Since the Toronto Maple Leafs fired their coach on Thursday, there's been plenty of media speculation and guesswork regarding a replacement.
The Toronto Maple Leafs began their coaching search immediately after firing Sheldon Keefe on Thursday.The Toronto Maple Leafs firing coach Sheldon Keefe prompted plenty of pundit guesswork regarding his potential replacement.
Stoking the speculation was the Ottawa Senators hiring Travis Green while the St. Louis Blues removed the interim label from Drew Bannister's job title. With coaching vacancies in New Jersey, San Jose, Seattle and Winnipeg, some Leafs followers believe their club must act quickly before the best candidates are hired away.
The Hockey News' Nick Barden listed former Blues coach Craig Berube, former New York Rangers bench boss Gerard Gallant and former Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan as his top candidates for the Leafs job.
The Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan had Berube at the top of his list, followed by McLellan, Gallant and former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft. He also included Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan and former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau.
Brind'Amour was the preferred choice of the Toronto Star's Kevin McGran. He also listed Berube, Gallant, former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason, former Seattle Kraken coach Dave Hakstol and McLellan.
The Athletic's Joshua Kloke has Berube as the favorite for the Leafs coaching job. However, he also has Brind'Amour on his list.
It was reported earlier this month that the Hurricanes withdrew their contract extension offer to Brind'Amour, sparking rumors of his uncertainty about his future in Carolina. Both sides quickly dismissed that notion, claiming they were close to a deal.
With Carolina on the brink of elimination in their second-round series with the Rangers, the questions about Brind'Amour's availability aren't going away. He could jump to the top of the Leafs' wish list if he were to part company with the Hurricanes.
They won't be the only club pursuing Brind'Amour. The Seattle Times' Geoff Baker believes Kraken GM Ron Francis could be up for a reunion with his former coach. The New Jersey Devils could be another, though they recently sought permission from the Leafs to speak with Sheldon Keefe.