Latest On Maple Leafs Head Coaching Search
A few days ago, Frank Seravalli of Victory+ reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs were expected to interview Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft for their head coaching vacancy. In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, not only did Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman throw cold water on Seravalli’s report, he extinguished it completely.
Friedman shared that there’s no expectation that Woodcroft will interview with the Maple Leafs, nor is there any expectation that they’ll ask permission to do so from the Ducks. Still, Friedman confirmed that Woodcroft has interviewed with the Los Angeles Kings for their head coaching vacancy.
At this point, the only other candidate connected to Toronto has been David Carle, the current head coach at the University of Denver. Given that he’s already coached the Pioneers to three National Championships and the United States to two gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, there’s no question why the Maple Leafs would be targeting him.
Still, Carle has been hesitant to leave his situation just south of downtown Denver. Recent reports indicate that Carle is open to the idea of joining the Maple Leafs, but the two sides remain in the early stages of a potential hire. There is speculation that if the Colorado Avalanche part ways with Jared Bednar after a fourth consecutive playoff exit before the Stanley Cup Final, Carle would likely step in to take the role.
Other than that, there haven’t been many other candidates linked to Toronto. Bruce Cassidy, the former head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, has become a popular candidate on the West Coast, but hasn’t been linked to the Maple Leafs in any meaningful fashion. Furthermore, Kris Knoblauch, who was recently removed from his post as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, is in a similar situation.
Regardless, for several reasons, new General Manager John Chayka may be playing things extremely close to the vest regarding Toronto’s next head coach. That’s a challenging modus operandi to sustain in Toronto’s media market, but the Maple Leafs will continue to proceed carefully in any case.
Lightning Sign Benjamin Rautiainen To Entry-Level Contract
The Tampa Bay Lightning have inked one of their draft selections from last summer. According to a team announcement, the Lightning have signed forward Benjamin Rautiainen to a three-year, entry-level contract. According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, the Lightning had to buy out the final year of Rautiainen’s contract with Tappara to facilitate the deal.
As mentioned, Rautiainen, 20, was drafted 108th overall by the Lightning in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Tampere, Finland native was playing for the Finnish Liiga’s Tappara, scoring 10 goals and 33 points in 50 games with a +4 rating. Additionally, he registered two goals and four points in nine postseason contests.
This season, Rautiainen turned heads. He was easily the most dominant force in Finland’s professional ranks, scoring 25 goals and 77 points in 59 games with a +24 rating. The next closest scorer was Joachim Blichfeld (33 goals and 71 points in 52 games), who is seven years older than Rautiainen.
Always looking for cheap depth, Rautiainen made Tampa Bay’s decision relatively easy. Although it’s typically unreasonable to expect a younger player to make the jump from Europe to the NHL, unless they’re coming from the KHL, there’s a non-zero chance Rautiainen cracks the Lightning’s roster out of training camp, albeit as a 12th or 13th forward.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt Rautiainen to begin the 2026-27 season with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Rautiainen’s ability to provide offense in multiple ways should blend well with his peers in Syracuse, who recently tied for eighth in AHL scoring.
Predators Sign Felix Nilsson To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Nashville Predators have signed forward Felix Nilsson to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Predators didn’t disclose the financial terms of the deal, but it will carry through the 2028-29 season.
Nilsson, 20, was drafted with the 43rd overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft by Nashville. He was coming off a solid season for Rögle BK’s under-20 team, scoring 19 goals and 41 points in 36 games with a +17 rating. Nilsson did appear in 18 games for Rögle BK in the SHL, though he went scoreless.
The Stockholm, Sweden native gradually became a full-time SHLer the next season. He established a relatively low bar, scoring one goal and three points in 41 games with a -5 rating. On the international scene, Nilsson registered one goal and eight points in 16 games for Team Sweden’s U19 & U20 teams.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Nilsson continued his evolution into a formidable top-six forward. He completed the season with five goals and 22 points in 40 games, finishing with a -3 rating, which showcased his above-average playmaking abilities. Playing for Team Sweden in the U20 IIHF World Junior Championship, the then 19-year-old recorded one goal and six points in seven games, helping Sweden reach the Bronze Medal game.
This season, it became apparent that Nilsson was ready to make the jump to North America. He recorded 14 goals and 40 points in 52 games, achieving a +18 rating. He tied for 18th in overall scoring while leading all under-21 players in points.
Unless the Predators make several subtractions to their forward corps this offseason, Nilsson will likely begin his professional career with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. The Admirals have been a solid team in recent history despite taking a step back this season.
