The Toronto Maple Leafs have found a replacement for Dave Hakstol, who recently left the organization to become the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken. Toronto has hired Dean Chynoweth as an assistant coach after he spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe released a short statement:
After spending time with Dean, it became clear that his knowledge, passion and personality would make him the right fit. We’re fortunate to add someone of his quality and experience to our staff.
Chynoweth, 52, has a long history in the WHL, as a head coach, general manager and even franchise owner. He also served in the NHL with the New York Islanders for three seasons and has experience as a head coach in the AHL. All of that coaching experienced followed a long playing career, which included stops with the Islanders and Boston Bruins. The tough-guy defenseman racked up 667 penalty minutes in his 241-game career.
It’s the defense that he’ll be responsible for in Toronto, given he is replacing Hakstol on the staff. The team has taken a few big steps forward in that regard over the last few seasons with the additions of T.J. Brodie and Jake Muzzin, but will obviously need to continue to develop their young options to fill out the depth chart.
It’s a fine hire, but Kristin would have been a much more welcome voice.
First heard this and was upset cause I really want the leafs to hire Toc as a an assistant but Dean running a hopefully even more revamped leafs defence (fingers crossed without Rielly) could be incredible. Hopefully they can still hire Toc and put him in charge of the offence or special teams. Throw that MLSE money around if it’s gonna be a flat cap spend anyways you can
So Brind’Amour wouldn’t sign a deal till he made sure his staff all got extensions and Dean heads out anyway, ouch. I know they had permission to seek jobs elsewhere if they wanted, just wasn’t expecting that after he went to bat for everyone like that.
Good hire for Toronto though!
Don’t mind me … see, I was a season ticket holder in Springfield in 1990 when the scrappy, underdog Indians won the Calder Cup. And you look at that Islanders affiliation, and see how many of them went into coaching/management: Marc Bergevin. Tom Fitzgerald. Kevin Cheveldayoff. Bruce Boudreau. Todd McLellan. Chris Pryor. Derek Laxdal. Derek King. Travis Green. Brad Lauer. And Chynoweth.
(Although granted, Chynoweth comes by his management skills honestly; his dad ran the WHL and major juniors in Canada for over 20 years.)