Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller typically does not address his players in the locker room after games, according to captain Auston Matthews, a disclosure that has drawn attention as the team struggles through the early part of the season.
Matthews made the comment while speaking with reporters following the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
“He usually doesn’t speak after games, so I’m sure we’ll continue to try to clean some stuff up, go over video and make adjustments,” Matthews said. “At the end of the day, it’s just minimizing those big mistakes or turnovers, especially against other teams’ top lines.”
Matthews indicated that instead of a post-game address, the team’s approach involves reviewing video and making adjustments to cut down on costly mistakes and turnovers.
The revelation comes at a difficult moment for the franchise. The Maple Leafs are 8-11-2 on the season and currently sit in seventh place in the Atlantic Division.
Hiller’s practice of staying quiet after games stands apart from the more common approach among coaches across professional sports, where some form of post-game remarks to the team — whether praise after a strong performance or criticism following a poor one — is typical.
Whether the approach will change as the Maple Leafs look to turn their season around remains to be seen.
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