Retired NHL forward Daniel Winnik is not a supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ direction when it comes to the team’s new head coach.
Many in the hockey world were surprised by general manager John Chayka’s decision to name Jim Hiller the 41st head coach in franchise history on Wednesday.
“To hear that name, I was just like, what the heck, Jim Hiller? Because to me, that’s not the guy to coach this group‚" Winnik told TSN 1050’s First Up during an outspoken interview on Thursday.
Hiller, who recently served as head coach of Los Angeles Kings for more than two seasons before being fired in March, spent four seasons with the Maple Leafs from 2015 to 2019, working as an assistant under Mike Babcock.
Winnik played two seasons for Maple Leafs, the latter being the 2015-16 campaign, which was the first season Babcock and Hiller were in Toronto.
The Leafs finished last in the Atlantic Division that year before making a run of nine straight postseason appearances, a streak that ended with a disastrous 2025-26 campaign, leading to numerous changes in the front office and coaching staff.
A veteran of 798 NHL games, Winnik believes Hiller’s defensive mindset is not what this current version of the Maple Leafs needs.
Hiller, a 57-year-old from Port Alberni, B.C., took over for Todd McLellan as the Kings’ bench boss in February 2024.
Despite making the playoffs in back-to-back years, Hiller’s defensive-centric systems this past season grew tiresome as the Kings were one of the worst offensive teams in the NHL, leading to his dismissal from the organization.
Los Angeles still made the playoffs with just 35 wins as DJ Smith took over on an interim basis.
“I don’t think you need another defensive-minded coach,” explained Winnik. “I think you need someone that wants to play an up-tempo kind of scoring style and let your stars be stars and outscore the other team. I don’t think Jim’s style is proven. They [Kings under Hiller] were very defensive. Sure, they were the best five-on-five defensive team in the league, but they’re one of the worst offensive teams. I think the Leafs just went through having a guy [former head coach Craig Berube] that wanted to have them play defence and it just didn’t work. It’s just your roster isn’t constructed that way.”
Hiller ran the power play during his time with the Maple Leafs, which turned out to be one of the most efficient in the league with young stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander leading the charge.
Winnik said Hiller was “personable” to work with during his short stint in Toronto but added it was likely Babcock pulling the strings and making decisions when it came to things like the power play.
“It’s so different being the assistant coach to the head coach, right? Especially if you’re an assistant coach for Mike Babcock. Everybody knows what Babs is like. So, you kind of have to have some softer personalities on your assistant coaching staff. And that was DJ Smith, who was coming from Junior A, and you had Jim Hiller, who came with him [Babcock] from Detroit. And Jim was great, like talking to you. I was injured at one point for like five games and he would skate me and he was personable and he did run the powerplay,” explained Winnik. “But, the interesting part, when you’re under Mike Babcock, you’re responsible for the power play, but it’s kind of his power play. Does that make sense? Babs is telling him how to run it.”
Winnik notes that Los Angeles’ power play was one of the worst in the NHL under Hiller.
“So, that’s where it’s kind of, okay, what system was it? Was it Jim’s system that was working on the power play or was it Babcock’s?” said Winnik.
The 41-year-old Winnik, who scored four goals and 10 assists over 56 games for the Leafs in 2015-16, believes stars like Matthews and Nylander were probably consulted regarding Hiller’s hiring and approved of the decision after playing for him as an assistant earlier in their careers.
Winnik notes the relationship will probably be different this time with Hiller now serving as the head coach.
“They probably had a great relationship with Jim when he was here because again, he’s an assistant coach, ran the power play. He is personable, I’ll give him that, like he’s not a cold guy,” said Winnik. “So, they probably like him, but again, everything changes as a head coach. I think the guys in LA probably really liked him as an assistant. And then you saw at the end, you know, you see Drew Doughty talking about the way that they’re playing, he hated it. So, it probably just wore them down.”
Playing for Babcock
Despite having a good relationship with Hiller during his short time with the Maple Leafs, Winnik made it clear that playing for the controversial Babcock was one of the worst experiences of his career.
“I just hated coming to the rink. He’s just a bully,” Winnik said.
Winnik said things started off “fine” with Babcock, but a high ankle sprain in November threw his season into a downward spiral.
“I always thought skating was my strongest attribute and I just couldn’t skate. I wasn’t the same player,” he said. “Then it was like, cratered from there, right? Like he’s on me all the time. I just think how he treats people is not great. That’s been well documented at this point.”
Winnik remembers driving home from practice or games feeling “defeated” after having his energy drained under Babcock.
‘Babcock Disciples’
The 63-year-old Babcock, who hasn’t coached an NHL game since being fired by the Leafs in 2019, has had his fair share of controversy with his coaching style.
Johan Franzén accused Babcock of verbal abuse when they were both part of the Detroit Red Wings and there was an incident with the Maple Leafs when Marner, who was a rookie at the time, was asked by Babcock to list teammates in order of work ethic.
Babcock has been criticized for not playing veteran players like Mike Modano, Chris Chelios and Jason Spezza in milestone games for unexplained reasons.
Most recently, Babcock was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, but was fired before even coaching a single game after allegedly asking players if he could see photos of their families on their phones, something that was seen as an invasion of privacy.
Despite the controversies, the 2008 Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, could be in line for another head coaching job as the Edmonton Oilers are reportedly interested in hiring Babcock, following a completed and satisfactory NHL investigation regarding the incident in Columbus.
Winnik believes the Oilers should avoid hiring Babcock.
“Do not do it. No. He’s the only guy that’s ever made me hate hockey,” Winnik said.
Winnik notes Babcock’s former assistants, including Hiller (Red Wings and Maple Leafs) Jay Woodcroft (video coach with Red Wings), DJ Smith (Maple Leafs), and McClellan (Red Wings), haven’t won anything after taking head coaching jobs of their own.
“I just don’t think his [Babcock] style works anymore,” he added. “That’s another thing as well. Like why the Hiller hire doesn’t make sense to me because I just look at, I call them the Babcock Disciples,” said Winnik. “It’s like a coaching tree if you follow it, right? Right now you still have [Jay] Woodcroft, Hiller, DJ Smith, and Todd McClellan. Have any of those guys had a resounding career in coaching? That’s won? Or say you’ve been on the precipice of winning? No. And it’s just that style, even Babcock, if you look back, he hasn’t won a playoff series since 2012. Why is that your hire?”
