Friedman: Bruce Cassidy unlikely to be Leafs’ coach, Manny Malhotra, Jay Woodcroft among likely candidates
When Craig Berube was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Leafs, many were quick to wonder if Cassidy was the primary target, given his pedigree and overall success prior to being fired by the Vegas Golden Knights. He is the most prominent free agent coach on the market and will naturally be in high demand, as evidenced by the Edmonton Oilers attempting to get in touch with him prior to firing Kris Knoblauch.
While it may make sense on paper for the Leafs to make Cassidy their next coach, multiple other insiders apart from Friedman have also cast doubt on the Leafs’ interest in the 60-year-old. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston said on Oilers Now that he doesn’t think the fit is right between the Leafs and Cassidy, while TSN’s Darren Dreger seconded the report on OverDrive by stating the Leafs were more likely to go with a fresh face as their next head coach.
As far as who the Leafs might consider, Friedman listed several names that range from having prior NHL experience to those seeking their first experience in the NHL.
With regards to Malhotra, Friedman reported that the Abbotsford Canucks’ head coach’s name came up in some of the GM interviews before the hiring of GM John Chayka.
Regardless of who the Leafs may end up choosing, it will more likely be someone who is not a well-known commodity than an established option with prior pedigree. Leafs fans should not expect to see Cassidy behind the bench in Toronto anytime soon.