If Dallas Eakins becomes the next head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, players will always know exactly where they stand. Transparency and open lines of communication are two of Eakins' defining attributes as a coach.
That was the word on Friday from a source who has worked with Eakins in the past and spoke to the Toronto Sun on condition of anonymity.
"His door was always open," the source said. "Everyone knew what their roles were. Nothing was left to chance."
Eakins' name has been circulating as a potential Leafs coaching candidate for several weeks. TSN's Darren Dreger stated on the Overdrive program Thursday that he believes Eakins remains in the mix.
A text message sent to Eakins by the Sun on Friday was not immediately returned.
Patrick Roy and Jay Woodcroft are also rumored to be on the short list of Leafs general manager John Chayka.
Joe Pavelski confirmed to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News in San Jose that he has had discussions with the Leafs regarding the coaching vacancy. Pavelski said he was "excited to go through the process and kind of see where it leads."
Could Cassidy Be the Guy?
We also have to wonder where Bruce Cassidy could fit into the Leafs' plans. If the Vegas Golden Knights eventually give Cassidy permission to talk to other teams, there is no question that Cassidy should squarely be in Toronto's sights.
Whether the Golden Knights relent once the Stanley Cup final is over is not clear. The Carolina Hurricanes can win the Cup in six games if they beat Vegas on Sunday. If not, Game 7 will be on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, two of Pavelski's former coaches, Peter DeBoer and Steve Spott, told us that they believe Pavelski has the right hockey mind to be a coach in the NHL.
Unlike Pavelski, who has coached his son's minor hockey team in Wisconsin over the past two seasons after retiring from the NHL, Eakins carries a wealth of coaching experience.
That includes stints in the Toronto organization as an assistant coach with both the Leafs and Toronto Marlies, as well as four seasons (2009-13) as the Marlies' head coach. As a player, Eakins skated for both the Leafs (18 games in 1998-99) and the club's American Hockey League affiliate in St. John's.
Head coaching jobs with the Edmonton Oilers, San Diego Gulls of the AHL, and Anaheim Ducks followed.
Eakins has spent the past three seasons coaching Adler Mannheim in Germany's top league, the DEL. Mannheim lost in the DEL final this past spring to Berlin.
Marlies coach John Gruden said this week that he had not talked to Chayka about the Leafs job. The Marlies and Chicago Wolves begin the AHL's best-of-seven Calder Cup final on Friday night in Chicago.
Leafs' Patience Commendable
What is clear, and this is a good thing, is that Chayka has been true to his word about ensuring that the coaching search was wide and thorough.
Saturday will mark one month since Craig Berube was fired on May 13. That day, Chayka said that hiring a new coach would be "the most critical decision" he would make as GM.
Sure enough, the Leafs have not been in a rush to settle on a new coach. That is commendable.
