The Toronto Maple Leafs are searching for a new head coach, after firing Craig Berube. Toronto’s general manager John Chayka announced Tuesday that search is nearly over.
“I think we are on the final phases at this stage,” Chayka said, per NHL.com. “It’s been a pretty thorough process so far and we’ve taken our time with it. We’ve had some in-person meetings recently and we are getting down to decision time, so it should be in the next, you know, several days.”
Berube was fired after the Maple Leafs failed to reach the postseason. Chayka and the team had cast a wide net looking for his replacement. There was a report that the Maple Leafs were interested in Jared Bednar, if the Colorado Avalanche fired him.
Chayka is not revealing too much about who will be Berube’s replacement.
“We didn’t make this decision in a vacuum,” Chayka said recently. “It’s a bigger picture decision and it’s not just about the coach. … Just feel like there’s some things we need to change and do better and be better, and that starts with (Mats Sundin) and myself at the top with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith (Pelley) and the board aligned on a vision and the path ahead.”
Toronto is working to re-shape the roster, after this frustrating season. The Maple Leafs traded goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
“Mats and I have been working pretty hard now for the last several weeks coming up with what we think is a pretty comprehensive offseason plan, and this is a move we feel that is a part of that,” Chayka said. “There’s lots of work to be done with the roster.
“What we liked about this opportunity is that it allowed us to create some flexibility. I think flexibility and optionality are assets to any great organization, and certainly this allows us to be in a better spot as we think about the entire offseason plan.”
The Maple Leafs posted 78 points during the 2025-26 season.
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