Four Coaches The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Consider Hiring

The Toronto Maple Leafs did Wednesday what many expected they'd do sooner or later by firing coach Craig Berube after two years on the job.

Berube, who had two years left on his contract, was on the hot seat as the Leafs fell out of the playoff race, especially after former Leafs GM Brad Treliving was fired on March 30 and replaced with John Chayka last week.

Chayka said the decision to fire Berube was less an evaluation of him and more a chance for an organizational shift and fresh start.

Now, attention has turned to who will replace Berube in Toronto. 

Here are four coaches who would be strong fits for the Maple Leafs' new job opening:

If Chayka decides the best road forward for the franchise is a retool-on-the-fly that tries to get them back in the playoffs next season, Cassidy is the right choice.

Cassidy, 60, is a win-now option, and he probably won't be on the market for a new job for much longer – although the Vegas Golden Knights reportedly withheld permission from the Edmonton Oilers to interview Cassidy. 

That may be a different story with a team that isn't in Vegas' division, but there's no question Cassidy has the pedigree and experience to turn the Leafs' fortunes around.

Cassidy won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023, won the Jack Adams Award in 2020, won the 4 Nations Face-Off with Team Canada as an assistant coach and served the same role when the Canadians earned silver at the Olympics.

If Chayka and Sundin value immediate results, Cassidy is the best option. And while Chayka said Wednesday that the team is going to cast a wide net to hire a new coach, they'll probably have to act quickly if they want to hire Cassidy.

There's no young coach in the sport today with a better resume than Carle, who has put together a dynasty at the University of Denver, winning three national NCAA championships in the past four years.

Carle, 36, also won gold with Team USA at the 2024 and 2025 world juniors.

If Carle is interested in the job – and that's a very big 'if,' since the stability at Denver is far better than what he would get in the NHL – he could take the step from college hockey to the NHL like potential first overall pick Gavin McKenna.

The Leafs aren't guaranteed to pick McKenna first overall, but make no mistake – Carle's ability to work well with young players and get his roster fully committed to his system is likely going to make him very appealing to Chayka & Co. 

A year ago, Carle signed a multi-year contract extension with the University of Denver, so he's got the comfort of a long-term commitment. But if Chayka and Sundin can sell Carle on having full coaching control of one of hockey's most beloved franchises, we can see Carle deciding that Toronto has the right combination of young talent and proven stars to give him a solid chance to win a Stanley Cup.

Malhotra, a former Leafs player and assistant coach, has been doing great work as coach of the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks.

The 45-year-old led Abbotsford to a Calder Cup championship in 2025. That instantly raised Malhotra's stock to make him one of the most highly desired coaches for just about every franchise looking for a new bench boss.

As a coach renowned for positive reinforcement, player development and intense preparation, Malhotra should have no issues getting buy-in in Toronto and getting improvement out of every player.

Malhotra's son, Caleb, could be a top-five pick in this year's NHL draft. But the Leafs aren't going to pick Caleb unless they acquire two picks in the top five. That said, Malhotra's familiarity with the Toronto market could give him a leg up on other candidates for the Maple Leafs' job. And as he grows as an NHL coach, the Leafs could expect their core to grow with him.

Currently serving as the coach of the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Gruden already knows the Maple Leafs' young players.

Gruden, 55, has a terrific resume, including coaching the Hamilton Bulldogs to an OHL championship in 2018 and serving as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins.

Gruden has done solid work with the Marlies, which advanced to the North Division finals in this year's playoffs.

And before all that, Gruden coached Auston Matthews and Joseph Woll in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Getting Auston Matthews back to his elite goal-scoring self should be a key for any coach the Leafs hire.

If Chayka goes in-house with his choice for the Leafs' next coach, it makes sense that Gruden would get the nod.

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