The Toronto Maple Leafs delivered a stark message to their roster on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, by dismissing assistant coach Marc Savard in a mid-season shakeup. The move, described by players as a wake-up call, came directly on the heels of a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, a win that couldn't mask the team's profound special teams struggles.
A Drastic Move for a Failing Power Play
The primary reason for Savard's departure was the Maple Leafs' anemic power play, which had sunk to a league-worst 13% success rate. Firing an assistant coach in the middle of the season, without making broader changes to the coaching staff, is a highly unusual step in the NHL, underscoring the organization's urgency. The team's position near the bottom of the Eastern Conference was largely attributed to this critical failing.
Winger Steven Lorentz, who scored in the win, acknowledged the jarring nature of the decision. "First time I've had that happen in my career, a learning experience," Lorentz said. "It was tough, we all loved him around the room. He kept the mood light." The sentiment was echoed across the locker room, but the results on the ice necessitated action.
Player Reaction and On-Ice Adjustments
Star players on the top power-play unit, including Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares, were directly implicated in the struggle. Following Savard's firing, the team made an immediate adjustment for the game against Pittsburgh, inserting Max Domi in place of Matthew Knies on that top unit.
"A great guy, sad to see him go, but we've been struggling," said Nylander. "I guess that's the first step to try and make a change." Ironically, Domi's game-winning goal against the Penguins came during 4-on-4 play, as the game featured an unusual scarcity of power-play opportunities for either side.
Domi expressed sympathy for his former coach while acknowledging the business realities of professional sports. "That's the unfortunate part of this business that when things aren't going well, stuff like that happens," Domi stated. "Savvy's a good guy who played in the league a long time and I learned a lot from him."
A Clear Signal for the Future
The dismissal of Marc Savard serves as a clear warning from the Maple Leafs' management that the status quo is unacceptable. The move signals that further changes, potentially involving player personnel, could follow if performance does not improve. The shortened bench in the coaches' office was a tangible symbol for the players that accountability is paramount.
As the team heads into the holiday break, the lesson from Savard's sudden departure is now squarely on the players to absorb and translate into improved execution, starting with the crucial man-advantage situations that have plagued their season.
