Toronto Maple Leafs cut ties with assistant coach Dean Chynoweth

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the hiring of former New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert as an associate coach, seemingly making Lambert second in command to incoming bench boss Craig Berube.

Chynoweth has been with the Maple Leafs as an assistant since 2021. Rumors in recent days linked Lambert to the Leafs. Chynoweth was reported as being on his way out yesterday by Jeff Marek of Sportsnet.

Chynoweth is the son of the late Ed Chynoweth, who was president of the Canadian Hockey League between 1975-1995. Dean spent 9 seasons in the NHL as a defenseman with the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders between 1988-1998. Prior to Toronto, Chynoweth was an assistant coach for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Lambert, also a former player, was an assistant coach with Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders before taking on the head coaching job with the Isles from 2022-2024, fired midway in the season.

Unclear is the return of Leafs assistants Mike Van Ryn & Guy Boucher, who have been speculated as potential exits. Assistant Manny Malhotra was recently named head coach of the AHL Abbotsford Canucks.