3 Maple Leafs Head Coach Candidates After Craig Berube Firing

Despite losing Mitch Marner this offseason, expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs were as high as ever heading into the 2025-26 season.

Fresh off their first 82-game season division title since the turn of the millennium, it appeared the Leafs were primed once again to enter the season with strong Stanley Cup odds, just as was the case the past several seasons for those who bet on hockey. 

In conjunction with injuries and slow starts from stars like Auston Matthews, the Leafs’ nation powder keg appears ready to erupt, seeking somebody to bear the brunt of a team watching its window close in real time.

Now that Craig Berube has been fired after a terrible season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who might replace him?

NHL Hot Seat: 3 Potential Replacements for Craig Berube

Peter DeBoer, Free Agent

Perhaps the most sought-after coach on the market, Peter DeBoer is no stranger to turning things around quickly, wherever he lands.

The 57-year-old has reached the Conference Finals or better in his first year with his last four teams, including trips to the Stanley Cup Final with the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks.

Most recently, DeBoer served as head coach of the Dallas Stars for three seasons, averaging nearly 50 wins each year and reaching the Western Conference Final all three seasons.

Known for his strong possession teams and offensive lean, DeBoer’s system would be a big departure from the Maple Leafs’ current structure.

Given Toronto’s offensive prowess this season, however, leaning into that identity could serve as a fun match, and might just be what both parties need to secure a long elusive Stanley Cup finally.

Marc Savard, Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant Coach

If the Maple Leafs decide to stay internal with any potential hiring, Marc Savard is the obvious choice to take the reins.

Currently an assistant coach with the club responsible for the power play, Savard’s familiarity with Berube’s system would allow the Maple Leafs to retain their structured style while still shaking things up.

While he’s never served as a head coach before, Savard’s name has come up in the past as a top candidate for openings, including with the Calgary Flames just three seasons ago.

A move into the bench boss role could also provide Toronto with a fresh look at their power play, as a slow start to the season has it ranked towards the bottom of the league.

Bruce Boudreau, Free Agent

Boudreau hasn’t coached since the 2022-23 season with the Vancouver Canucks, but the former Jack Adams Award winner would be another great story behind the Maple Leafs bench.

A longtime Leafs fan who eventually donned the sweater during the late-70s and early-80s, Boudreau has repeatedly expressed his desire to coach his boyhood team.

Despite his early career coaching success, things haven’t gone nearly as well of late, with his last playoff appearance coming all the way back in 2018 with the Minnesota Wild, who were bumped in the first round in five games.

That said, Boudreau’s emphasis on emotion and his strong connection to the team could be just what the Maple Leafs need, particularly given frequent criticism of their inability to show fight or passion when things get tough.

Boudreau, for his part, would likely be unmatched as far as bringing that elusive passion to the table.