John Chayka laid out exactly what he wants in the next Maple Leafs head coach

John Chayka was interviewed at the Draft Combine and revealed how the head coaching search is going, and what he's looking for in naming the new bench boss.

Chayka has a lot of work ahead of him with regard to the 2026 NHL Draft. He's still got to figure out if he's picking Gavin McKenna (as he probably should) while also seeing if there's a couple of trades to be made to open up cap space. But he's also gotta find a new head coach and with the search Chayka has exactly the type of coach in mind,

The list of names that have been thrown around as the next potential head coach have been a varied mix of experienced names like Bruce Cassidy, Peter Laviolette, and Patrick Roy intertwined with first time coaches like David Carle.

Whoever he chooses though has to be a good one considering Chayka has only one real shot at making this a good decision, and it's why he's taking as much time as he can finding the right guy for the job.

John Chayka gives fans a big update on Maple Leafs coaching search but still remains far away from a decision

Chayka revealed how the search was going at the Draft Combine and explained that in his thorough search, the team left no stone unturned while also taking a little bit of a shot at the previous regime's handling of the front office:

Yeah the process has been good. It's been very diligent. We started with you know, a very thorough, wide net. Making sure we don't miss anything; I think it's been awhile since the organization has done that.

I thought it was incumbent upon us to be really diligent about how we were to go about this. We spoke to about 20 people, in the first round so you know we'll go from there.

But you know I think it's important we've got this interesting roster...we're looking for a head coach with the experience in all of those things who has some versatility in their structure and approach and can take this team to the next level and lead the group ahead. So those are the kind of things we're looking for.

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With his comments we can kind of start to narrow down things a little bit more, but it's very interesting to note his comments on the past regime. Stating they never really did due diligence is pretty much a slap in the face of Keith Pelley considering the Craig Berube hire was basically set in stone from day one.

Chayka saying that the team needs to be a bit more open to other possibilities is a great sign for fans that have been dying for a front office that is willing to take more risks.

The Maple Leafs next head coach has to have the ability to adapt but also control superstar egos

Whoever comes in doesn't exactly have an easy job right away. Yes there are stars who are going to help carry the load, but it's about using them properly and giving the lineup more balance and consistency.

Chayka is looking for a modern day approach where you can adapt on the fly based off numbers, but also wants someone who can level out any potential friction. When it comes to coaches like that? Peter Laviolette may be the guy.

Now I know he's not a young gun coach however he does have extensive experience managing superstar players -especially first overall picks. He had to wrangle the likes of Eric Staal back in Carolina and having to coach Gavin McKenna would be no different.

One former player under Laviolette in Nashville also commented on Laviolette's style of coaching which is akin to a motivational speaker who also happens to know the game of hockey:

Peter is a motivational speaker who is also a coach. [Barry] Trotz never yelled at you or screamed at you. Not that Laviolette was all about that, but he was a little bit more stern.

That's perfect for a team who needs a guy who can hold stars accountable but also not be on the level of constant criticism or belittlement.

He also has that extensive experience that Chayka wants as he's been an NHL head coach for 23 years of his life, won a Stanley Cup with three Finals appearances in total. His record is 846-562-25-161 (W-L-T-OTL) but is only 88-82 in the postseason so not quite as successful.

His offensive game plan, though a bit similar to Berube in terms of North-South is the polar opposite in tempo. He runs a relentless forechecking game, doesn't tolerate hanging out in the defensive zone and encourages high-risk, high-reward opportunities - a great sign for Easton Cowan.

Now is Laviolette the perfect coach? No, very rarely is there a perfect coach in any sports. But he does tick all the boxes that Chayka and the Maple Leafs both want and need, and he's already been vocal about potentially being the next head coach.

So it may not be the young gun that everyone was hoping for but Laviolette is the kind of coach who can turn Toronto from pretender to contender in one season.

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