New NHL Rumors on Surprise Target Eyed by Maple Leafs for HC Job amid Latest Search

Retired forward Joe Pavelski is a candidate in the Toronto Maple Leafs' coaching search, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

One source described Pavelski to Friedman as a "Martin St. Louis-style candidate."

St. Louis took over as the Montreal Canadiens interim coach midway through 2021-22 before getting the job permanently the following offseason.

Given his inexperience, St. Louis' hiring was met with some skepticism, but the decision has worked out for Montreal. The Canadiens made the playoffs in 2024-25 and advanced to the conference finals this year.

Pavelski spent 18 years in the league as a player and retired with 476 goals and 592 assists. He was highly respected around the league and did enough on the ice to warrant Hall of Fame conversations.

Hiring somebody with Pavelski's resume — or lack thereof — is always a risk, though, and that's especially true when he'd be taking over the Maple Leafs, an Original Six franchise with massive expectations almost every year.

Of course, Toronto's interest in Pavelski doesn't mean he's a lock for the job. Newly hired general manager John Chayka might simply be covering all his bases and seeing whether there might be a savvy solution outside of the usual suspects.

The Leafs have reportedly conducted around 15 interviews virtually, with Peter Laviolette and Patrick Roy two of the notable interviewees.