With the Maple Leafs’ head coach search well underway, we are starting to hear certain names emerge or recede with more clarity, one way or another.
As the search continues, I wanted to explore coaches I would be interested in for various reasons.
While it’s stating the obvious, we should note that all we can really do from afar is examine résumés and what’s publicly known about coaches. Unless you’re in the room, there’s a certain level of detail missing. For example, regarding the GM search, I was very interested in Mike Gillis, who took a Vancouver team in a position similar to the Leafs‘ to within one win of the Stanley Cup. But in the aftermath of the John Chayka hiring, Gillis clarified some of the reporting:
“I’ve been pretty clear that I think there’s a role for me in an organization, but it’s a very specific one. It’s not that I wouldn’t do it [be a GM/President], but I don’t really think that in a really well-constructed organization, guys my age should be on the front lines on a daily basis. That’s my opinion.”
Gillis is entitled to his opinion, but if I heard him say those words, I wouldn’t want to hire him at that point—this isn’t meant to be a cushy board role. But we can’t know things like that unless we’re in the room, and none of that information was reported until Gillis clarified it himself.
At the same time, this isn’t a worthless exercise, either. There’s still plenty of information readily available to help baseline hires and potential candidates.
For example, Elliotte Friedman reported that Patrick Roy had a very strong interview with the Leafs. But his NHL résumé is pretty clear—he has coached four full seasons and made the playoffs once. He also made the playoffs after joining the Islanders midseason. In both cases, his teams lost in the first round. There was improvement during his time in Colorado (where they were one of the worst teams ever at controlling play) and with the Islanders (where they were more middle-of-the-pack), but it’s not a particularly inspiring résumé, and he’s 60 years old. He didn’t make my list, given all those factors, even though it sounds like there’s at least a chance he’s been hired.
Manny Malhotra would have made this list, but the Canucks hired him, as expected. It’s generally been reported that David Carle is out, but I included him anyway, although I will note that some of the hype is getting out of control given how often college coaches struggle in the NHL.
Before we get into the candidates, we should also say a few words about the Leafs‘ head coaching job itself, which is a tricky one to walk into.
The team wants to win now—they’ve made that abundantly clear—but they also need to introduce some youth into the lineup, and in some cases, they will have no choice. Whoever they draft first overall is likely stepping directly into the league. The coach will need a plan to bring that player along properly by insulating him, setting him up for success, and balancing the team’s immediate ambitions with his development (i.e., not how the Rangers handled Alexis Lafrenière when they won the lottery and still wanted to contend immediately).
To a lesser degree, the same can be said for Easton Cowan and potentially other prospects coming through the system, including Ben Danford, William Villeneuve, Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, Denis Hildeby, and Artur Akhtyamov.
They will also have to manage a still largely veteran team and walk a precarious line as the team captain sits two years away from free agency. He wants to win in Toronto, but he also needs to see proof of concept.
This isn’t a straightforward situation where a team is either fully in win-now mode or is rebuilding/willing to let young players learn through mistakes. The Leafs are in the mushy middle, and that requires real leadership from the bench boss.
On to the candidates.
Jay Woodcroft
Resume: Three years as a video coach with Detroit (won a Stanley Cup), seven years as a Sharks assistant coach, three years as an Oilers assistant coach, four years as an AHL head coach (won a championship), more than two years as Oilers head coach, and one year as Ducks assistant coach.
What I like:
Woodcroft has a sneakily impressive résumé. He won a Stanley Cup as a video coach with Detroit, worked behind the bench on some excellent Sharks teams that couldn’t quite get over the hump, won an AHL championship as a head coach, and took the Oilers to the Conference Final in his first season behind their bench. The following year, they lost in the second round to the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
He only coached one full season in Edmonton from start to finish, but in the two seasons he completed with the club, the Oilers were a top-10 possession team both times and ranked in the top 12 in expected goals in each season.
His one full season also saw Connor McDavid post career highs with 64 goals and 153 points. Considering what we just saw from Auston Matthews, coaxing that type of elite form back out of him would be a massive lift. Leon Draisaitl recorded a career-high 128 points that season, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins exploded for 104 points—a total he hasn’t come close to since.
