Rumors about the Toronto Maple Leafs interviewing Joe Pavelski for their head coaching job have left fans and pundits scratching their heads.
The news initially came from a report by Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast in which he expounded on the seemingly unusual candidate.
But then again, Friedman himself provided the answer as to why Pavelski landing in Toronto as their next head coach isn’t a crazy idea at all. It’s actually a copy of the Montreal Canadiens playbook.
Friedman highlighted how the Canadiens went down a rather uncommon path in hiring Martin St. Louis, who had no previous professional coaching experience at the time, to lead the club. As Friedman pointed out, St. Louis led the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Final this season.
That’s sort of the idea the Toronto Maple Leafs would like to replicate with Pavelski. While there’s no question that Pavelski is a respected name in the NHL, the Maple Leafs are not in the same position the Canadiens were when they hired St. Louis.
For starters, when the Canadiens hired St. Louis, the organization was in a full-on rebuild. That’s not the case in Toronto, at least not at this point.
The Maple Leafs are supposed to be a contending team that’s looking to rebound and get back into the postseason. That’s why Pavelski seems like a real head-scratcher on the surface.
Friedman Contradicted Himself on Maple Leafs Coaching Choice
Friedman admitted that the reports about Pavelski’s potential hiring in Toronto contradicted his own reporting about the situation. According to the notable insider, the Maple Leafs were looking to hire an experienced coach to offset the seeming lack of front-office experience in GM John Chayka and special advisor Mats Sundin.
In fact, Friedman stated that he believed the Maple Leafs would hire Peter Laviolette before news of Pavelski’s candidacy hit the wire.
There could very well be little to the story. Perhaps the Maple Leafs just kicked the tires on Pavelski, and that was that. But the reporting seems seriously inconsistent at this point. And it’s something that might throw fans off their kilter.
What to read next:
Toronto Nowhere Close to Announcing Next Coach
All told, the reality at this point is that the Maple Leafs are no closer to naming their new coach this week than they were last week. The organization is taking its sweet time in finding the right person to lead the club’s next phase.
It’s worth pointing out that the organization is doing a great job in thinking outside the box. Instead of recycling through some of the older coaches in the league, the Maple Leafs are looking towards someone younger and potentially innovative.
That situation, while certainly commendable, might not be the best course of action at this point. The organization could certainly use some more experience and stability. Whether that means going with an older coach like Laviolette is another story.
The Maple Leafs are in no significant rush to decide on their next coach. So, it might still be a while until there’s any real traction on a shortlist of candidates.
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