Jim Hiller
Encyclopedia
James A. Hiller is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
player. He played 63 games in the National Hockey League
(NHL) with the Los Angeles Kings
, Detroit Red Wings
and New York Rangers
, while spending time in the American Hockey League
(AHL) and International Hockey League (IHL). He finished his career playing overseas in the German
Bundesliga and Italian
Serie A. Upon retiring, Hiller became a coaching
career in the junior leagues and currently serves as the head coach of the Tri-City Americans
of the Western Hockey League
(WHL) beginning in 2009
.
with the Prince Albert Raiders
, Hiller was drafted in the 10th round, 207th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings
in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft
. Upon being drafted, Hiller began a three-year college hockey
career with Northern Michigan University
. NMU won the 1991 NCAA title in Hiller's sophomore year. Following an 86-point campaign with Northern Michigan in a 41-game 1991–92 season, his third with the university, he turned pro with the Los Angeles Kings.
During his rookie season, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
and completed his rookie season in 1992–93 with 20 points in 61 games split between the two teams. The next season, in 1993–94, Hiller became a New York Ranger
, but played only two games with the NHL club, spending his tenure with the organization in the minor leagues with Binghamton Rangers
of the AHL
and Atlanta Knights of the IHL.
After one season with the Canadian National Team, Hiller went overseas to play in the German
Bundesliga with the Starbulls Rosenheim
in 1996–97. He finished second in league scoring in his third and final campaign with the club in 1998–99 with 67 points in 52 games, two points behind Martin Jiranek of the Nuernberg Ice Tigers. In 1999–00, Hiller began a two-season stint with the Berlin Capitals, after which he spent one final season with HC Milano
of the Italian
Serie A before retiring.
of the WHL
for two seasons. In 2005–06, he was named head coach of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs
of the British Columbia Hockey League
(BCHL), where he posted a winning record of 43-12-2. The next season, he was selected to coach the expansion Chilliwack Bruins
back in the WHL. He coached the franchise to playoff berths in their first two seasons, but after missing the post-season in his third year with the club, he was fired. Later in the 2009 off-season, he was named head coach of the Tri-City Americans
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He played 63 games in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) with the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, while spending time in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) and International Hockey League (IHL). He finished his career playing overseas in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bundesliga and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Serie A. Upon retiring, Hiller became a coaching
Coach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
career in the junior leagues and currently serves as the head coach of the Tri-City Americans
Tri-City Americans
The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center...
of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) beginning in 2009
2009–10 WHL season
The 2009–10 WHL season is the 44th season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 17, 2009 and ended on March 14, 2010...
.
Playing career
After playing major junior in the WHLWestern Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
with the Prince Albert Raiders
Prince Albert Raiders
The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert...
, Hiller was drafted in the 10th round, 207th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft
1989 NHL Entry Draft
The 1989 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 17 at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Some believe that the Detroit Red Wings' 1989 draft was the most successful ever, with 5,721 total NHL games played by the players selected.-Selections by round:...
. Upon being drafted, Hiller began a three-year college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
career with Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
. NMU won the 1991 NCAA title in Hiller's sophomore year. Following an 86-point campaign with Northern Michigan in a 41-game 1991–92 season, his third with the university, he turned pro with the Los Angeles Kings.
During his rookie season, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and completed his rookie season in 1992–93 with 20 points in 61 games split between the two teams. The next season, in 1993–94, Hiller became a New York Ranger
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, but played only two games with the NHL club, spending his tenure with the organization in the minor leagues with Binghamton Rangers
Binghamton Rangers
The Binghamton Rangers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Binghamton, New York, USA at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.-History:The market was previously served by:-Playoffs:-Single Season:...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and Atlanta Knights of the IHL.
After one season with the Canadian National Team, Hiller went overseas to play in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bundesliga with the Starbulls Rosenheim
Starbulls Rosenheim
Starbulls Rosenheim is an ice hockey team from Germany. The team joined SB/DJK Rosenheim in 1979, after EV Rosenheim had folded, and in 1994 the team adopted their current name.The team played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1995-2000...
in 1996–97. He finished second in league scoring in his third and final campaign with the club in 1998–99 with 67 points in 52 games, two points behind Martin Jiranek of the Nuernberg Ice Tigers. In 1999–00, Hiller began a two-season stint with the Berlin Capitals, after which he spent one final season with HC Milano
HC Milano
Hockey Club Milano was an Italian ice hockey team based in Milano . Throughout its history, has changed its name twice, and was called Associazione Disco Ghiaccio Milano and Hockey Club Milano Inter...
of the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Serie A before retiring.
Coaching career
After retiring in 2002 from his playing career, Hiller immediately began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Tri-City AmericansTri-City Americans
The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center...
of the WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
for two seasons. In 2005–06, he was named head coach of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs
Alberni Valley Bulldogs
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They play their home games at Weyerhaeuser Arena.-History:...
of the British Columbia Hockey League
British Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
(BCHL), where he posted a winning record of 43-12-2. The next season, he was selected to coach the expansion Chilliwack Bruins
Chilliwack Bruins
The Chilliwack Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League, based out of Chilliwack, British Columbia. The 2006–07 season marked the Bruins inaugural season in the WHL. The team played at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,386 seats for the arrival of the Bruins...
back in the WHL. He coached the franchise to playoff berths in their first two seasons, but after missing the post-season in his third year with the club, he was fired. Later in the 2009 off-season, he was named head coach of the Tri-City Americans
Tri-City Americans
The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center...
.