Jan 18, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a Toronto Maple Leafs logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs Fire Assistant Coach

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Seth Dowdle | Last updated Dec 23, 2025 7:00 AM ET

After a disappointing start to the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are making moves to try to right the ship. The team announced that assistant coach Marc Savard has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately.

The firing comes on the heels of a dismal 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Dec. 21 that saw the Maple Leafs go 0-for-4 on the power play, which was one of Savard’s chief responsibilities. On the whole, Toronto’s special teams have been in the toilet for much of the campaign, as its power play currently is the worst in the league at 13.3%.

That figure is indicative of just how disappointing the Maple Leafs have performed thus far. Their 15-5-5 record (35 points) puts them in second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference, just one point ahead of the flailing Columbus Blue Jackets.

The struggles have been especially evident in recent days, as the team has lost five of six games and hasn’t scored a power-play goal in almost a week — despite having plenty of opportunities.

Savard’s Time in Toronto Was Brief

Savard came to Toronto alongside new head coach Craig Berube prior to the 2024-25 season after the two had worked together with the St. Louis Blues in 2019-20. That Blues team was quite successful on special teams, scoring on 24.3% of its power-play opportunities. His first season behind the bench with the Maple Leafs produced a similar result, as Toronto scored on 24.8% of its power-play chances, which ranked ninth in the NHL.

While no specific reason was stated for the dismissal, the vast drop-off to start this season had to be a major factor in why Savard will no longer be a part of Toronto’s operation.

As a player, Savard appeared in 807 games from 1997-2011 with the New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins, appearing in two All-Star Games in 2007-08 and 2008-09. He scored 207 goals and totaled 706 points over his career.

Where Does Toronto Go From Here?

If the Maple Leafs are to turn their season around, the power play is going to have to ramp back up to where it has been in previous seasons. With players like Auston Matthews and William Nylander — both of whom have struggled with the man advantage this season — one would think it would come easy. However, Matthews has just three power-play goals, while Nylander has only two.

Of course, the success just wasn't there, meaning some sort of change was in order. According to the Maple Leafs, moving on from Savard was a necessary first step toward making the 2025-26 season a respectable one.

Toronto’s initial litmus test to see if the move pays off will come against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 23. The team will then have three days off for the holidays before getting back into the swing of things against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 27. A matchup with the Detroit Red Wings follows on Dec. 28.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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