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Top 5 Worst Coaches in Toronto Maple Leafs Team History

By Stephen Nixon

WINNIPEG, CANADA - DECEMBER 31: Toronto Maple Leafs' head coach Ron Wilson watches from the bench in a game against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on December 31, 2011 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, CANADA - DECEMBER 31: Toronto Maple Leafs' head coach Ron Wilson watches from the bench in a game against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on December 31, 2011 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 8: Head Coach John Trophy of the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 8: Head Coach John Trophy of the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /

#2. John Brophy

Brophy’s time in Toronto did not go well.

In two and a half seasons, Brophy finished with a 64-111-18 record. That winning percentage is third worst of all-time in Leafs history, but the craziest part of all this is that he made the playoffs in both years he coached.

After finishing 10 games below .500 in the 1986-87 season, the Leafs somehow made the playoffs, and actually won a round.

In the following season, the Leafs finished 21-49-10 and still made the playoffs! Somehow the Minnesota North Stars were worse than the Leafs that year, so they got to play playoff hockey.

In today’s NHL, that record would result in 50 points for the season, which would normally put them 45 points back of a playoff spot, but back in 1988, no matter how bad you were, you had a chance at the playoffs.

So, don’t let the playoff appearances fool you. Brophy was not a good coach and the team was absolutely terrible under his lead.

Leafs management finally realized this as well, that 33 games into the 1988-89 season, the team fired him.

After his time in Toronto, Brophy went onto become a successful ECHL coach but would never coach in the NHL ever again.

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