Timo Meier Given One-Game Suspension In World Championship
According to a public announcement, the IIHF Disciplinary Commission has given a one-game suspension to Team Switzerland’s Timo Meier for a knee-on-knee hit in the quarterfinals against Team Sweden. It’s a tough blow to Team Switzerland, as they are looking to reach the Gold Medal game for the third consecutive season.
The play of note came in the second period of the quarterfinal matchup. Oskar Sundqvist received the puck in the offensive zone and quickly adjusted when Meier was attempting to deliver a check. Instead, Meier followed Sundqvist’s path and was given a minor penalty for the play.
As is typically the case, the IIHF Disciplinary Commission reviewed whether there was a reasonable expectation of Meier being able to get out of the way. If it’s clear that he wasn’t, there likely wouldn’t have been a suspension since intent would have been removed from the situation.
In the announcement, the Disciplinary Commission said, “The Disciplinary Panel determined that this was not a situation where a sudden movement by the opposing player created unavoidable contact. Rather, Meier adjusted to his opponent’s movement and extended his knee, causing direct knee-on-knee contact.”
Although he’s had his offensive struggles for the New Jersey Devils, that hasn’t been the case for Meier at the World Championships. Playing on the most dominant team thus far, Meier is third on the team in scoring with three goals and 11 points in eight games with a +10 rating.
Team Switzerland will have to beat Team Norway tomorrow to reach the Gold Medal game for the third consecutive year. Unlike the Swiss, the Norwegians have never reached the Gold Medal game and have only finished as high as fourth in the tournament, most recently in 1951.
West Notes: Pridham, Celebrini, McKenzie
The clock is winding down on the Chicago Blackhawks’ ability to retain 2024 draftee, Jack Pridham. Pridham, 20, will have to commit to an NCAA program, sign his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks, or re-enter the draft this summer, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic.
Unfortunately, although Chicago would prefer the former two options, Powers didn’t allude to any firm decision either way. Despite committing to Boston University last year, Pridham instead decommitted from the Terriers program to continue his development with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. Including today, Pridham only has three more days to make a decision.
If he doesn’t commit to a collegiate program and doesn’t sign with the Blackhawks, Pridham would likely go higher than his 2024 billing of 92nd overall. Given his age, Pridham may not be a first-round talent, though he’d surely be a lock to go in the second round, at the very least. He’s coming off an impressive year with the Rangers, scoring 46 goals and 90 points in 65 games with a +38 rating. Additionally, he has been integral in Kitchener’s postseason run, scoring two goals and 17 points in 18 games, and will help the Rangers in the Memorial Cup Final on May 31st.
Additional notes from the Western Conference:
- Coming as a shock to nobody, Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported that it’s highly likely Macklin Celebrini will be named captain of the San Jose Sharks ahead of next season. Specifically, Kaplan said, “Celebrini wearing a “C” as captain next season is all but guaranteed.” Eligible for an extension this summer, Celebrini would become the 14th captain in franchise history, and the first since Logan Couture in the 2023-24 campaign.
- Despite being the subject of retirement rumors throughout the past season, Texas Stars captain Curtis McKenzie isn’t ready to hang up his skates. According to a team announcement, Texas has signed McKenzie to a one-year extension through the 2026-27 season. McKenzie has been the Stars’ captain since the 2021-22 campaign and has registered 206 goals and 510 points in 725 games throughout his 13-year AHL career.
Oilers Make Multiple Front Office Promotions
The Edmonton Oilers have gotten a head start on sorting out the food chain of their front office next season. According to a team announcement, the Oilers have promoted Michael Parkatti to Vice President of Analytics and Technology, Kirt Hill to assistant General Manager of Player Procurement, Kalle Larsson to assistant General Manager of Player Development and Innovation, Toby Salmelainen to assistant General Manager of European Operations, Andreas Karlsson to Director of Player Development, Justin Mahe to Director of Hockey Operations and Player Experience, Michael Chan to President, General Manager, and WHL Alternate Governor of the Edmonton Oil Kings, and Jamie Jackson to Director of Scouting for the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Edmonton is placing greater emphasis on the analytical aspect of the front office through these promotions. Parkatti has been in a similar role with the Oilers since 2023. Parkatti has been relied upon to give date-driven recommendations to the team’s decision-makers. Edmonton shared that Parkatti developed the xGoals metric, which has become a widely used tool for measuring a player’s effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Hill comes to the Oilers from WHL Edmonton. He had been serving as the Oil Kings’ General Manager for the last several years. He will now work closely with Edmonton’s professional and amateur scouts, as well as recruiting undrafted free agents. Before his work with the Oilers organization, Hill served as an amateur scout with the Chicago Blackhawks beginning in the 2017-18 campaign.
