The Toronto Maple Leafs did what was expected and fired coach Sheldon Keefe Thursday, setting off intense speculation about who would be replacing Keefe behind the Buds’ bench.
Here are three candidates for the Maple Leafs job, featuring two likelier options and one long shot:
1. Craig Berube
The Maple Leafs had to move quickly to dismiss Keefe, largely because the man many believe is the leading contender for the job – former Blues bench boss Craig Berube – could quickly be snapped up and hired by another team.
Berube’s pedigree as a Stanley Cup-winning coach is part of the reason Toronto would want to employ him. He is also a no-nonsense coach who would move to end any country club atmosphere that might exist in Leafs Land.
The 58-year-old is definitely in high demand, so he’ll be able to command a high-end salary, but that’s the least of Toronto’s concerns.
They’re already paying Keefe for his two-year contract extension slated to begin in 2024-25, and given that there’s no salary cap for coaches, Leafs GM Brad Treliving can outbid any team for Berube’s services.
2. Gerard Gallant
Gerard Gallant has patiently bided his time since being fired by the New York Rangers at the end of the 2022-23 season. He’s still got a stellar reputation as a coaching veteran who can make his team better than it was under previous regimes.
Gallant steered the Vegas Golden Knights to a Cup final appearance in 2017-18, winning the Jack Adams Award that season as well. He also guided the Rangers to an Eastern Conference final appearance in 2021-22.
The 60-year-old is regarded as more of a player’s coach than someone like Berube is. He’s also worked in a high-profile market like Toronto already, so he’s got the boots-on-the-ground experience Leafs president Brendan Shanahan is looking for in Keefe’s replacement.
This is not a job where you learn on the fly. Experience counts, and the Leafs need a veteran coach to handle the pressure of running the team. For those reasons, no one should be shocked if Shanahan chooses Gallant.
3. Mike Sullivan
This is more of a long-shot possibility since it appears the Penguins will stick with Mike Sullivan for next season. But there is a circumstance where Sullivan is hired by Toronto. Namely, the Penguins would need to fire Sullivan in the immediate days and weeks ahead, and the Maple Leafs would have to move rapidly to bring Sullivan aboard.
Sullivan is the second-longest-tenured coach in the NHL, but Pittsburgh’s struggles in the past two seasons give GM Kyle Dubas all the reason he needs to change coaches – maybe even hiring his old friend Keefe to be the Pens’ new coach.
Related: Latest NHL Coaching Rumors Involving Brind’Amour, Sullivan and Keefe
That said, Sullivan would be an easy sell to a Leafs fan base that desperately wants a proven winner running things.
The 56-year-old has had the luxury of employing some of the planet’s top talent with the Penguins. If he did wind up with the job in Toronto, he’d be in charge of a Leafs team with a similar core of incredibly skilled players.
Stranger things have happened, and there’s no question Sullivan should be a front-runner for the Leafs gig if he moves on from Pittsburgh.
Here’s who Michael Traikos and THN’s Toronto Maple Leafs site editor David Alter discussed as potential replacements as well. Who do you think should be the next coach. Let us know your thoughts by clicking here.
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News Summary:
- Three Candidates in the Toronto Maple Leafs' Coaching Search
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.