Manny Malhotra has emerged as the new Maple Leafs coaching frontrunner
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
As John Chayka wants to move towards a more modern analytical focus for his head coach, Manny Malhotra is the guy who he needs to pursue.
The firing of Craig Berube was not too shocking in and of itself but it was a bit surprising that it happened so soon, and certainly had nothing to do with the fan outcry on social media clamouring for his termination.
But beyond the tinfoil hats, John Chayka fired Berube and now needs a new head coach. With him being honest about moving in a new direction, he admitted that Toronto is going to have a long and deep search in order to find out the best possible candidate to lead the team to success.
There are some experienced names who certainly could help things out like Bruce Cassidy, however a recent report seemed to have shut that down at least for the time being.
Malhotra has been dominating as the Abbotsford Canucks head coach and Chayka sees something the rest of the NHL hasn't capitalized on yet
Though there is one coach who has been brought up a couple times in the past that Toronto should definitely circle around back to and that's current Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra.
No stranger to the Maple Leafs, Malhotra was an assistant under Sheldon Keefe before being poached by the Canucks and leading their AHL affiliate. He's done quite a fine job too with winning the Calder Cup last year and managing a 72-61-11 record over his past two seasons.
Malhotra has been renowned for his ability to relate to players and be truly a player-first coach making sure that the environment to grow and succeed is as tough as it is fair. As a player, he was one of the smartest and most advanced minds who may not have been flashy, but changed the course of a game.
Someone who knows what it takes to have a long career, Malhotra has taken his 16 years of NHL experience and translated it into a coaching system that has clearly been successful. He's been a bright spot for the Canucks organization as it looked like he was dead set on being the Canucks new head coach.
But with Adam Foote still seemingly behind the bench for now, it's Toronto's chance to pounce on their former assistant and bring him back.
The coaching search shifting from established NHL Cup-winners to an AHL head coach tells you the state of the modern game
Chayka made it known that his deep and extensive search for a coach is going to have everyone involved. From seasoned veterans to first-timers, all options are on the table for the Maple Leafs but they need to be careful.
It's tempting to bring in a proven winner like Bruce Cassidy but then again you run into the same issues. Does it turn into another Craig Berube situation? Mike Babcock was brought in as a proven winner and was a disaster.
The modern style mixes both practical and analytical solutions with an emphasis on culture and fostering a positive environment. Players want a coach who can teach them the right way to do things, but also be able to sit down and voice any concerns without feeling belittled.
At the end of the day as much as these players are athletes; superhuman at times in fact, they are indeed just human. They have feelings, needs, wants, pressures; they need a coach who will work with them and adapt to whatever happens, not just force an old method through.
The best teams moved into an analytical and more player-focused model of coaching and it's come out to huge success. If Toronto wants to get back into that level of competition, they need to make sure Manny Malhotra is behind their bench come October.
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John Chayka explained the Craig Berube firing in one sentence and that quote tells the entire story
John Chayka explained the Craig Berube firing in one sentence and that quote tells the entire story