Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller continues to make bad decisions, and it's becoming obvious he's not the right man to be leading this team.
With another loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night, the Maple Leafs have lost six in a row. To make matters worse, all of these losses were at home, and they were unable to pick up a single point.
They played some good teams during this stretch, including the Montreal Canadiens, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Minnesota Wild. However, that doesn't excuse some of the mistakes head coach Jim Hiller has been making.
What did Jim Hiller do this time?
According to hockey reporter Matt Larkin, for the second game in a row, Hiller had his fourth line on the ice against one of the best lines in hockey.
He did it against the Wild, and he did it against the Oilers. To make matters worse, he had the last change in both of these scenarios.
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It is a level of incompetence that has been difficult for Maple Leafs fans to watch. While the Leafs only lost 1-0 on Saturday, it still doesn't take away from the sting of yet another defeat.
During this stretch, the offense has also been anemic. While Kirill Marchenko's absence has certainly contributed, it does feel as though there is something else brewing in Toronto.
The team has started to tune out its head coach, and we are barely 20 games into the season. Reporters have said Hiller is safe, but it's hard to fathom that being the case.
Going forward, the Maple Leafs play the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night, and it is a game that the team must win, or the consequences will be dire.
A seven-game losing streak with a loss to a team like the Blackhawks would be absolutely devastating as the franchise tries to salvage a horrific season.
General manager John Chayka will need to take a hard look at this Hiller situation, and if it doesn't ameliorate, then things may get desperate.
Should the Maple Leafs fire Jim Hiller?
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