Bruce Cassidy opens pp on Vegas exit, future coaching plans & Leafs takeaways: Leafs Morning Take
Even though it stinks not having the Leafs around, Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been outstanding so far.
If it helps, the rival Ottawa Senators finished with just as many playoff wins as the Leafs this season. Go figure.
We did a full deep dive on all the chaos from over the weekend to kick off the Monday edition of Leafs Morning Take. Obviously, we had to start with the Ducks/Oilers OT drama. Did the puck cross the line? Incredibly, the Oilers find themselves down 3-1 to Anaheim. Also, we broke down Brady Tkachuk’s future in Ottawa as well as Charlie McAvoy’s powerful quote after Boston was destroyed 6-1 by Buffalo to go down 3-1 in its series.
The NHL Draft Lottery is now just eight days away, and the Leafs are still without a general manager. At this point, the decision could stretch into May. Late last week, it was reported the search may be down to Dallas AGM Scott White and John Chayka. That said, there are still plenty of moving parts—including where Mats Sundin fits in. He’s reportedly back home in Sweden, mulling over his decision.
Meantime, thanks in large part to Dennis Hildeby’s 29 saves, the Toronto Marlies doubled up Rochester 4–2 in Game 3 of their best-of-three series. With the win, the Marlies advance to the next round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, where they will face Laval, Montreal’s AHL affiliate. Easton Cowan notched two helpers in the opening series.
Additionally, Bruce Cassidy stopped by for a wide-ranging conversation touching on everything from the opening week of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to life after his departure from Vegas. Cassidy opened up about how he processed the firing, whether it caught him off guard, and what the last stretch has been like away from the bench. He also looked ahead to what’s next in his coaching career, making it clear he’s prioritizing the right fit and an opportunity to win. The veteran head coach discussed the possibility of coaching in Canada, shared his thoughts on the Maple Leafs and their need to bounce back after a disappointing season, and reflected on his experience coaching Brandon Carlo. Cassidy also offered insight into how the coaching job has evolved in today’s NHL, including the growing role of technology on the bench and how communication has changed at the pro level.
With Cassidy being on the show, we also dissected Craig Berube’s future with the Maple Leafs. This whole situation is strange. There’s no telling which way this will go, but it wouldn’t shock either of us if the new guy in charge kept Berube in the mix. Why use a bullet this quickly, right?