Woodcroft has overseen star players performing at an elite level while also enjoying playoff success, all in his first NHL head-coaching opportunity. He did it in a Canadian market as well, and experience handling both that type of pressure and one of the biggest stars in the sport is obviously valuable heading into Toronto.
After he was fired by Edmonton, Woodcroft joined the Anaheim Ducks, who enjoyed a strong season this year. He worked under one of the most successful coaches in league history, and you’d like to think he picked up a thing or two along the way. In general, I like that he humbled himself by returning to an assistant role and continuing to learn, rather than waiting around for another head-coaching opportunity.
What gives me pause:
There have been some reports that Woodcroft is not interested in the Toronto job. He is from Toronto, and that can go either way with some locals. In my view, the Leafs shouldn’t beg someone to come. We don’t actually know if that’s the case with Woodcroft, but either you want everything that comes with Toronto, or you don’t.
While he does have some impressive things to point to on his résumé, Woodcroft has only actually coached one full season in the NHL from start to finish. He took over halfway through his first campaign, which generally leads to a new-coach bump, and he was fired rather abruptly in his second full season as the Oilers got off to a dreadful start. To his credit, they were dominating games—they just couldn’t score or get a save. But at the end of the day, we’re talking about a coach with one full NHL head-coaching season under his belt, even if he has been in the league for a very long time otherwise.
David Carle
Résumé: Eight-year head coach at the University of Denver, three national championships, plus two World Juniors golds.
What I like:
Alex already did a deep dive on Carle, but in a nutshell, he has built a successful program that has won multiple championships and has also had success on the international stage. As mentioned, the idea of more of a program builder is appealing, especially given the way the Leafs trended over the past few seasons, where it wasn’t just the on-ice play but the entire operation that steadily trended down. Should the Leafs select Gavin McKenna, two of their best young players would be from the college ranks, and there would be some relatability there as the team progresses. As a long-term option that would likely come with some growing pains early on, he represents an interesting option who has been successful at his other stops.
What gives me pause:
While Carle has an impressive résumé, he has never stepped foot in the NHL. Over the past decade, there have been more than a few “hot” college coaching candidates, and they haven’t been particularly successful. Jim Montgomery has likely been the most successful, and that success has yielded a couple of second-round appearances. David Quinn didn’t find much success, and neither did Dave Hakstol. It’s hard to understate how different it is going from college to the NHL, and that’s when you’re going to any team, let alone the Leafs. The travel, the significantly longer schedule, the physicality—everything about it really is night and day.
There have also been reports of hesitation to leave a cushy gig and questions about what it would take financially to sway him. While the Leafs as an organization can throw around money, there comes a point where, if the move is financially motivated, it’s not the right type of move to make. Of course, we don’t actually know if that is the case, so this is just speculation based on the reports.
Bruce Cassidy
Résumé: NHL head coach — one-plus seasons with the Washington Capitals, five-plus seasons with the Boston Bruins, three-plus seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights; AHL head coach (five years)
What I like:
Bruce Cassidy already has a long and accomplished career in the league. He has been to two Stanley Cup Finals, winning one. His teams have made the playoffs in each of his nine full seasons behind various NHL benches, plus he took over in Boston and went 18–8 to get them into the playoffs, while Vegas was in a playoff position when he was most recently fired.
Just listing his success alone, it’s pretty obvious why Cassidy would be a strong candidate. His teams make the playoffs consistently, and in the postseason, he has a 62–57 record.
Cassidy’s teams play a layered defensive system that protects the house and tries to force dump-ins through the neutral zone. Between Vegas and Boston, his teams were regularly in the top 10 in shot share and expected goals. From a usage standpoint, he spreads out his attack and lines as much as possible. In fact, in his last eight full seasons, the only forward to average over 20 minutes per game under him was Jack Eichel in each of the past two seasons. He runs a tight ship across the board and has been very successful.
