The Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced Jim Hiller to the media as the franchise's 41st head coach in their long history. While the reaction in Leaf Land seems mixed, fans of the Montreal Canadiens must see the opportunity in front of them.
While the Leafs continue to retool and opt for familiarity, the Canadiens are getting younger and trending upwards, as proven by their recent run to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Canadiens now find themselves in a prime position to take control of the most storied rivalry in hockey for the foreseeable future.
Canadiens have golden opportunity following Jim Hiller hire
Rather than taking a real gamble on a new hire and resetting the culture, new general manager John Chayka and his staff opted for familiarity and experience by hiring Hiller.
Hiller recently spent three seasons as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, but brings with him minimal playoff experience as the Kings were eliminated in the first round in Hiller's first two seasons before being fired 59 games into his third season. Hiller is a familiar name in Toronto as he also served as an assistant coach to former Leafs bench boss Mike Babcock from 2015 to 2019.
Chayka said he believes Hiller brings the best extension of the front office behind the bench, which can be largely attributed to Hiller's modern and analytically driven philosophy. However, critics have questioned why the Leafs turned to a coach who was dismissed by the Kings this past season following two disappointing playoff runs.
Regardless of whether Hiller succeeds, the hire comes at a fascinating time in the long-running rivalry between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs.
For the past few years, the Maple Leafs have been considered the superior team on paper, making the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. But the organization finds itself entering another period of uncertainty. With Chayka taking over as general manager and Hiller now behind the bench, the Leafs are once again trying to find the winning formula that has eluded them for decades.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens are finally moving in the opposite direction.
Nick Suzuki has developed into one of the NHL's most reliable two-way centers fresh off his first Selke Trophy; Lane Hutson has quickly become one of the league's most dynamic young defensemen; and Ivan Demidov gives Montreal another high-end offensive talent to build around as he enters his second season. Not to mention Cole Caufield's Lady Byng trophy recognition and 51-goal season.
With plenty more impact players already in place and others still on the way, combined with the patient yet aggressive approach of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton in the front office, and a head coach in Martin St. Louis who the team is clearly committed to, the Canadiens appear to be past the rebuild stage and on a path where expectations are beginning to rise.
That doesn't mean the Maple Leafs have become irrelevant in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs still possess plenty of talent with a first overall pick to come, and Hiller could prove to be exactly what the organization needs.
But while Toronto searches for a new identity and scrambles to get back into playoff contention once again, the Canadiens have found theirs; now it is time to take it further. The Canadiens are out to prove to not only the Maple Leafs but the entire NHL that their extended postseason run was no fluke, but part of the expectations going forward.Â
For the first time in years, the Canadiens have a realistic opportunity to dictate where this rivalry goes next. If their young core continues to develop, the balance of power between hockey's two most storied Canadian franchises may finally be shifting back toward les Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.
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