The Toronto Maple Leafs have been watching Auston Matthews thrive on the ice this season.
In typical Matthews fashion, he blends confidence with humility and can pinpoint what’s been working for him so far.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, he pulled back the curtain on his 2026-27 campaign thus far.
Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Reveals How He Feels About Jim Hiller
Jonas Siegal of The Athletic sat down with 29-year-old Matthews and uncovered his thoughts on Jim Hiller since Hiller took over as head coach in June 2026, replacing Craig Berube.
“You’re not stepping in with a brand new guy,” he said, in reference to Hiller being his former assistant coach. “Like, I know Jimmy. It’s been a long time, but I know him; I know his personality, I think he knows me.
“I want him to also push me. I know that I set the standard for the team, so I want to make sure that I’m holding up the standard, along with the other veterans and all the leaders on the team. I think he understands that, but I think he also is comfortable with us where we can have tough conversations too if need be, and air stuff out that we feel needs to be changed or needs to be different or whatever that may be. So, I think that part’s been really good.”
So far this season, Matthews has skated in seven games and has posted a 5-7-12 performance.
This marks his 11th season in the NHL; his entire career has been spent in Toronto.
The Maple Leafs selected him first overall in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft.
His potential was clear early on, but he’s still exceeding expectations in his age-29 season.
As Matthews noted, not having to start over with an entirely fresh head coach is a major benefit. He previously served as an assistant coach for Toronto.
Where Do the Maple Leafs Stand Right Now?
At the time of this writing, Toronto is 3-3-1 overall. This places them fifth in the Atlantic Division and ties them with the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens.
The Maple Leafs are coming off a tight 5-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Their next clash is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET against the Sabres.
Buffalo’s latest matchup resulted in a 4-3 loss to the Canadiens on Tuesday.
Considering the Sabres and the Maple Leafs are both tied 3-3-1 overall in their division, this meeting will carry a lot of weight.
Ultimately, the organizations are looking to climb in the standings and slowly inch their way toward contention later in the season.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Shares Honest Message for Jim Hiller