Toronto Just Fired Its Coach and Traded a Goalie — Here’s What Comes Next

The Toronto Maple Leafs are making moves. And not the kind that usually end with a playoff run.

On Tuesday, the team traded goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers, just days after firing head coach Craig Berube. The message is clear: the front office is not waiting around to fix what broke this season.

General manager John Chayka, speaking with reporters, framed the trade as part of a larger offseason strategy. “What we liked about this opportunity is that it allowed us to create some flexibility,” Chayka said. “I think flexibility and optionality are assets to any great organization, and certainly this allows us to be in a better spot as we think about the entire offseason plan.”

But the bigger story might be who will sit behind the bench next season. Chayka hinted that the coaching search is nearly over.

“I think we are on the final phases at this stage,” he said Tuesday. “It’s been a pretty thorough process so far and we’ve taken our time with it. We’ve had some in-person meetings recently and we are getting down to decision time, so it should be in the next, you know, several days.”

The team has kept its shortlist under wraps, though reports have linked the Maple Leafs to Jared Bednar if the Colorado Avalanche parted ways with him. Toronto has not confirmed any candidates.

Chayka insisted the coaching decision was part of a broader evaluation of the organization. “We didn’t make this decision in a vacuum,” he said. “It’s a bigger picture decision and it’s not just about the coach. … Just feel like there’s some things we need to change and do better and be better, and that starts with (Mats Sundin) and myself at the top.”

The Maple Leafs finished the 2025-26 season with 78 points — well short of postseason contention. That failure triggered the Berube firing and now a roster shake-up that could continue into the summer.

For a fanbase used to disappointment, this offseason feels different. The trades are coming. The coaching change is imminent. And the window, if there ever really was one, appears to be closing.