What gives me pause:
The price of running a tight ship is that, by the end of his time with his teams, things seem to reach a breaking point between him and his players. There were reports of friction in both Boston and Vegas. While the juice is generally worth the squeeze because his teams succeed, it’s still worth flagging, as you never quite know how his style will be received. His Boston and Vegas teams were also generally veteran-led groups, and while the Leafs are one as well, they are ushering in young talent, including a first-overall pick. How does he jive with that?
There’s also the matter of whether his sights are set on Edmonton. Similar to Carle in a sense, we’ll just say that this is the Toronto Maple Leafs—there should be no begging a coach to come here.
Derek Lalonde
Résumé: Eight years NCAA assistant coach; USHL head coach (three years, won championship in first year); ECHL head coach (two years); AHL head coach (two years); Tampa Bay assistant coach (four years, two Cups); Detroit Red Wings head coach (2.5 years, missed playoffs both times); Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach (one year)
What I like:
It wasn’t that long ago that Lalonde was considered an exciting assistant-coach option in the league. Tampa Bay won back-to-back Cups, and he played a significant role in their success. Tampa’s style of play is one the Leafs should want to emulate to some degree, and he was part of it—he’s also far more in tune with analytics than many coaches.
While his time in Detroit wasn’t successful, it’s not like they’ve had much success since he left, either. Their problems clearly go beyond coaching, but even still, in his last full season, they had enough points to make the playoffs and missed on a tiebreaker. He got a lot out of a fairly mediocre roster that year. And while he was on the bench with the Leafs this past season, his penalty-killing unit was one of the team’s few consistent strengths. It dipped after they traded away the heart of their PK group, but he still had them operating among the league’s best PK units despite shaky goaltending and playing most of the season without Chris Tanev, not to mention Brandon Carlo also missing significant time.
Ultimately, it wasn’t that long ago that Lalonde was considered a “hot” up-and-coming coach, but his one stop as an NHL head coach didn’t go particularly well, and it’s fair to question how much of that was truly on him given the broader situation in Detroit. His work in Toronto this season, in isolation, was strong. He knows the team and wouldn’t require much of a learning curve.
What gives me pause:
He’s never made the playoffs as a head coach, first and foremost. Plus, there’s something to be said for wiping the slate entirely clean from last season. While it wasn’t specifically his fault, he was part of the group, and it wouldn’t represent much change for a team that really does need a fresh voice and new direction.
While he’s more of a modern coach, it didn’t exactly translate to success, either. It’s one thing to understand modern concepts; it’s another to consistently drive results.
For those curious, here is my write-up on Peter Laviolette before his hiring in LA.
Peter Laviolette* (now in LA)
Resume: AHL head coach for two years (won championship), New York Islanders head coach for two years, Carolina Hurricanes head coach for five years (won Stanley Cup), Philadelphia Flyers head coach for five years (lost in Cup Final), Nashville Predators head coach for six years (lost in Cup Final), Washington Capitals head coach for three years, New York Rangers head coach for two years.
What I like:
Laviolette generally finds early success with his teams, and the Leafs are in need of that given the age of much of their core. He won the Cup in his first full year in Carolina, reached the Final in his first season in Philadelphia, and guided the Rangers to the conference finals in his first year there. Toronto is still very much in “win now” mode, so a coach with that track record aligns with the current timeline—whether that’s the right long-term philosophy is another question entirely.
At baseline, Laviolette is a competent veteran coach who generally won’t actively hurt his team, which itself would represent an improvement over last season. He’s also been around the league many times over, which should help him navigate the market, manage star players, and integrate younger contributors. From players like Artemi Panarin producing at a career-best level under him to integrating a rookie Claude Giroux into a veteran lineup that reached the Cup Final, he has a deep well of experience to draw from.
Laviolette profiles as something of a high-floor, lower-ceiling option in theory, but he’s generally been solid throughout his career, which is meaningful in this context.
What gives me pause:
An upgrade in itself doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right direction.
