If there’s any chance that the Maple Leafs can talk to Bruce Cassidy now that the Stanley Cup final is done, they shouldn’t move too quickly on making a decision on their next head coach.
Now that the Vegas Golden Knights have lost in the championship round against the Carolina Hurricanes — therefore no longer having any distractions — it behooves Leafs general manager John Chayka to learn whether Cassidy would become available for an interview.
A phone call to Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon should be on Chayka’s immediate to-do list this week.
It’s nothing against some of the people Chayka is believed to have interviewed in the final stages of the coaching search — Patrick Roy, Dallas Eakins, Jay Woodcroft and Joe Pavelski have been thick in speculation — but Cassidy is the best coach without a National Hockey League job right now.
No matter what, you’d think that a Leafs decision regarding their next coach can’t be far off. It has now been more than a month since Craig Berube was fired and Chayka has conducted an exhaustive search.
Would the Maple Leafs consider Tortorella?
One other thought: On the chance that the Golden Knights decide to move on from John Tortorella, who was hired on a short-term basis when Cassidy was fired in March, the Leafs should look the other way.
Tortorella caught lightning in a bottle in coaching the Golden Knights to the Cup final, but take a look at his record in the past 20-plus years.
Since winning the Cup as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and before being hired by Vegas, Tortorella’s coaching stints with the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers bore little post-season fruit.
In 18 seasons, Tortorella advanced past the second round once and didn’t make the playoffs in seven of those years.
He stubbornly stuck with a goalie, Carter Hart, who stunk in the Cup final, though it might have been more of an organizational decision to keep playing Hart instead of Adin Hill.
It’s not just the coaching issue, of course, which will keep command of Chayka’s attention in the next couple of weeks.
The Leafs have been in the midst of a transitional phase since Brad Treliving was fired at the end of March and it’s going to continue as the calendar rolls into July.
Is there a Morgan Rielly trade coming?
There is nothing imminent regarding defenceman Morgan Rielly, who is seventh on the Leafs franchise list in games played with 951.
There have been discussions between Chayka and Rielly’s agent, J.P. Barry, about the possibility of the veteran moving on, but those talks have not gone beyond that.
Two things have not happened.
- The Leafs haven’t presented Rielly with any trade proposals.
- The 32-year-old has not gone to the Leafs and presented a list of teams to which he would accept a trade.
Rielly has four years remaining on his eight-year contract, with a full no-movement clause in each of the next two seasons.
There has been speculation about a possible one-for-one swap involving Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers, but we can’t see how it would make much sense for Toronto. A year younger than Rielly, Nurse also has four years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $9.25 million US. Rielly’s AAV is $7.5 million.
The Leafs have to get younger on the blue line and take significant steps defensively. Nurse wouldn’t be the answer in either regard.
Will the Leafs take Gavin McKenna at No. 1?
After weeks of speculation, there won’t be any more wondering once the first pick of the 2026 NHL draft is announced on the night of June 26 in Buffalo.
Should Chayka contemplate what offers might come for the No. 1 selection? Yes.
Should Chayka move on actually trading the pick? No, unless there’s an offer that absolutely knocks him off his feet. We don’t expect that to happen.
The consensus feeling is that the Leafs will take winger Gavin McKenna, though a fine argument could be made for picking winger Ivar Stenberg.
We don’t think the Leafs can go wrong either way.
The Leafs will have six picks in Rounds 2-7 next Saturday, provided none are traded. That’s where director of amateur scouting Mark Leach and his staff will have to uncover a gem or two.
What will July 1 bring?
As of today, the Leafs are approximately $22 million under the salary cap.
Chayka won’t be able to wave a magic wand once the gates to unrestricted free agency open and solve the Leafs’ ills.
Forward Alex Tuch and defenceman Darren Raddysh are the prime players who will be available.
Rasmus Andersson could help move the needle for the Leafs’ defence corps, though he had just six assists in 22 playoff games with Vegas. Jacob Trouba could be another fit on the blue line.
If Tuch is not an option, the Leafs should be open to bringing Bobby McMann back. He finished with 29 goals in total for 2025-26 following a trade to Seattle.
Boone Jenner? Mason Marchment? Jack Roslovic? Aside from Tuch, many of the free agents available are going to have the potential to fill the net on a consistent basis.
Decisions, meanwhile, will have to be made on Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli and Jacob Quillan. All are restricted free agents.
