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Maple Leafs outline next steps for power play following Marc Savard's dismissal
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs plans for their power play following Marc Savard's departure have been revealed.
A new report outlines how the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to move forward with their power play following the firing of assistant coach Marc Savard.
Savard, who led the Leafs power play, was dismissed following Toronto's woeful numbers on the man advantage, last place in the NHL with a 13.3% success rate on the season.
Reports now indicate the plan forward for the Leafs, and what the team's coaching future looks like as they look to rebound on the power play.
Changes not appearing imminent for Toronto Maple Leafs on PP
Despite the Toronto Maple Leafs moving on from Marc Savard, a new report suggests there isn't going to be a major change within the Leafs power play structure.
According to a report from insider Pierre LeBrun, the Leafs are not planning to bring in a replacement, that the power play responsibilities will be handled internally.
It's unclear what the "in-house" move means for Toronto, if either it means someone currently on the coaching staff will be filling Savard's PP duties, or if someone currently within the organization will be hired for the role.
As it stands for Toronto, it would appear there's no current plans to add to their bench, at least for right now.
Who could be in line to take over the Leafs power play?
The decision could be to have a current assistant coach such as Derek Lalonde in charge of the power play as the Leafs see if that changes fortunes for Toronto.
The Leafs could also target their AHL coaching staff, with Marlies head coach John Gruden being a coach linked in recent years to potential NHL coaching roles.
Toronto could look at https://www.hockeypatrol.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/peter-deboer-name-is-circulating-as-uncertainty-surrounds-the-maple-leafs-coaching-situationan external option later on, although there are a lack of available coaches, and they'd need a coach with power play experience.
The move doesn't preclude Toronto from filling the recent vacancy later on and making their power play temporarily run by their current coaches as the Leafs try to recover from one of the worst power plays in the NHL this season.