Getty

The Toronto Maple Leafs could have the path clear to hire who could have ended up being their preferred coach all along.

The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ coaching search has taken eerily long. It almost seems as if the organization has purposely taken this long as they await their preferred candidate to become available.

It seems that the path is now clear to bring in that candidate: John Tortorella.

Make no mistake. Tortorella is unlikely to be the Maple Leafs top candidate. That was likely David Carle. When Carle turned the Leafs down, Toronto had to figure out its next steps. That would explain why over 50 candidates have gotten a look.

The latest was Pat Ferschweiler, a surprising choice to say the least, as Elliotte Friedman reported.

Friedman also noted that a decision could be coming soon. If that’s the case, there might not be much of a runway for Tortorella. However, that comment came before the Golden Knights confirmed that Torts would not be back next season.

On a recent appearance on NHL Network, Friedman himself confirmed that with the Edmonton Oilers seemingly fixated on Mike Babcock, the only real opening left is Toronto. And Tortorella could still be in play for a team like the Maple Leafs.

With that in mind, could the Leafs just pump the brakes and hold off on making an official announcement until they talk to Tortorella? It’s certainly a possibility.

Maple Leafs Would Need Permission from Golden Knights

The only sticking point to this thesis is that the Maple Leafs would have to request permission to speak with Tortorella before July 1. That’s because Torts’ contract officially ends on June 30. That situation means that, even though the Golden Knights have announced that they won’t bring back the veteran coach, the Leafs can’t just call him.

That said, it seems highly unlikely that Vegas would play hardball with the Leafs and deny permission to speak to Tortorella. Even if they did, it would just be a matter of waiting a couple of weeks for Tortorella to officially become a free agent again.

Chayka Looking to Avoid Treliving’s Mistake

When Maple Leafs former GM Brad Treliving canned Sheldon Keefe, the decision to hire Craig Berube wasn’t much of a debate. It seemed as though Treliving’s mind was already made up on the 2019 Stanley Cup winner.

That situation led to an abbreviated search, leading to Berube’s hiring within a few weeks. That situation has been the polar opposite this time around. Current GM John Chayka has taken his time in this search.

And with good reason.

The organization is going through a pivotal moment. The right decision could usher in a new era of competitiveness. The wrong move could plunge the Leafs into a prolonged rebuild. With the first-overall pick in tow, and potentially useful pieces coming in, Chayka cannot afford to take this decision lightly.

Hence, Tortorella makes sense. He would be the adult in the room, precluding the need for micromanaging from upper echelons. Tortorella could even be the voice of reason when things don’t go according to plan.

Betting on Tortorella becoming the Maple Leafs next head coach is another story. The odds may not necessarily be in his favor. But he is the sort of choice that checks off a lot of boxes moving forward.