Surprise New Favorite Emerges In Leafs Next Coach Odds

• The Maple Leafs head coach odds have shifted, with a new favorite emerging at bet365
• Kris Knoblauch is the biggest new name on the board after being fired by Edmonton
• See my updated next Leafs head coach odds, candidate breakdown and predictions below

Two days into the Maple Leafs head coach search and the board has already flipped. A new favorite has emerged at bet365, Bruce Cassidy has dropped from the top spot, and a major new name just hit the market.

Kris Knoblauch, fired by Edmonton on Thursday, is now in the Toronto mix. The Leafs and Oilers are competing for some of the same names, which adds another wrinkle to John Chayka’s no-timeline search.

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

Leafs Next Head Coach Odds

Boudreau jumping to +300 in the Leafs coaching odds is the headline move. He went on Leafs Morning Take the day Berube was fired and called the Toronto job “one of the most attractive in hockey.” The market hammered his line from there.

Jon Cooper at +5000 is a fun add. The Lightning coach has won two Cups and is signed in Tampa, so it would take a massive shift for him to land in Toronto. Same energy as Doug Gilmour and Tie Domi.

BET365
SPORTSBOOK

Offer

T&Cs

Bet $10 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose!

Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 of greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/MO/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ only (18+ KY).

LOCK IN PROMO

SIGNUP PROMO

BET $10
GET $200

WIN OR LOSE!

CLAIM OFFER

Odds via bet365 as of May 15, 2026. Bet on a variety of unique NHL props with the Bet365 bonus code.

Next Maple Leafs Head Coach Candidates

Boudreau’s surge is built on sentiment. He’s a Toronto native, played for the Leafs, and has a 617-342-128 NHL record. The catch: he’s 71, hasn’t coached since 2023, and Keith Pelley has reportedly pushed for a younger, data-forward hire.

Kris Knoblauch at +1000 is the candidate most worth digging into. TSN’s Darren Dreger flagged him as a fit immediately, citing his analytics-savvy approach lining up with what Chayka wants.

Knoblauch took Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and managed two of the biggest stars in the league through maximum pressure. The $7.5 million in remaining guaranteed money on his old deal also means he can be selective about his next job.

Cassidy at +325 has the resume, but the demand is the issue. The Oilers reportedly view him as their top target, and the Kings are also pursuing him, which puts Toronto third in line.

Next Maple Leafs Head Coach Predictions

• Manny Malhotra (+700 at bet365)
• Best value: Kris Knoblauch (+1000 at bet365)

BET365
SPORTSBOOK

Offer

T&Cs

Bet $10 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose!

Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 of greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/MO/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ only (18+ KY).

LOCK IN PROMO

SIGNUP PROMO

BET $10
GET $200

WIN OR LOSE!

CLAIM OFFER

My next Maple Leafs head coach prediction is still Manny Malhotra at +700. He was +185 in the original market, so the same pick is now nearly four times the price.

Elliotte Friedman has reported the Leafs want “something a bit different,” and Malhotra fits that to a tee. He spent four years as a Leafs assistant, won a Calder Cup with Abbotsford in 2025, and matches Pelley’s stated preference for a younger, modern hire.

Boudreau is a sentimental favorite, not a Chayka favorite. Cassidy is in too much demand to bank on at +325. Malhotra has none of that noise attached.

For best value, Knoblauch at +1000 is the secondary play. He just hit the market with a Dreger co-sign, and the price hasn’t caught up yet. Once the market reacts, that number isn’t sticking around.

I’m on Malhotra for my updated next Maple Leafs head coach prediction with Knoblauch as the value play before the line moves.