In the announcement, the team stated that Larsson will mainly focus on creating development plans for prospects and current players, while Salmelainen will lead the team responsible for scouting and recruiting talent from Europe. Furthermore, similar to Larsson, Karlsson will oversee the development plans for all Oilers’ prospects in the NCAA, AHL, and Europe. Mahe will be in charge of the hockey operations budget and Edmonton’s immigration and regulation compliance.
The final two promotions of Chan and Jackson directly affect the Oil Kings, also owned by OEG Inc. Chan and Jackson have both been with the Oil Kings for the past two years; Chan serving as the team’s Director of Scouting and Jackson as an area scout.
Sabres Sign Jake Richard To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Jake Richard to a two-year, entry-level contract. The Sabres did not specify the financial terms of the deal.
Buffalo drafted Richard back in 2022 with the 170th overall selection of that summer’s draft. The 21-year-old was coming off a decent season with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring 18 goals and 48 points in 56 games with a +10 rating. Having already committed to the University of Connecticut by then, Richard spent one more year in the USHL, this time split between Muskegon and the Tri-City Storm, amassing 31 goals and 62 points in 57 games.
Despite a slow start to his college tenure throughout his rookie campaign, Richard became a key offensive contributor for the Huskies by his sophomore season. During that season, Richard set career-highs in nearly every category, finishing with 15 goals and 43 points in 34 games with a +26 rating. As a result, it was the best year in program history for the University of Connecticut, which reached the National Tournament for the first time; however, they were eliminated in the Regional Final by Penn State University.
Despite remaining a significant part of the team’s offense, Richard’s scoring decreased to 10 goals and 27 points in 38 games. The Huskies qualified for the National Tournament for the second consecutive year but were eliminated in the Regional Semifinal by Michigan State University. This match would be Richard’s final collegiate contest.
Given that he’s already spent three years in the NCAA, it would be reasonable for Richard to make the transition to the American Hockey League next year. Unless he tears it up in training camp, he’ll start the 2026-27 season with the Rochester Americans, who were bounced in the First Round of the Calder Cup playoffs by the Toronto Marlies.
Maple Leafs Notes: First Overall, Carle, Goaltending
As expected, General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, John Chayka, is open to all offers on the first overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft. According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Maple Leafs aren’t actively looking to move the top selection of this year’s draft, but would agree to move it if the offer blew them away.
Specifically, LeBrun said, “Not that the Maple Leafs are intent on moving the No. 1 pick, but new general manager John Chayka also isn’t hanging up the phone if and when teams call. Why would he? If a team steps up in a meaningful way with the kind of package that helps the Leafs get back in contention, Chayka will at least listen, according to league sources.”
Obviously, the package to acquire said pick would be so substantial that the odds of Toronto eventually moving the selection are near-zero. As David Alter of The Hockey News put it, “unless a team blows Chayka away with an offer that genuinely transforms the Leafs’ competitiveness for next season and beyond, it’s difficult to envision this pick leaving Toronto.”
Additional updates from the Maple Leafs:
- In a new report from Emily Kaplan of ESPN, the Maple Leafs are interested in David Carle, the current head coach at the University of Denver, for their head coaching vacancy. Additionally, Kaplan added that Carle is entertaining the idea, but he will remain as selective as he has in the past. Kaplan believes that if the Colorado Avalanche move on from Jared Bednar in the relatively near future, Carle might wait for that, given his connections to the area.
- There’s no question that the Maple Leafs have a surplus of netminders heading into next season. In a recent article from Andre Leal of The Hockey News, he considers the pros and cons of Toronto moving one of its netminders this offseason. The hardest to move would be Anthony Stolarz, who is coming off an injury-riddled campaign, signed through the next four seasons at a $3.75MM cap hit with a 16-team no-trade clause. However, Toronto may be able to peddle him to a goalie-needy team such as the Edmonton Oilers.
Mammoth Sign Gregor Biber To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Utah Mammoth have signed defenseman Gregor Biber to an entry-level contract. Although they didn’t specify in their announcement, it will presumably be a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2026-27 season.
