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2h ago

Maple Leafs Add Joe Pavelski to Head Coach Interview List

The move signals Toronto is weighing a respected former player's immediate locker-room influence against veteran NHL coaching experience as it advances to in-person interviews.

Oct 14, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Former player Joe Pavelski is introduced before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Oct 14, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Former player Joe Pavelski is introduced before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Sunday reporting confirmed Joe Pavelski will get an interview for the Maple Leafs head-coaching job and he told a podcast he is interested in the opportunity.
  • Pavelski has no NHL head-coaching experience and has only coached at the youth level for his son in Madison, Wisconsin.
  • Toronto has moved from about 15–16 virtual screenings into an in-person interview phase and is also talking to Peter Laviolette and Patrick Roy while David Carle has been ruled out.
  • Sources and coverage highlight Pavelski's strong reputation for leadership and cite an anecdote about him calling Tomas Hertl during a playoff slump as evidence of his motivational impact.
  • The Leafs see a Martin St. Louis–style hire as possible, which could win quick player buy-in and shift club culture but would carry the risk tied to a first-time NHL head coach and is not on a fixed hiring timeline.