Willie Desjardins thinks Gavin McKenna would have no problem handling Toronto pressure: Leafs Morning Take
On the ice, it’s been a painful Stanley Cup Playoffs for Leafs fans to watch.
Thursday night was no different.
The Montreal Canadiens — Toronto’s hated rival — are now just one win away from another Eastern Conference Final appearance, while Mitch Marner, long criticized for his playoff shortcomings in Toronto, has advanced to the Western Conference Final.
Fortunately for Leafs fans, they at least have the first overall pick to look forward to.
That said, the conversation to kick off the Friday edition of Leafs Morning Take stemmed around Marner, as David Pagnotta filled in for Jay Rosehill once again. Through two rounds, the perennial 90-point winger leads all playoff scorers with 18 points. A tougher test is on the horizon, however, as Marner and the Golden Knights open their series against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.
From there, we shifted into a deep dive on Toronto’s early-stage head coaching search. We highlighted a few names to keep an eye on, including David Carle, Manny Malhotra, Bruce Cassidy, Jay Woodcroft, and Kris Knoblauch. At this point, it’s still far too early to handicap how things will unfold, but there’s a shared expectation that this will be a thorough and wide-ranging process. Much like the GM search, the Leafs appear poised to take their time, with no clear-cut frontrunner emerging just yet.
After that, Willie Desjardins joined the show to discuss the NHL coaching carousel and why the Maple Leafs head coaching position continues to be one of the league’s most attractive jobs. The longtime bench boss also shared insight on coaching projected superstar Gavin McKenna in Medicine Hat, explaining why McKenna’s elite vision separates him from his peers and how he believes the young phenom would handle the intense spotlight that comes with playing in Toronto. Plus, Desjardins reflected on the scrutiny of coaching in Canada and the pressure that follows every move behind an NHL bench.