Toronto Maple Leafs News and Updates

The Toronto Maple Leafs seem to be in the news every day. Not bad for a team that didn’t qualify for the playoffs. The most recent news is that Jay Woodcroft is expected to interview for the Maple Leafs head coaching vacancy this week. He is currently an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks.

Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster

According to Frank Seravalli, Woodcroft is considered a front-runner. However, Toronto has reportedly held interviews with 20 candidates so far. Most meetings have been held over Zoom. Maple Leafs GM John Chayka did say that the search for a new head coach would be extensive.

University of Denver head coach David Carle reportedly had initial conversations with Toronto earlier this month. It remains unclear how serious a candidate he is. The Maple Leafs will be shifting their focus to the Draft Combine in Buffalo next week. Afterwards, they will resume the search for a new bench boss with a smaller group of in-person finalists.

Toronto Defenseman Wants to Stay

During a recent interview on Leafs Morning Take, Toronto defenseman Troy Stecher said that his camp and the Maple Leafs have begun preliminary talks of a new contract. The 32-year-old played well for Toronto after they acquired him in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. He registered three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 58 games with Toronto.

“It was great. I have really fond memories of playing there. It’s a world-class organization.” Stecher said when asked about his time in Toronto. “Who knows what’s going to happen here. In the offseason, with all the changes that we had. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I hope I’m back. I really enjoyed being a Leaf, and you just leave it at that.”

Toronto Marlies Star Players Continue to Shine

On Wednesday night, the Toronto Marlies defeated the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins 4-2 in Game 1 of the AHL Eastern Conference Final. The Marlies overcame a rough performance for most of the game and rallied back for another win in this playoff run.

Easton Cowan, William Villeneuve, and Artur Ahktyamov continue to stand out as the Marlies’ best players. Cowan, who spent 66 games with the Maple Leafs this season, is showcasing his offensive ability. He is looking to be a key player in Toronto’s lineup next season.

As for Villeneuve, he has developed into a complete defenseman. His game has really grown in these AHL playoffs. He can make plays, score, and is doing a lot of the little things right. Most notably, his ability to handle the puck as he moves it up the ice and avoids the opposition’s pressure. I expect him to challenge for a spot on the Maple Leafs defense at training camp in September.

Throughout most of these AHL playoffs, the Marlies have needed their goaltender to be their best player. On many nights, Artur Ahktyamov has been just that. Going into Wednesday night’s game, Ahktyamov had faced the most shots of any goaltender in the 2026 AHL playoffs. He is one of the main reasons why the Marleis have made it this far.