Biber, 19, was one of the first players to be drafted by the Mammoth since the franchise began ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Utah selected the Krems, Austria native with the 98th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft out of Rögle BK’s under-20 team.
Unfortunately for the Mammoth, there’s very little to get excited about in Biber’s offensive profile. Since being drafted, he has primarily played in the SHL for Rögle BK, where he has scored three goals and recorded five points in a total of 88 games. In the postseason, it hasn’t been any better, going scoreless across 17 games the past two years.
Additionally, he has been a mainstay for Team Austria, playing at varying levels of international competition, including the IIHF World Championships. His offensive struggles have continued, with only three points in 30 international games since the 2023-24 season.
Still, what he lacks in offensive prowess he makes up for on the defensive side of the puck. Standing at 6’3″, 196lbs, Biber is a highly physical defender and has never had a plus/minus below zero throughout his time in the SHL. Especially as a younger player, that’s quality production against veteran competition.
Unless Utah’s management believes he needs more seasoning overseas, Biber will likely suit up for the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners next season to test his mettle in North America. However, if he does stay with Rögle BK throughout the 2026-27 SHL regular season, Biber likely won’t make the jump to the North American circuit until the end of next season.
Latest On Golden Knights, Bruce Cassidy
May 28th: Vegas does not plan to grant teams permission to talk with Cassidy until the end of their run in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs per ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. Cassidy is believed to have mutual interest with the Oilers and has also fielded interest from the Kings. Kaplan adds that Edmonton could pivot to John Tortorella should Vegas be willing to part with the coach who has led them to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Golden Knights had originally planned to move on from Tortorella and promote Ryan Craig, head coach of the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, but their recent postseason success has complicated that plan. Edmonton will follow that plan very closely as they look to bring in a veteran head coach to replace Kris Knoblauch.
May 19th: The NHL Coaches’ Association (NHLCA) is posturing to involve itself in the repeated instances of the Golden Knights blocking Cassidy from interviewing with the Kings and Oilers. According to a public announcement, the NHLCA said:
“The NHLCA has been closely monitoring the situation involving Bruce Cassidy. While we respect the League’s rules and processes, it is our position that coaches who remain under contract, but are no longer working for their Club, should not be prevented from pursuing other employment opportunities. It would be unprecedented at the head coaching level should multiple teams be denied permission to speak with Coach Cassidy. The situation is still unfolding, but our priority is to protect the interests of our members in this type of circumstance.“
Although their frustration is understandable, it’s unclear what the NHLCA would do to assist Cassidy. As was previously noted, coaches are often “relieved of duties” rather than “fired”, making them still subject to the obligations outlined in their contract.
May 18th: Despite firing him with eight games remaining in the regular season, the Vegas Golden Knights are playing hardball with Bruce Cassidy‘s future. Earlier today, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Golden Knights haven’t given any team permission to interview Cassidy for head coaching vacancies.
Additionally, Andy Strickland of FanDuel Sports Network went a step further, indicating that the Golden Knights blocked the Los Angeles Kings from interviewing the former Jack Adams Award winner. However, that hasn’t been confirmed elsewhere. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising if they did, if they haven’t already, given that Vegas blocked the Edmonton Oilers from interviewing their former head coach just a few days ago.
Unless another head coach is fired in the next few weeks, that leaves the Toronto Maple Leafs as the only option left for Cassidy. However, on Friday’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said, “I do think they’ll reach out to talk to Cassidy, but I’d say it’s extremely unlikely he’s gonna end up being the guy in Toronto, and I do think they are prepared to go fresh. Someone new, someone different.”
As unfair as it seems to Cassidy, those are the rules of the coach’s contractual obligations. Although it’s essentially a firing, coaches are often “relieved of duties”, rather than outright fired. This means they are still bound by the contract they signed and continue to receive payment from the team that released them. So, until Cassidy’s contract with the Golden Knights formally ends, any team wishing to interview him will have to put in a formal request.
There remains plenty of speculation regarding the Kings and Maple Leafs, but it does seem the Oilers have moved on from their pursuit of Cassidy. Earlier today, it was confirmed that Edmonton received permission from Toronto to interview Craig Berube, and he appears to be the early favorite for the role.
Ultimately, if Vegas is going to continue to block their intradivisional rivals from hiring Cassidy, he’ll have to wait for another shoe to drop for his next landing spot. Although it’s hardly appropriate to speculate on someone losing their job, Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators and Sheldon Keefe of the New Jersey Devils may be looking for new roles this summer, given that each team will be under new management in the front office.