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The newest round of Toronto Maple Leafs rumors suggest that an announcement regarding the hiring of a new coach could be imminent.

The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ search for a new head coach has reportedly taken the organization to the University of Denver. Top NCAA coach David Carle has gained plenty of attention from various NHL clubs, making Toronto the latest in a string of teams looking to land the coveted bench boss.

However, as one notable insider hinted, there’s a crucial reason why the Maple Leafs can just forget about Carle. It has nothing to do with the organization per se, but everything to do with the path the 36-year-old is purportedly on.

Insider David Pagnotta discussed during a conversation with Jeff Marek on The Sheet that Carle looks like he’s on track to take over the head coaching role in another NHL organization.

“I think the trajectory is, when Colorado makes that (coaching) change in however many years down the road, that he’s their guy.”

In other words, David Carle is biding his time until the Colorado Avalanche come calling. That’s a very interesting situation. Current Avalanche coach Jared Bednar is the second-longest tenured coach in the NHL. And his job looks pretty safe for now.

Bednar won the 2022 Stanley Cup and is in the midst of a hard-fought Western Conference Final series with the Vegas Golden Knights.

That’s why the Maple Leafs might be kicking the tires on Carle, but it doesn’t look like they’ll have a real shot, should Pagnotta prove correct.

Maple Leafs Desire for Carle Makes Sense

David Carle makes sense for Toronto given his age and success at the collegiate level. He’s the younger voice that GM John Chayka would like to bring in to build a new iteration of the Maple Leafs playoff teams.

At this point, Toronto is looking to rebuild on the fly. That approach may involve a couple of years of subpar seasons, while the team turns over its roster and builds an identity under a new coach.

That coach, nevertheless, doesn’t figure to be David Carle. He seems just fine at the University of Denver. And transitioning to the Colorado Avalanche makes even more sense for him career-wise.

What’s Next for Toronto in Coaching Search?

As it stands, there really isn’t much going on for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their coaching search. Beyond David Carle, few names have emerged as potential candidates. One name that has been bouncing around is former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft.

Other than that, the Maple Leafs are going through the initial phase of their search. As insider Elliotte Friedman noted, Toronto is reaching out to potential candidates with preliminary discussions. From there, it’s likely the organization whittles its list for formal interviews.

So, it seems that it could be a matter of weeks before there’s any real advancement insofar as solid coaching candidates for the Maple Leafs. It’s worth noting, of course, that David Carle’s name won’t completely come off the map. There’s always the chance the Leafs could entice him to jump to the NHL.

That is a situation that remains unclear. In the meantime, Leafs fans will have to play the waiting game.