The Toronto Maple Leafs' coaching search may be taking a very different turn
|
Daniel Lucente
May 13, 2026 (5:12 PM)
|
|
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Manny Malhotra is now tied to the Leafs' opening after Craig Berube's exit, and the fit says plenty about Toronto's reset.
This isn't just another familiar-name leak. It points to the kind of bench Toronto may now want: younger, connected, detailed, and less tied to the same old room.
Elliotte Friedman linked Malhotra to the search Wednesday, with the former Leafs assistant viewed as a name that could become prominent if Toronto leans into a first-time NHL head coach.
The Leafs finished 32-36-14, sat last in the Atlantic Division, and closed with a 2-7-1 slide.
Toronto also carried a -46 goal differential. That's not a small systems tweak. That's a team needing a cleaner identity from puck drop through the final horn.
Malhotra isn't a recycled bench boss. He's a development-driven coach with Leafs history and a Calder Cup on his recent résumé.
The post puts Malhotra's name directly into Toronto's coaching conversation, turning a familiar connection into a real search angle.
"I did have a couple of candidates say to me that the Leafs wouldn't be afraid in trying an up-and-comer, a first timer. I do think a guy like Manny Malhotra, and it also depends what Vancouver does here, but I think...Malhotra could be very prominent in this search... will be on (the Toronto) radar."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Malhotra would signal a different Leafs bet
Malhotra worked on Toronto's bench from 2020 through 2024, so this wouldn't be a blind hire. He knows the market, the pressure, and the temperature inside that locker room.
His Abbotsford run adds the sharper part. Winning the Calder Cup in his first season as a pro head coach gives Toronto something more useful than nostalgia.
This is where the strategy gets interesting. Bruce Cassidy's name brings instant NHL weight, but Malhotra would suggest the Leafs are choosing alignment over reputation.
That choice would come with risk. Toronto's next coach has to handle stars, special teams, media heat, and a fan base with no patience left for another soft reset.
But Malhotra's appeal is obvious. He can sell structure without sounding stale, and he has already coached in the building.
For the Leafs, this would not be a safe hire. It would be a statement that the next bench needs a new voice, not just a louder one.
Also read on HockeyLatest :
Oilers expected to make major coaching change according to multiple sources
Oilers expected to make major coaching change according to multiple sources