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Toronto Maple Leafs: Open Up Dialogue With Trotz

By Josh Tessler

LAS VEGAS NV - JUNE 6: Capitals head coach Barry Trotz during an early afternoon Capitals practice session the day before game five of the Stanley Cup finals in Las Vegas NV on June 6, 2018. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS NV - JUNE 6: Capitals head coach Barry Trotz during an early afternoon Capitals practice session the day before game five of the Stanley Cup finals in Las Vegas NV on June 6, 2018. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs should look to speak with former Washington Capitals‘ head coach, Barry Trotz.

My readers might think that I’ve gone nuts. Trust me. I haven’t. The only coaching job in the NHL that is open right now is to coach the New York Islanders. So the Toronto Maple Leafs should give him a call.

The only way that coaching the Islanders would be appealing is if free agent, John Tavares stays in Long Island. If he leaves to go to Toronto, San Jose, Vegas or even Washington, the Islanders’ franchise will be in turmoil. You can’t lose your top offensive producer for nothing and then expect everything to be okay.

If Tavares walks out the door on July 1st, I expect Trotz to stay away from negotiations with Lou Lamoriello. Instead, Trotz should be looking for an assistant coach gig. Yes, you wouldn’t get as much salary as an assistant coach versus a head coach, but you could work your tail off for one year and then re-evaluate the market the following year.

On the other side, the Toronto Maple Leafs would be foolish not to open up dialogue with Trotz. If Kyle Dubas got Trotz to agree to becoming an assistant coach for a year, the Maple Leafs would get another coach that knows how to win the Stanley Cup.

In addition, Trotz has an impeccable resume. Per hockey-reference.com, in his head coaching career he has 1,524 regular season wins and a 113 playoff game wins. Plus, he was able to teach Alex Ovechkin to act more like a captain than any Capitals coach prior to him.

With Trotz parked next to Babcock on the bench, they’d be one dynamic duo.

How This Will Impact The Current Coaches?

At the end of the day, if the Toronto Maple Leafs hire Trotz, this shouldn’t impact any of the current assistant coaches.

Currently, the Maple Leafs have three assistant coaches. Andrew Brewer, Jim Hiller and D.J. Smith are Babcock’s assistant coaches. I see no reason why any of them would need to be pushed out the door.

First of all, there is no rule that stipulates that a team can’t have four assistant coaches. Yes, you could argue that it’d be unorthodox as no other NHL team has four coaches, but it can be done. In addition, I wouldn’t worry about the current assistant coaches being upset about another face behind the bench.

Next: Should the Leafs Trade their 1st Round Pick?

All-in-all, adding Trotz as an assistant coach provides the other coaches with another mentor. If Smith, Hiller and Brewer are aiming to be a head coach in the NHL, it only bodes well for them to have two outstanding coaches to learn from.

stats from hockey-reference.com

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