Latest: Maple Leafs officially Hire Marc Savard as an Assistant Coach…

Toronto Maple Leafs Hire Marc Savard as an Assistant Coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially hired Marc Savard as an assistant coach, making the anticipated addition to their coaching staff for the upcoming NHL season official. Savard will take on the responsibility of revitalizing the team’s power play, a unit that struggled during the postseason. His hiring fills the vacancy left by Guy Boucher, who was not retained after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

Savard is joining a largely overhauled coaching staff under head coach Craig Berube. Along with Savard, Lane Lambert, who previously served as the head coach of the New York Islanders, has been added to the team. Mike Van Ryn and Curtis Sanford are the remaining members from the previous coaching lineup, while video coaches Jordan Bean and Sam Kim continue in their existing roles.

With Savard’s addition, Berube’s coaching staff for his inaugural year with the Maple Leafs is now complete. Berube, who brings a wealth of experience and a history of success, including winning the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, has implemented significant changes to build a robust support system. Notably, the current Leafs coaching staff closely resembles 75% of the Blues’ 2019-20 coaching team. The only exceptions are Steve Ott, who remains with the Blues, and Lane Lambert, who is the sole new addition.

Savard’s Connection with Berube and Expectations for the Power Play

Jonas Siegel of The Athletic highlights that Berube’s professional connection with Savard dates back to their playing days with the Calgary Flames in the early 2000s. Berube has praised Savard’s passion for the game and his exceptional understanding of hockey. He commented, “He was a tremendous player and possesses an elite offensive mind.”

As the Maple Leafs strive for a deeper postseason run, the performance of their power play will be crucial to their success. Savard’s expertise in managing the power play is expected to be pivotal, and the Leafs are hopeful that he can optimize the performance of their elite group of forwards in this area, where they have surprisingly underperformed.