Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly found their next head coach of the organization after Craig Berube
David Carle is on reportedly the coach that Toronto wants, and Jared Bednar's Avalanche could turn this coaching chase into a real fight.
The Maple Leafs appear to have narrowed their search, with Carle now sitting at the front of the conversation for the vacancy behind the bench, per Elliotte Friedman.
According to Elliotte Friedman on the Donnie and Dhali podcast, Toronto is actively «working through» the steps tied to a possible hire.
That matters because it shifts this from broad speculation to a more defined pursuit. The Leafs don't look like a team casting a wide net right now.
Carle has built a major program at the University of Denver, and that profile is why this story has picked up steam fast around the league.
But Toronto's interest is only one part of it. Landing him is the harder part, and Colorado may be the team that complicates everything most.
Colorado could be the real obstacle for Toronto with David Carle
The report says the Avalanche could be staring at a coaching change if their playoff run ends the way this series is trending against Vegas.
That's where Toronto's path gets messy.
Carle has been rooted in the Denver hockey scene since 2009, and those ties give Colorado a natural edge.
Friedman put it plainly: «I think everybody's trying to gauge what the possibility is really.»
He added, «I do think Toronto wants to make Carle at least think about them, and see if they can do that.»
That sounds less like a done deal and more like a hard sell. The Leafs may know who they want, but they still have to get him to choose them.
There was another notable piece in Friedman's reporting. Bruce Cassidy, long floated by fans as a possible fit, does not appear to be part of Toronto's plan.
If that reading is right, the Leafs are leaning toward a fresh voice instead of a veteran NHL retread.
That makes Carle the name to watch, and Colorado the team to watch right beside them.
|
YESTERDAY
MAY 27, 2026
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| William Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Cole Caufield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Phillip Danault | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Demidov | - | - | - | |
| Jakub Dobes | - | - | - | |
| Noah Dobson | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||