Next Maple Leafs Head Coach Odds & Predictions: Candidates to Replace Craig Berube

• John Chayka fired Craig Berube on Wednesday after Toronto missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years
• The Leafs are searching for a new bench boss with the No. 1 overall pick already locked in
• See my next Maple Leafs head coach odds, candidate breakdown and predictions below

The coaching carousel in Toronto is spinning again. New GM John Chayka fired Craig Berube on Wednesday, less than two weeks into the job, after the Leafs finished 32-36-14 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17.

It’s the fourth coaching search of the Auston Matthews era, and whoever lands the job inherits the No. 1 overall pick from this year’s draft lottery. Chayka says there’s no timeline, but the candidate pool won’t stay full for long.

Here are my next Maple Leafs head coach odds, candidate breakdown and predictions.

Next Maple Leafs Head Coach Odds

Bruce Cassidy and Manny Malhotra sit as co-favorites at +185 in the Maple Leafs head coach odds, with Jay Woodcroft a clear third at +375. After that you get a mix of recycled veterans and AHL up-and-comers before the board tails off into novelty territory.

That’s where Doug Gilmour and Tie Domi come in at +5000. Two Leafs legends, zero NHL head coaching experience between them. Fun for the group chat, but that’s about it.

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Odds via ScoreBet as of May 13, 2026. Place your bet with the ScoreBet promo code or check out other NHL betting apps.

Next Maple Leafs Head Coach Candidates

Bruce Cassidy is the name everyone keeps circling. He won a Cup with Vegas in 2023, has over 800 NHL games behind the bench, and his teams have never missed the playoffs in a full season. The catch: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported in April that Toronto likely isn’t top of Cassidy’s list, with the Devils and Oilers also in the mix.

Jay Woodcroft at +375 is the most overlooked name among the Maple Leafs head coach candidates. The Toronto native went 79-41-13 with Edmonton, reached a Western Conference Final, and has a long track record working with star talent. That matters when you’re inheriting Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

David Carle at +500 is the wildcard of the group. He’s won three NCAA titles in five years at Denver and coached Team USA to back-to-back World Junior golds, but he signed a multiyear extension with Denver last summer and may not be ready to jump. Todd Nelson at +700 brings three Calder Cups and a strong developmental pedigree, though his NHL head coaching experience is limited to 51 interim games.

Next Maple Leafs Head Coach Predictions

• Manny Malhotra (+185 at ScoreBet)

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My next Maple Leafs head coach prediction is Manny Malhotra at +185. He’s the same price as Cassidy, but he checks far more boxes for a new regime that wants to do things differently.

Cassidy is the obvious name, but he’s a shaky favorite at this price. Dreger’s reporting that Toronto isn’t his top destination matters, and if Vegas blocks interviews the way they did with Edmonton, the Leafs may not even get the chance. Malhotra is the same +185 with none of that uncertainty attached.

The case for Malhotra is straightforward. He spent four seasons as a Leafs assistant from 2020 to 2024, so he knows the roster and the market. He won a Calder Cup in his first season as head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, and Elliotte Friedman has reported the Leafs want “something a bit different” and that Malhotra is the kind of guy they look at. MLSE president Keith Pelley has also reportedly pushed for a younger, more modern hire.

I’m on Malhotra at +185 for my next Maple Leafs head coach prediction. If the new front office means what it says about a fresh start, he’s the cleanest fit on the board.