Dave Litman
The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ search for a head coach continues, as the team enters the in-person interview stage. While some candidates are likely unavailable (David Carle, Bruce Cassidy), others have gotten in some face time with new GM John Chayka and his right-hand man, Mats Sundin.
Insider Elliotte Friedman has reported on The Fan Hockey Show that both Peter Laviolette and Patrick Roy are two of the 15 Zoom interviews they’ve already done. And when it comes to the Hall of Fame goaltender, it sounds like things went extremely nicely on the first round of talks.
I hear Patrick Roy interviewed really well. The word on the street is that Roy’s interview was really good. So I think he’s legit.
Roy last served behind the bench with the New York Islanders this season. He posted a fine 42-31-5 record before being fired with just four games to play. The team was on the periphery of the playoff race. In his two years on the job, he went 97-78-22 on Long Island.
Roy still had two years remaining on his deal with the Isles, so the Leafs needed—and were granted—permission to speak with him.
Canadiens’ legend Patrick Roy coaching the Maple Leafs would be a sight to see
But Friedman (and the rest of us) are wondering just what it would be like if the Habs’ legend Roy were behind the Maple Leafs bench when the team heads into Montreal for their first matchup with the Canadiens next season. Roy, of course, is from Quebec, and spent the first 12 years of his career with the Leafs’ heated (and hated) rivals.
“Do you remember when (head coach) Pat Burns was fired by Montreal and hired by Toronto, and the first time he went into The Forum (in Montreal) to coach the Maple Leafs?” asked Friedman. “It’s been 30 years, but that’s a game that I can still remember.
“Can you imagine if Roy coached the Maple Leafs, and the first game they play in Montreal?! That’s gonna be nuts!”
The Leafs are conducting a wide-ranging search for their next bench boss after jettisoning Craig Berube a week after Chayka & Sundin took over.
