by conversations about a full-scale rebuild nobody saw coming.

Next: Roslovic’s Hot Start With Toronto Has Leafs Fans Excited, But Oilers Fans Know the Catch