Jim Hiller gets blunt when asked about Gavin McKenna after Utah loss

Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller just addressed Gavin McKenna's third period after last night's loss to Utah.

The question was simple: was it the best third period of the 18-year-old's young career? McKenna has been the center of a debate in Toronto for weeks, and Hiller's answer adds a line to it.

Leafslatest passed along Hiller's reply, and it was far more measured than a ringing endorsement. He said it was hard to remember them all, and that a lot of close games make it difficult.

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Hiller did point to one period he liked: "I thought the second period in Vancouver was really good…" That's the example he reached for, not Tuesday night.

Tuesday night itself was quiet for the first overall pick. McKenna finished without a point, put 2 shots on goal and played 15:53 in the 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth.

The Leafs sit 14th in the NHL at 8-7-2, and the loss left them on a one-game skid. Close games, as Hiller said, have been the norm.

McKenna's move to the third line at Monday's practice raised eyebrows before the Utah game. Last night did little to quiet that conversation.

Is the third-line role helping McKenna?

Eleven points in 17 games is a respectable start for a teenager, and three of his five goals have come on the power play. But a -6 rating is the number critics keep pointing to.

My view: Hiller's lukewarm answer is fair, and the minutes are fine. An 18-year-old doesn't need top-six ice time to develop, and he doesn't need a coach to hand out praise after a loss. What he needs is a steady role, and 15:53 on the third line is one.

It also helps that Brian Burke's defense of the decision arrived before puck drop, so the noise around McKenna won't fade quickly.

Next up for Toronto is Montreal on Saturday, November 7. Watch whether McKenna's spot on the third line holds, and whether Hiller's praise gets a little louder.

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