The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired coach Craig Berube after two seasons, marking a significant change in leadership. New GM John Chayka will now begin the search for a replacement ahead of the NHL entry draft.
Key points
Toronto Maple Leafs fired coach Craig Berube after two seasons
New GM John Chayka will lead the coaching search
Keith Pelley remains president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
The coaching change coincides with the NHL entry draft on June 26
Mentioned in this story
Craig BerubeJohn ChaykaMaple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
Toronto Maple Leafs
4 Toronto Maple Leafs coaching candidates after Craig Berube firing
It's nearly the completion of a changing of the guard for the Maple Leafs, with Keith Pelley remaining as president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MPSE). Pelley, who is known to be close to Berube, left the decision to retain or move on from the coach to new GM John Chayka, who will now undergo a coaching search while awaiting the NHL entry draft and either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg on June 26.
Berube – who went 84-62-18 with the Leafs in his two seasons and missed the playoffs this year after a second-round exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers in this first season – becomes the latest coach to exit a beleaguered franchise. As Mitch Marner continues to find success with the Golden Knights and Auston Matthews' future in Toronto remains clouded, Toronto is looking for a spark. It hasn't made a conference finals since 2002 and, of course, hasn't hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup since 1967.
Toronto, however, found luck in this year's lottery when it drew the No. 1 overall pick, jumping four spots to do so. Now, with Chayka at the helm, who will be the coach to reap the benefits of that good fortune? Here are four candidates who could be next in line in Toronto, which promises to be one of the most intriguing coaching searches this offseason.
Q&A
Why did the Toronto Maple Leafs fire Craig Berube?
Craig Berube was fired after two seasons as head coach, as part of a broader organizational change led by new GM John Chayka.
Who are the potential coaching candidates for the Maple Leafs?
The article discusses four coaching candidates for the Maple Leafs, although their names are not specified in the excerpt.
What impact will the coaching change have on the Maple Leafs?
The coaching change is expected to usher in a new era for the Maple Leafs, potentially influencing their performance in the upcoming NHL season.
When is the NHL entry draft and how does it relate to the coaching search?
The NHL entry draft is scheduled for June 26, and the new GM will conduct the coaching search in anticipation of this event.
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Bruce Cassidy (470-254-9-96 career record, one Stanley Cup)
The first option on this list seems like the most obvious pick in the world. Bruce Cassidy to the Maple Leafs to at least hit the ground running in the McKenna/Stenberg era makes a lot of sense. He won a Stanley Cup in his first season in Vegas, but was relieved of his duties in favor of John Tortorella this year (Cassidy interestingly played winger Marner at center this season, and Vegas is playing some of its best hockey under Tortorella).
Cassidy has an abrasive coaching style, and his middling playoff record may be a turnoff for a fanbase that is sick of not only early exits, but heartbreaking ones at that. But if the Leafs can land Cassidy, they'll have an established coach with a high floor. The biggest red tape might be the Golden Knights themselves. Vegas reportedly blocked Cassidy from interviewing with the Oilers. If it continues to do so, Toronto may have its hand forced in looking elsewhere.
Bruce Boudreau (617-342-128, no Stanley Cups)
This is a longshot and a stopgap solution, before anyone gets mad.
The Maple Leafs seem to desperately need a culture shift within the organization, and that's what Bruce Boudreau does. He won't win you a Cup, but he'll build a cohesive team with a strong locker room. The Leafs last season had no fight in them, and it has shown time and time again. The team is going into a rebuild it didn't ask for with the No. 1 overall pick, and whether it's McKenna or Stenberg, the rebuild has to start somewhere.
Boudreau is 71 years old and hasn't coached since 2023, so there are hurdles here as well. But for a franchise seeking an identity, the Toronto native could be a Band-Aid. If Chayka and the Toronto faithful are willing to wait.
David Carle (no NHL experience)
The Denver Pioneers' bench leader has become a bit of a white whale for NHL teams. A two-time NCAA national champion, Carle was heavily sought after by the Chicago Blackhawks last year but withdrew his name from consideration. Perhaps the prestige of Toronto could draw him in, but with an even more unstable front office, it's a hard sell.
To humor the possibility, however, Carle's relentlessly positive coaching attitude would be refreshing in a league that lacks creativity in its hires. He recently compared McKenna to the Lightning's Nikita Kucherov, incredibly high praise. Is it realistic? Probably not. Is it worth a phone call? Every single time.
John Gruden (no NHL experience)
No, not that Gruden.
The Maple Leafs promoted former blue-liner John Gruden to coach the Toronto Marlies in 2023, and the organization has seemingly been enamored with him and the job he's done. The former OHL champion won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in neighboring Hamilton, and is in the midst of the Calder Cup Playoffs with a semifinal series against the Cleveland Monsters.
Whether the Leafs think Gruden is ready to make the jump is up for debate, but he is undoubtedly part of their long-term plans. Like Carle, it would introduce someone fresh to the NHL coaching mix. As the Montreal Canadiens thrive with Martin St. Louis and the Tampa Bay Lightning remain perennial contenders with Jon Cooper, that may be more enticing than going with the old guard options.
