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Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs coaching search is well underway after the franchise let go of former bench boss Craig Berube this past week. New GM John Chayka has decided it makes the most sense for the club to clean house and bring in a new staff to lead this team.

There are a variety of different directions Toronto could go when it comes to what type of coach takes on this role. Do they choose to bring in another experienced coach who has that championship winning resume, like they tried with Berube? Or do they take a chance on a younger coach to fill the position that could provide a fresh perspective to a group that could use it? There is no shortage of viable options available on the market on both fronts.

Toronto May Opt for Youth Over Experience with New Coach

Insider Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto front office may go a different route with this coaching hire; he stated on Sportsnet Today: “I did have a couple of [management] candidates say to me that the Leafs wouldn’t be afraid of trying an up-and-comer [coach].”

This would be a drastic change of pace compared to what the Maple Leafs have tried recently with their previous hire. The Berube dump and chase system did not mesh with this team as Toronto missed out on a playoff spot, going below .500 for the first time since the 2015-2016 campaign.

A younger coach could be exactly what this team needs as they look to bounce back after a tough season. The silver lining of this past year is the fact the Maple Leafs landed the first overall pick, giving them the opportunity to add Gavin McKenna into the fold. That should help them implement a fast retooling process that could see Toronto return to the playoffs soon. That would go a long way towards keeping franchise player Auston Matthews happy in Toronto.

The question is if Toronto goes for a younger coach, who could that candidate be? Insider David Pagnotta has linked a couple notable names to the position on The Sheet: “I would presume that they’re going in a younger type of route…whether it’s a Manny Malhotra or Jay Leach…or whomever.”

This Coaching Hire is Crucial for the Maple Leafs

This coaching decision will be important for Chayka and this new front office. They have already received their fair share of criticism from the Toronto fanbase coming into the job. A successful draft and strong coaching hire would be a great start for this group.

The Maple Leafs cannot afford to get this decision wrong. With Matthews having two years left on his current contract, Toronto needs to show serious progression over these upcoming seasons for the sake of his future with the organization.

It seems clear early on that this new Toronto leadership group is not interested in a rebuild. The goal, especially after the fortunate draft lottery result, has to be returning to playoff contention in 2026-2027. The new coach will play a big part in making that happen.