An Update On The Coaching Search In Toronto

The Maple Leafs’ search for their next head coach is entering the home stretch. Newly hired GM John Chayka held a Zoom call earlier Tuesday to discuss the Leafs’ trade with the Philadelphia Flyers and was asked for a status update on the coaching search. “We’re in the final phases,” he answered. “We’ve had some in-person meetings recently, and we’re getting down to decision time. Should be in the next several days.”

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Tuesday that Western Michigan head coach Pat Ferschweiler is among the finalists for the job. The 56-year-old is coming off the most successful run in program history: he guided the Broncos to their first national championship in 2025, going 34-7-1 while sweeping the NCHC regular-season and tournament titles before beating Boston University in the National Championship, and he was a unanimous national coach of the year that season. Over five years in Kalamazoo, he’s compiled a 133-61-5 record, per Hockeydb. This past season, his club was eliminated in the regional final by Denver, the eventual national champion.

Ferschweiler is no stranger to the pro and development pipelines, either. He spent four seasons as a Red Wings assistant under Jeff Blashill (2015-19) after a year with AHL Grand Rapids, and he’s coached throughout USA Hockey’s program, including a World Junior staff role in 2023. During his time with Western Michigan, 41 of his players have signed pro contracts, a development track record that fits a Leafs team reshaping around the No. 1 pick and a young Marlies core while still built to contend with star forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

Ferschweiler joins a field that includes Patrick Roy, Joe Pavelski, and Dallas Eakins, with Peter Laviolette no longer in play after taking the Kings’ job. On the Roy front, Stefen Rosner reported that the former Islanders bench boss, fired in April and replaced by Peter DeBoer, remains under contract on Long Island, with the Islanders granting Toronto permission to speak with him. A Hall of Fame goaltender and four-time Stanley Cup champion as a player, Roy won the Jack Adams Award with Colorado in 2013-14 and brings the kind of pedigree that tends to command a room.