Maple Leafs: 3 Differences Between Craig Berube, Jim Hiller

The Toronto Maple Leafs are on to the next phase of the new era after John Chayka and Mats Sundin hired Jim Hiller as the franchise’s 41st head coach. 

While the former Los Angeles Kings head coach stayed under the radar during the Maple Leafs’ hiring process, bringing him aboard represents a logical and stabilizing decision. 

Let’s look at how Hiller’s style differs from Craig Berube’s, and why he could elicit the best from the Maple Leafs and improve the team’s Stanley Cup odds at the BetMGM sportsbook.

How Does Jim Hiller’s Style Differ From Craig Berube’s?  

Hiller returns to the team as a familiar face, having been the assistant coach with the Buds under Mike Babcock from 2015 to 2019. 

He was an instrumental part of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner’s development in their early years with the team. He was along for the ride during the first three of nine consecutive trips to the postseason. 

That familiarity and strong rapport with the team’s top players were crucial factors in his hiring. 

The other non-negotiable aspect of his hiring is that he’s Chayka and Sundin’s guy and is on board with the new direction, prioritizing collaboration. 

He also sets himself apart from Berube in three primary ways:

Hiller’s Analytical Approach 

Like Chayka, Hiller is obsessed with the analytical side of the game. Hiller runs TruPerformance, a hockey analytics company, and many of his decisions will be informed by data. 

The 57-year-old is experienced enough to also go with his gut, but he’ll rely on analytics more heavily than his predecessor. 

His connection and passion for the data are what initially endeared him to Babcock, convincing the Oilers’ candidate to hire him during his first stint in Toronto. 

While Berube didn’t dislike analytics, he preferred to make decisions based on his experience and the eye test. 

Hiller is Defence-Minded, Not Defence-Obsessed 

Hiller and Berube are defensive-minded coaches, but the former thoroughly enjoys his teams executing an enterprising, attacking brand of hockey. 

Berube, on the other hand, was defence-obsessed, oftentimes sacrificing the offensive side of the game, even if involuntarily. 

While Berube helped Matthews become one of the best two-way centres, the Maple Leafs’ captain’s offensive numbers took a hit. It often felt like he couldn’t escape the shackles Berube placed on him. 

Matthews fully bought into Berube’s philosophy, putting the team’s well-being above his own. Nylander never truly bought in, which was a detriment to the collective. 

Hiller will, of course, expect his best players to be defensively responsible, but he’ll also hammer home the importance of them expressing themselves offensively. 

He’ll encourage all of his gamebreakers to be exactly that, even if it backfires at times. 

Hiller Prefers Puck Possession

Hiller will love coming back to Toronto with players like Matthews and Nylander to champion his commitment to puck possession. It might be the most palpable difference between his and Berube’s coaching styles. 

Berube is more of a dump-and-chase kind of coach, asking his forwards to make life difficult for defencemen retrieving the puck behind the goal line. He’s a massive proponent of trying to turn pucks over in the offensive zone, after which his team is asked to establish the cycle. 

Hiller prefers to see his team carry the puck into the offensive zone and maintain possession for as long as possible. 

Trading for puck-moving defenceman Emil Andrae, whom the Maple Leafs acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in the Joseph Woll trade, demonstrates Chayka’s desire to pivot to that style. 

It’s another reason the new general manager and his senior advisor committed to Hiller.