That is the real takeaway here. Not one favorite locking it up, not one final interview wrapping things cleanly, but a process that still looks loose enough to stretch.
Dreger's wording matters because he left room for chaos too. He said everything can change with a phone call.
That is classic hockey power language. One unexpected yes, one denied permission, one internal pivot, and the whole direction changes.
But the second half of the update is what lands harder. Dreger said he was told on Wednesday that this could drag into May.
That changes the feel around Toronto's search right away. A process that lasts that long is not just about checking boxes. It usually means the organization is still weighing structure as much as names.
And in Toronto, time always adds pressure. The longer this runs, the louder every rumor gets and the more every outside read starts to feel like part of the story.
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That is the biggest point from Dreger's update. This does not sound like a search on the goal line waiting for a signature.
It sounds like a club still moving through calls, background work, and maybe even different versions of what the final setup could be.
The line about one phone call matters there too. It suggests Toronto knows this thing can still swing quickly, which means nobody around the process should be treated like a lock just yet.
That also says something about the front office mood. The Leafs may be trying to stay patient instead of forcing a decision just to quiet the market.
That is easier said than done in this city. Berube is already in place behind the bench, the roster is under pressure to change, and every delay at the management level makes the summer feel heavier.
Still, dragging into May is not automatically a bad sign. Sometimes it means the club is trying to get the right person instead of the fastest answer.
But it does keep the uncertainty alive. And uncertainty in Toronto never stays small for long.
So Dreger's update did 2 things at once. It warned that the process may take longer than fans want, and it reminded everyone that one sudden call could still flip the board anyway.
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LIVE
APRIL 26, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nathan MacKinnon | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Bowen Byram | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Josh Doan | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Peyton Krebs | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alex Tuch | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Gabriel Landeskog | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Zach Benson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Joel Edmundson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sean Kuraly | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cale Makar | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Beck Malenstyn | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nicolas Roy | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Devon Toews | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Greenway | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nazem Kadri | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Adrian Kempe | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Tyson Kozak | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Kulak | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alex Laferriere | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Artturi Lehkonen | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||