A massive twist just emerged in the Maple Leafs coaching search after a wild new name surfaced
Jay Woodcroft is in Toronto's coaching mix now, and Craig Berube's exit still hangs over every step of this Leafs search.
That is the fresh wrinkle from Darren Dreger.
Woodcroft's name is in the conversation, Kris Knoblauch reportedly wants some time, and Derek Lalonde is another possibility.
That tells you something right away.
The Maple Leafs are not locked into one obvious replacement. They are still sorting through different types of candidates and different timelines.
Woodcroft is the name that jumps first.
He fits the idea of a coach with NHL bench experience, and he would bring a different tone than Berube without feeling like a wild gamble.
Knoblauch is the interesting one because Dreger's note says he sounds like he wants to take some time. That matters in a search like this.
If Toronto wants to move at its own pace, that can work. But if a candidate wants to slow things down too much, a market like this usually keeps moving.
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The Leafs coaching search just took a wild turn with a surprising new candidate
That is why Lalonde's name matters too.
He may not be the flashy option Leafs fans scream about first, but when a search starts pulling in names like this, it usually means the team is trying to compare styles, not just résumés.
Woodcroft feels like a coach who could steady a bench.
Knoblauch feels like a coach Toronto would at least have to think hard about because of his recent NHL work, even if the timing may not line up.
Lalonde feels like the kind of candidate who stays in the mix because teams respect his structure and background more than fans always do.
And that is the key here.
The Leafs do not only need a recognizable name. They need a coach who can walk into the loudest market in hockey, handle a room full of pressure, and survive the first bad week without the whole thing wobbling.
That is why this search is taking shape the way it is.
Toronto is checking experience.
Toronto is checking fit.
Toronto is checking availability.
Woodcroft now looks like a serious part of that picture.
Knoblauch may be harder to line up if he really wants time.
Lalonde is the kind of name that can quietly stay alive while bigger names pull the attention.
So no, this does not sound close to done.
But it does sound like the Leafs are building a real board now, and Jay Woodcroft is firmly on it.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 23, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Josh Anderson | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Phillip Danault | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Mark Jankowski | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Eric Robinson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Kaiden Guhle | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | - | - | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Cole Caufield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Demidov | - | - | - | |
| Jakub Dobes | - | - | - | |
| Noah Dobson | - | - | - | |
| Jake Evans | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||