John Chayka can just hire a coach if he wanted to as several are still available and waiting for a call but it seems he has his sights set on only one man.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for a new head coach, and were hoping to get that done by the draft. Well with two weeks until then, they really have to make sure they figure it out soon. Names like Jay Woodcroft and Joe Pavelski are making the shortlist but it feels like John Chayka is waiting for his real target - Bruce Cassidy.
Cassidy has been in the news for a few weeks considering that he was linked to not only the Maple Leafs job earlier, but other teams like the LA Kings and Edmonton Oilers. Vegas said no to interviews as is their right, however it may seem like poor gamesmanship, they want to prevent losing a competitive advantage.
But the Maple Leafs are a team who aren't Pacific Division rivals and really only would meet the Golden Knights a couple times in the regular season, and potentially in the Stanley Cup Final. That's about it, so there's no reason for them to hold him back from at least being interviewed.
Pavelski, Roy, Woodcroft and Eakins are all available right now but John Chayka is patiently waiting for his pick
Which is why Toronto hasn't pulled the trigger on anyone else because they very well could have already.
The team was linked to Peter Laviolette before he was hired by the Kings, and he could have just hired him. They interviewed Patrick Roy and could have pulled the trigger considering the interview went very well reportedly.
They also could have sprung for Jay Woodcroft knowing that Laviolette was out of the running for them, and that prevented Woodcroft from getting the Kings job. Dallas Eakins has reportedly also been in the running, and we can't forget about John Gruden - who is currently leading the Marlies in the Calder Cup.
But it seems like John Chayka is biding his time until he gets a chance at the one man he wants: Bruce Cassidy.
And The Athletic's Jonas Siegel revealed that not only does it make sense, but that Cassidy told The Athletic that he was interested in the job:
And Cassidy, crucially, is open to the possibility.
The 61-year-old told The Athletic this week that he would 'have interest in any opening' and was open to speaking to the Leafs, if allowed, to see if the fit was right on both sides.
Cassidy has indicated that he simply wants to 'go back to work' after being fired by the Golden Knights in March with eight games left in the regular season.
While it also seems like Cassidy just wants to work wherever, and is the type of person who would be able to turn the team's fortunes around as he's done it before.
The one coach Toronto wants is the one they can't have thanks to Vegas
Cassidy has been linked to the Maple Leafs job since he was fired and Craig Berube was expected to be on the outs. Then we heard that Edmonton and LA wanted him and the Golden Knights prevented him from talking.
That seemed to throw things out the window for Toronto, but with them not being a direct rival they may be more open to it. Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon wants to focus on the Cup first, but he seemed at least open to discussing Cassidy's coaching future:
We've been consistent that our focus, currently, is on the Stanley Cup playoffs and the teams have respected that. I've spoken with Bruce, he understands this as well.
So you're saying there's a chance. While it's not for certain that McCrimmon will let him go, the fact he's willing to hear him out is at least a foot in the door of getting him hired in Toronto.
If Vegas loses the Cup, then that means they too are going to be without a coach; so perhaps McCrimmon is waiting to even bring Cassidy back into the fold and it's why he's preventing him from seeking employment elsewhere.
But if Cassidy is available, then it'll be exactly what John Chayka has been hoping for since he took over because he fits everything he's looking for with the resume to back it up.
Do you think John Chayka is waiting to hire Bruce Cassidy?
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