The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a strong training camp to begin the 2026-27 season. With many new faces around the organization, including head coach Jim Hiller, the Maple Leafs have seemingly been putting in the work ahead of opening night.
Hiller spoke to the media on Tuesday and touched on the impacted presence of Sergei Bobrovsky, praise for superstar William Nylander, potential linemates for young forward Easton Cowan, and potential defensive pairings.
“It’s really hard to describe. You watch different athletes at the pinnacle of their sport winning championships, and he fits that bill. Beyond playing as well as he has and having the career he’s had, he’s a champion. He’s such a humble guy and so dedicated to being a professional athlete, a goaltender, and a champion.” Hiller said when speaking on starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
“We’ve all, and I would include myself in that, just really enjoyed being around him. He’s got a great presence to him. But mark my words: He’s a fierce competitor. He’s a gentleman, and he’ll treat you with respect, but inside, this guy is doing everything he can to win. It’s just great to have him around.” Hiller later added.
Jim Hiller and William Nylander’s Relationship
William Nylander is coming into the 2026-27 campaign after dealing with a series of injuries. He registered his lowest point total since the shortened 2020-21 season; however, he is looking as good as he has in recent seasons.
“I’ve always really liked Willy. I told the story: When I first took over as a head coach in the NHL, the first player ex-player I heard from was Willy. I hadn’t talked to him in years, and it really meant something to me.
“I’m not sure if you noticed, but we ended the last practice on an incredible backcheck by Willy and a stick lift all the way down. We’re seeing some really, really good stuff out of him.” Hiller said on Tuesday.
Potential Defensive Pairings Heading into the Regular Season
Throughout the 2026 season, one of the Maple Leafs’ most glaring issues was consistently their blueline; after being one of the best defensive teams just one year prior, they fell to the bottom of the NHL. With multiple strong acquisitions from general manager John Chayka, Hiller will have the task of finding the right combinations.
“We’ll probably try to match up Tanev and McCabe as much as we can. That doesn’t mean Rielly and Raddysh, or Oliver Ekman-Larsson and whoever he’s playing with, won’t play against other teams’ top lines, but just generally. If we get opportunities to put Rielly and Raddysh in the offensive zone with our top six, we’ll look to do that if we can, again within reason. That’s the thought right now. It could change.”
Easton Cowan is heading into the second season of his NHL career, with many hoping for a major step in his development. To begin preseason, Hiller has slotted the 21-year-old on the Maple Leafs third line, alongside Nick Paul and Colton Sissons.
“Even in practice today, those two are really good forecheckers. We would really love for Easton to develop into that type of player, too, and I think he’s on his path. But he is definitely a little more of a skilled player.”
“Those guys loosen up pucks. They give him opportunities to be there second, to jam it up the wall for him to come off the wall and find the D. It’s good to have those types of players around.”
As the Maple Leafs continue their training camp, all eyes will be on Jim Hiller as they look to get back into the postseason picture after missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons.
Maple Leafs’ Jim Hiller Makes Bold Statement About William Nylander