Maple Leafs eyeing top-tier coach to take over Head Coach vacancy
TSN's Chris Johnston dropped some tidbits on TSN 1050's First Up over the weekend, about the Toronto Maple Leafs head coaching search and it's got fans buzzing.
The big question in Leafland is who will Brad Treliving replace Sheldon Keefe with? Craig Berube and Todd McLellan are the frontrunners right now, there are a couple of dark horses in the mix too.
Johnston didn't rule out the possibility of Mike Sullivan and Rod Brind'Amour swooping in and stealing the spotlight. Sullivan's a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. If he suddenly becomes available, Toronto's will call him.
I think that those conversations are probably happening a little bit. I mean, look, it might just be one phone call, right? You might be calling up Pittsburgh because there has been all these rumours and saying to Kyle [Dubas], 'would you ever let Mike Sullivan go?' And the answer might be no, and that might be the end of it, but I think the Leafs will poke around those situations.
The two names, of course, that we're hearing are Berube and McLellan because they fit the bill as the most experienced guys that have had the [best] track record of success and are available right now. It sounds like Berube is going to have conversations starting this weekend with the Leafs.
As for Brind'Amour, Johnston pointed out that while he's seemingly safe with the Hurricanes, there's no contract inked yet. And if Carolina is eliminated in Game 5 against the New York Rangers on Monday, Brind'Amour could be shown the door, as it would mark 18 years since the Canes had won a conference finals game.
Right now, Berube, a 2019 Stanley Cup champion with the St Louis Blues, seems to be the frontrunner, but anything could happen. The Leafs aren't making any promises just yet. So, sit tight, as this coaching saga is far from over!
POLL |
Who do you think Brad Treliving willhire as the Toronto Maple Leafs will hire as head coach? |
Craig Berube | 585 | 61 % |
Mike Sullivan | 30 | 3.1 % |
Rod Brind'Amour | 172 | 17.9 % |
Other | 172 | 17.9 % |
List of polls |
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