Head Coach Search Begins in Toronto

A new head coach search is on for the Toronto Maple Leafs. General Manager John Chayka promises to leave no stone unturned.

“We’re gonna have a very wide and deep search, people across varying backgrounds and experiences, and through that we’ll pick the right leader,” Chayka told reporters on Wednesday.

Hours earlier, the team announced it had fired Craig Berube after two seasons. Chayka said the decision was made on Tuesday. Toronto is coming off its first missed postseason in a decade.

Chayka, hired as GM alongside senior advisor Mats Sundin earlier in May, did not get into specifics of what he was looking for in the next coach, saying he “wouldn’t discount anything at this time.”

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Head Coach Options for Toronto

Bruce Cassidy

When the New York Islanders hired Peter DeBoer on April 5, Cassidy became the number one guy on the list of available coaches. Fired by Vegas in March, Cassidy has never missed the playoffs in nine years as an NHL head coach. He coached the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup win in 2023. He will be in high demand, as evidenced by the reported interest from the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.

Todd Nelson

Todd Nelson’s coaching experience includes everything except a lengthy run as an NHL head coach. He replaced Dallas Eakins in Edmonton midway through the 2014-15 season on an interim basis but was not retained. The 56-year-old has won the Calder Cup as an AHL head coach three times, in 2023 and 2024 with Hershey and in 2017 with Grand Rapids. Nelson has spent time as an NHL assistant coach in Atlanta, Edmonton, and Dallas.

Jay Woodcroft

Jay Woodcroft was fired by the Edmonton Oilers in November 2023 after starting the season with a 3-9-1 record. He returned to the NHL this season as a member of Joel Quenneville’s staff in Anaheim. The 49-year-old native of Toronto would likely not pass up an opportunity to help his hometown team find success. He coached the Oilers to the Western Conference final in 2022 and the second round in 2023.

Manny Malhotra

The 45-year-old Malhotra is a local guy from Mississauga, Ontario. He apprenticed in the NHL as an assistant coach, including three seasons with the Canucks (2017-20), four with the Leafs (2020-24). Most recently, he coached Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, to a Calder Cup title in 2024-25. It shouldn’t be a surprise if he gets his first crack at an NHL head coaching job.

Jay Leach

Jay Leach has built a good coaching resume in the past decade. He guided the Providence Bruins of the AHL for four seasons before spending three seasons as an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken. The past two seasons, Leach has been an assistant with the Boston Bruins.

Options From Within

Derek Lalonde

Derek Lalonde, 53, would be the best candidate if John Chayka decides to promote from within. Lalonde was an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning for back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. However, his first shot at being an NHL head coach didn’t work out. He was fired as coach of the Detroit Red Wings in December 2024. Detroit missed the playoffs in Lalonde’s first two seasons under his leadership.

Steve Sullivan

Steve Sullivan quickly went from Toronto Marlies assistant coach to the Leafs bench as an assistant in charge of the power play this season. The move happened after former assistant coach Marc Savard was fired in December. At 51, Sullivan is younger than many other candidates. He could offer a fresh perspective on the Leafs.

Chayka spent his entire five-season tenure with the Arizona Coyotes working with Sullivan in some capacity. Sullivan worked with the Coyotes from 2014 to 2021, in roles that included development coach, director of player development, and assistant general manager. If Chayka liked what he saw from Sullivan in Arizona, maybe he’ll give him a chance as an NHL head coach.

John Gruden

John Gruden is the head coach of the Toronto Marlies, a position he’s held for the past three seasons. Over that time, he has amassed a 107-75-34 record. Gruden has never been a head coach at the NHL level, but has served as an assistant with both the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. 

Gruden is in the midst of guiding the Marlies through the AHL playoffs. The team is beginning its Divisional Final series against the Cleveland Monsters. Could Chayka be waiting to see if Gruden can guide the Marlies to a Calder Cup championship?

Head Coaches From Outside the NHL

Gerard Gallant

Gerard Gallant could easily become an interesting name to watch this offseason. After coaching in the KHL, Gallant stepped away from his role in mid-January due to health reasons. However, there is a growing belief that Gallant wants to return to the NHL next season.

The success he found in Vegas still carries some weight around the NHL. He led the franchise to a Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season. Gallant might not be the best choice if Chayka wants a coach who is the complete opposite of Craig Berube.

David Carle

David Carle is fresh off leading the Denver Pioneers to their third NCAA title in five years. The 36-year-old Carle is gathering NHL attention, and rightly so. He’s won back-to-back gold medals as coach of the United States’ world junior team in 2024 and 2025. If Chayka wants a younger coach with a fresh take on things, Carle should be near the top of his list.

Peter Laviolette

If experience is what Chayka is looking for in the next Leafs head coach, Laviolette should get some consideration. Laviolette has spent parts of 24 seasons in the NHL, almost all of them as a head coach. He’s coached seven different teams and has a Stanley Cup victory (2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes) on his resume. Laviolette has also taken two other teams to the Stanley Cup Final.

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