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Report: Maple Leafs granted permission to speak with Jay Woodcroft about head coach vacancy
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Photo credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Michael Mazzei
May 28, 2026, 06:00 EDTUpdated: May 27, 2026, 23:14 EDT
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly been granted permission to speak with Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft, according to The Leafs Nation’s Nick Alberga.
Alberga also reported that the former head coach of the Edmonton Oilers is high on their list for potential candidates to replace Craig Berube. NHL Insider Frank Seravalli noted the Los Angeles Kings interviewed Woodcroft last week, while the Leafs have spoken with as many as 20 people over Zoom and are expected to begin in-person interviews after the conclusion of the Draft Combine next week in Buffalo.
Woodcroft is the latest head coach candidate to have an interview with the Leafs. Assistant coach Derek Lalonde reportedly had his interview last week, while the Leafs remain in contact with David Carle about a potential partnership. Given the fact that the list of candidates is as high as 20 and that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested it will be a fresh face, it certainly opens the door to the possibility of an unorthodox hire with fresh ideas like Jussi Ahokas.
In the case of Woodcroft, he is not a new name among NHL circles as he has ample experience as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks. There is also his aforementioned stint with the Oilers as their head coach from 2021 to 2023, which included a trip to the Western Conference Finals and two consecutive playoff appearances before he was fired. That experience played a big part in why the Ducks this past season experienced a big turnaround and were able to push the Vegas Golden Knights to six games in the second round.
Woodcroft has experience leading young, talented players and elevating their play while manning a lethal power-play, as evidenced by the offensive boost that the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl experienced while under his watch. Given how anemic the likes of Auston Matthews and William Nylander looked from an offensive standpoint, bringing in someone like Woodcroft who would champion the style of play that better caters to their strengths could bode well with getting the team back on track. It certainly helps that he is from the area and would be intrigued by the possibility of coaching his childhood team to the promised land.
TheLeafsNation’s Alex Hobson wrote the following when making the case for why Woodcroft should be the next Leafs coach:
Woodcroft makes sense as a candidate because he would be a happy medium between hiring someone from the old boys club and hiring a coach with zero NHL experience. Woodcroft has experience behind the bench in a Canadian market that demands the best from their hockey team, but he’s not some retread who has been hired and fired by half the teams across the league. Oh, and he’s a Toronto native. How did it take us so long to mention that?? In all seriousness, if the Leafs want a coach who will revive their offensive game and get them playing to their strengths rather than defending against them, Woodcroft should be one of their top interview candidates.
While there are still a ways to go before the Leafs narrow in on their next head coach, it is clear that Woodcroft is in the running to fill the void left behind by Berube.
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