Maple Leafs’ Head Coaching Search To Include At Least One Internal Candidate
Maple Leafs GM John Chayka said the search for a new bench boss would be "wide and deep". That will include speaking with current assistant coach Derek Lalonde.
There have been a lot of names reported as candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ head coaching position. So it’s no surprise to learn that at least one internal candidate will be considered for the position of Toronto bench boss. Sources tell The Hockey News that Maple Leafs assistant coach Derek Lalonde will interview for the job.
Lalonde joined the Maple Leafs last summer after associate coach Lane Lambert departed Toronto to become the new head coach of the Seattle Kraken . While Lalonde led the club’s penalty kill, Toronto finished eighth in the NHL with an 81. 2 percent efficiency.
But defensively, the Leafs struggled all season long, and defense fell under his purview as well. When the Leafs struggled in the early parts of last season, many pointed to Lalonde as a potential interim head coach option had they elected to fire Berube mid-season. Toronto instead elected to move on from Berube at the end of the season following the installment of new management led by GM John Chayka and Senior Executive Advisor to Hockey Operations Mats Sundin .
Lalonde had a successful first stint in the NHL as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning under Jon Cooper. There he won Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, while going to the Stanley Cup Final again in 2022. From there, Lalonde earned his first NHL head coaching position, becoming bench boss of the Detroit Red Wings at the beginning of the 2022-23 season.