Let’s talk coaching: Leaflets

I’m sure there are some hockey games being played somewhere. If that’s true, good for them but the real focus of the hockey world is clearly on the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach position, so we’ll focus our thoughts there.

Here’s some guys…

There are plenty of names to consider when discussing a new coach, and insiders will provide us with a solid list of names that the Leafs are likely to be in contact with.

As someone who is not an insider, I’m going to drop a few of my favourite potential NHL retreads that are more of the “never got a fair shot” variety than the marquee ‘meh’ options like Peter Laviolette or Jay Woodcroft. Looking a bit further down the call list potentially means that the Leafs can offer shorter-term contracts, and if there is one day the option to pivot towards someone like Jon Cooper, Jared Bednar, or Rod Brind’Amour in the future, the Leafs won’t be caught in a lengthy debate with the MLSE board over severance packages.

Some of the coaches I’d suggest the Leafs look at who might fit with John Chayka’s analytic driven approach to team building are guys like John Stevens, Davis Payne, and Brad Shaw. All three had short stints or a couple of short stints as NHL head coaches, and all three come with opposite philosophies to Craig Berube, where they seem to prefer their team having the puck and dictating the pace of the game. Shaw comes with a strong defensive background, which could make him a worthwhile candidate for addressing the biggest issue facing the Leafs. Stevens has a background that shows an ability to balance physical/possession hockey, and Davis Payne might be the stronger option to play into the team’s strengths.

In addition to those retread options, Willie Desjardins of the Medicine Hat Tigers could be worth considering, as he would bring some level of familiarity with Gavin McKenna if the Leafs are intending to draft him, and also comes with coaching experience from his time as the bench boss in Vancouver and Los Angeles, as well as a productive run in the Dallas Stars organization.

Whether any of the coaches are even interested in the job remains to be seen but all seem capable of offering a different approach than Craig Berube. At the very least, one of them might be interested in an Associate Coach, second-in-command role to build out a stronger coaching group overall.

What about the assistants?

The Maple Leafs are likely very pleased with what they got out of Steve Sullivan last year, and when you couple that with his experience working with John Chayka, it’s likely that Sullivan will be a part of the Leafs organization again next season.

Derek Lalonde and Mike Van Ryn could be on the hot seat. Lalonde was a bit of a nothing burger for the Maple Leafs last season. There was no real success story here. He was just a presence Brad Treliving brought in to lighten Berube’s workload, and perhaps it’s the lack of chemistry between the two coaches that made Lalonde a disappointment, though it wouldn’t be surprising if he and the Maple Leafs go their separate ways.

Mike Van Ryn is directly linked to Berube as well as the Leafs’ defensive disasters. If he had been let go at the time Berube was fired, no one would have been surprised. You can argue that he didn’t have much in the way of personnel in 2025-26, and Van Ryn was able to turn Troy Stecher into a short-term success story. Maybe that was enough to at least keep him in a holding pattern until the new coach is named.

On-ice second chances after Berube

It might take Mike Van Ryn departing as well, but one of the biggest opportunities for improvement on ice might be with Morgan Rielly. Rielly struggled throughout the time Craig Berube was with the Leafs, and while age is certainly catching up to the defenceman and his speed isn’t what it used to be, a club with a need for puck-moving defencemen might want to look at Rielly as a potential internal upgrade for 2026-27. Realistically, Rielly won’t be a top defenceman for the Maple Leafs again, but he may still be able to deliver top-four results.

The risk associated with Auston Matthews’ contract will likely dictate what the Maple Leafs do with him, but there is a high probability that Auston Matthews can bounce back offensively with Berube’s departure. Rather than purposely matching Matthews to the toughest opposition, the new coach might find it prudent to make room for his top offensive weapon, and results could return, as well as a happier version of Auston Matthews.

Brandon Carlo might be another player that misread from day one by Craig Berube and could thrive under a new coach, especially if Bruce Cassidy walks through the door. Some of it might have been due to Berube not having enough talent on the blueline to put Carlo with someone that could help him succeed, but both Berube and Treliving seemed to misread the physical components of Carlo’s game as well.

Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson might find more enticing roles as up-tempo offensive contributors in a more balanced Leafs lineup under a new coach as well. If there is value seen in these players, it would make for a shorter to-do list for John Chayka over the summer.