Laviolette has been a candidate in multiple coaching cycles involving the Leafs, and he hasn’t typically been a leading option in evaluations because he’s ultimately a bit of a retread at this stage. He’s coached seven different NHL teams, and we have a fairly clear sense of what he is. He’s a demanding coach, which is not inherently a negative, but his teams often enjoy early success before his message and structure start to wear thin over time.
He’s turning 62 this year, and given his age and career arc, it’s difficult to view him as a long-term program builder. That raises the question: is that the right direction for this team at this point in its cycle?
Coaches I would want to talk to — but not for head coach
These are two names that have caught my eye, but I wouldn’t be ready to name either as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. You could also include Jeff Halpern in this group, though it has already been reported that he was informed he would not move on to the next stage after interviewing with the Leafs.
Ryan Craig
Resume:
Vegas Golden Knights assistant coach (six seasons, including a Stanley Cup season), AHL head coach (three seasons).
What I like:
Ryan Craig has caught my eye of late because of the situation in Vegas. People can say what they want about the Golden Knights, but they are clearly a well-run, cutthroat organization with a clear plan. One reported element of that plan has been developing Craig as a potential eventual head coach.
He’s put in the time, grinding through nine full seasons behind the bench. It also makes you wonder whether Vegas had a succession plan in mind when they brought in John Tortorella for what was reported as a short-term stint late in the season. Now that Vegas has caught fire, an interesting question arises: Will they really move on from Tortorella?
That uncertainty puts Craig in an intriguing position. If Vegas has indeed been grooming him but his path is now blocked, does that make him a potential poaching candidate? I like the idea of targeting a coach developed inside a strong organization, and Vegas certainly qualifies. This isn’t about “revenge” dynamics so much as the fact that they’ve built a consistently strong hockey operation.
Craig himself also has an interesting background. As a player, he was a scrappy, hard-working forward who clawed his way into the league, captaining five different teams over his career—reflecting his leadership. Upon retiring, he immediately transitioned into an assistant coaching role with Vegas, working primarily with the forwards and power play. During his tenure, Vegas ranked fifth, tied for 13th, 13th, 3rd, tied for 12th, and 14th in goals per game across those seasons.
He’s also benefited from working under strong NHL coaches, including Gerard Gallant, Pete DeBoer, and Bruce Cassidy—a strong apprenticeship by any standard.
What gives me pause:
For the past three seasons, he has been learning the ropes as a head coach in the AHL under challenging circumstances, with Vegas consistently prioritizing a win-now approach and trading away picks and prospects. That said, his results at that level have been modest. This season marked his first playoff appearance, and his team was eliminated quickly.
While he has been part of successful NHL benches as an assistant, his head-coaching track record remains limited, and he has never served as head coach in the NHL. That combination would require a significant leap of faith.
That said, he’s still someone I’d be interested in speaking with.
Jussi Ahokas
Resume: Kitchener Rangers head coach (three seasons).
What I like:
Ahokas has steadily improved year over year, going from a second-round exit to a third-round exit, and ultimately winning the Memorial Cup. The Memorial Cup is one of the most difficult trophies in hockey to win, and he captured it quickly. Not only that, Kitchener’s run was dominant—they lost just two playoff games and swept the Memorial Cup tournament from start to finish. That level of dominance is eye-catching.
His team played a clear, modern style. Kitchener attacked aggressively, played a fluid offensive-zone system that engaged all five skaters, and effectively controlled the neutral zone. They consistently suffocated opponents defensively before transitioning quickly up ice. In short, they were a well-drilled, highly effective team playing at a high level.
He clearly looks like a rising coach who is putting in the work and producing results.
What gives me pause:
Like other candidates from junior hockey, there will always be an asterisk until he proves himself at the NHL level. The jump from the OHL to the NHL is significant, which is why it rarely happens. Direct transitions from junior head coach to NHL head coach are extremely uncommon—the most notable example in recent memory is likely Pete DeBoer, and even he is an outlier.
More commonly, coaches move from the OHL into an NHL assistant role or into the AHL first, following a path similar to Sheldon Keefe.
Ahokas has only three seasons of North American coaching experience. While he has clearly done an excellent job, it’s difficult to look at that résumé and conclude he is ready to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs today.
