Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller likes what he hears from Auston Matthews and the level of confidence he's at going into the 2026-27 NHL season.
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller, along with GM John Chayka and senior executive advisor Mats Sundin, took the podium on Wednesday, addressing their club going into the first day of training camp.
This was the first time Hiller spoke with the media since he was hired as the franchise's 41st head coach in June, so there was some catching up to do. But one striking moment was his comments about captain Auston Matthews and what his vibe is going into season No. 11 with Toronto.
Hiller referenced their history together, with him being an assistant coach of the Leafs from 2015-16 to 2018-19, coaching Matthews for the first three years of his career.
"I've had a pretty good relationship with Auston over the years," Hiller said. "This is, for me, as excited as he's been in my time talking to him."
He added that, while they haven't been on the same team for quite some time, their connection never went away, and now only continues to get stronger.
"I really appreciate where our relationship is today, how it's grown over the years," he said.
Matthews, turning 29 on Thursday, is coming off a couple of down years. He scored 27 goals last season and 33 the year before. And those two campaigns come after he tallied 69 goals in 2023-24, which was the most goals in a season since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96, and a franchise record (previous record was set by himself with 60 goals in 2021-22).
Though his goal and point production hasn't been the same lately, Hiller thinks a big campaign could be coming for the three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and Hart Trophy winner.
"He gives me confidence right now when I speak with him," he said. "I don't know what exactly that looks like, or what number that translates into, but when you talk to your captain and your captain instills confidence in you, then I would say you're in a pretty good place."
Matthews has also shared that he is feeling extremely motivated going into this coming season, feeling like he has something to prove.
"I know for myself, the last couple of years have been tough," he told Ryan Leslie in a separate interview. "You know, I haven’t really felt super healthy (in the) last two years and especially how last year ended. So for myself, I’m extremely motivated going into this year to get back to the level that I know I can be at."
On Wednesday, he also addressed his expectations for himself for 2026-27.
"The expectations for myself are always high," he said. "I think I try to hold myself to a high standard.
"It's a new season. We had a lot of time to think about it going into this year. Feeling as good as possible," Matthews added.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
