The head coach search for the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason isn’t likely going to be a quick one. The organization has been adamant about bringing in a coach who can spur a turnaround as soon as next season.
As such, the next Leafs’ bench boss will have to be someone who aligns with the new management’s vision. That someone could be former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft.
The potential candidate won’t likely be someone from the “old guard.” If anything, the Maple Leafs will want to bring in a younger face, possibly a first-time NHL head coach.
That’s something that Elliotte Friedman alluded to in Friday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast. Since the Maple Leafs will be looking to bring in someone young, Friedman noted that the former Oilers coach could fit the bill.
Woodcroft coached the Oilers for parts of three seasons, starting in the 2021-22 season. He had two very good seasons, including a solid 2022-23 campaign in which Edmonton went 50-23-9. However, a second-round exit in the 2023 playoffs and a 3-9-1 start the next season doomed Woodcroft.
Still, the Maple Leafs could see a potential fit in Woodcroft. Since leaving the Oilers, he has been an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks and Team Canada’s Olympic team. So, there’s certainly experience there.
But there might be another reason why Toronto would consider Woodcroft as their next coach.
Woodcroft Knows How to Deal with Pressure-Packed Market
Edmonton is just about as pressure-packed as Toronto. Woodcroft has been through that media circus and can understand what it takes to thrive in a hockey hotbed.
That said, Woodcroft isn’t a stranger to dealing with elite players. His time with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, among others, should translate well to the Maple Leafs’ current crop of stars.
Plus, his more puck-possession style and balanced defensive approach should mesh well in Toronto. Under Craig Berube, the Maple Leafs went from a high-octane offense to a grinding club. The roster as constructed, however, was not conducive to that style of play.
If anything, Woodcroft could bring back a style of play similar to the one the Anaheim Ducks showed this season. The Maple Leafs, like the Ducks, have a good mix of talent and grit. Sure, the Leafs could use some upgrades across the board.
But bringing in Woodcroft would hardly be the craziest idea in the world.
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Maple Leafs Need a New Coach for a New Era
Friedman made an interesting comment about the Maple Leafs needing a new coach for a new era. That’s why the next head coach wouldn’t necessarily be someone older, like, say, Peter Laviolette or even Bruce Cassidy.
Instead, the Leafs need a bench boss who could grow with the team, leading a new sustainable era of success. Whether that new era begins this season or beyond, the fact is that the Maple Leafs need a coach for the long haul.
That assertion makes Woodcroft an interesting candidate. At the time of this writing, there is no indication that the Maple Leafs have made any efforts to pursue Woodcroft. That situation should change in the coming weeks, now that the Ducks are out of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Maple Leafs Could Target Former Oilers Coach This Offseason