The Toronto Maple Leafs have to be at least mildly interested in the fallout following the Colorado Avalanche’s unceremonious bouncing from the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The aftermath of the team’s shocking sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights has fueled calls for a change behind the bench in Colorado. And that’s a situation the Maple Leafs could benefit from.
Should the Avalanche decide to move on from Jared Bednar, the Maple Leafs could have a highly suitable candidate in the 2022 Stanley Cup winner.
To be fair, the Avalanche organization has provided no hint of actually moving towards firing Bednar. But the fact that the online conversation has trended in that direction suggests that the thought has at least crossed the minds of the team’s brass.
Let’s assume for a minute that Bednar does leave Colorado. The Leafs won’t be the only team interested in bringing Bednar into the mix. The Vancouver Canucks and certainly the Edmonton Oilers would be quick to move towards bringing in the NHL’s currently second-longest-tenured coach.
Is Bednar to the Maple Leafs realistic?
So, a fair question would be to assess whether the Maple Leafs should hold out for Bednar. Given how little indication there actually is about a potential move, the Leafs should at least keep an eye on the situation, but not let it dictate the direction they’re headed in.
As it stands, the hottest name swirling around Leafs Nation is David Carle. There are varying degrees of certitude regarding that rumor. But Carle is just one of the names suggested as potential candidates for the Leafs’ bench boss role.
Unless the Avalanche move on from Bednar in the next couple of weeks, there really is no sense in potentially pausing everything to hope Bednar lands in their lap.
Yes, it’s always a good idea to exercise patience in these sorts of situations. The Leafs gain nothing by rushing their coaching search. But it’s also true that there is some sense of urgency moving forward.
With that context in mind, the betting odds aren’t likely on the Avalanche moving on from Bednar. While that doesn’t mean such a move isn’t impossible, it’s not really likely.
It’s also extremely complicated to gain any insight into the situation without potentially crossing the line into tampering territory.
That’s why the Bednar situation in Colorado is one worth watching, though not really worth holding out for.
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