Edmonton has a new top coaching target over Cassidy and Toronto is racing to beat them
The Peter Laviolette name just got attached to two of the loudest head-coach searches in hockey.
Chris Johnston reported on his podcast that if the Edmonton Oilers don't wait for Bruce Cassidy, Laviolette would likely be the favorite for the bench job in Edmonton.
He added a wrinkle that lands hard. The Toronto Maple Leafs are also reportedly trying to talk to Laviolette. Two of the most pressure-filled coaching jobs in the league. Same candidate at the top of both lists.
Edmonton's pursuit of Cassidy has been stalled because Vegas is still blocking interview permission until the Stanley Cup Final ends. That timeline has stretched longer than Stan Bowman's group likely wanted.
Toronto's bench has been open since the off-season firing. John Chayka took over as Maple Leafs GM. The new front office needs a head coach who can manage the spotlight of a team that just landed the No.1 overall pick.
Laviolette checks both teams' boxes for different reasons. He's a Stanley Cup winner with Carolina in 2006.
He's coached on heavy markets like Philadelphia and the New York Rangers. He's been around the league long enough to handle anything either situation throws at him.
Why these two coaching searches just got tangled together
The Oilers finished 41-30-11 with 93 points and got swept out of the first round by Anaheim. Tristan Jarry allowed 23 goals across the 6-game series. The locker room needs a clear voice.
Toronto landed at 32-36-14 with 78 points. The roster is stuck. The Auston Matthews trade chatter is real. The pipeline is finally getting reinforced through the No.1 pick and a potential Judd Brackett scouting hire.
Both jobs are appealing for different reasons. Edmonton offers Connor McDavid and a Cup window that's still open. Toronto offers stability if the new front office gets the rebuild right and the cap structure cleaned up.
The Oilers have been waiting on Cassidy because Vegas's continued playoff run keeps the formal interview blocked. Rod Pedersen, Andy Strickland and John Shannon have all reported that the Cassidy-to-Edmonton fit feels inevitable.
But inevitable doesn't always mean immediate. If Cassidy doesn't come available on Edmonton's timeline, Laviolette moves to the front of the line. Toronto might already be calling.
Honestly, this is the part of the off-season where coaching searches start to feel like draft lottery dominoes. One team's hire forces another team's hand. The wrong delay can cost both groups their first choice.
GM Stan Bowman has been busy reshaping Edmonton's hockey ops infrastructure. Michael Parkatti got promoted to VP of Analytics and Technology. Kirt Hill arrived as Assistant GM of Player Procurement. The roster work hinges on the head-coach call.
-
The Vegas Golden Knights are still alive in the Stanley Cup Final against Carolina. As long as they keep playing, Cassidy can't formally meet with anyone. The clock is the same clock every NHL fan is watching.
McDavid's window doesn't pause for protocol. Toronto's reset doesn't pause for it either. Both front offices have to decide soon whether they keep waiting or whether they pivot.
Laviolette is the name in the middle of all of it. Edmonton or Toronto. The decision might come down to who calls first.
|
YESTERDAY
MAY 29, 2026
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Taylor Hall | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jackson Blake | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Seth Jarvis | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alexander Nikishin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Phillip Danault | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||