Barring sky-high financial incentives, Peter DeBoer has no interest in becoming next Maple Leafs head coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs are enduring one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory. They sit last in the Atlantic Division and are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.

Amid the slump, speculation about a coaching change has intensified, with Craig Berube’s position as head coach appearing increasingly precarious. One prominent name linked as a potential replacement is former Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer.

NHL insider David Pagnotta expressed skepticism about DeBoer’s interest in the Toronto job. Pagnotta relayed that DeBoer is currently comfortable in his situation while focusing on his role with Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic staff.

Pagnotta added that, if DeBoer does consider returning to an NHL bench mid-season, he would likely only entertain a contender already positioned as a legitimate Stanley Cup threat, where he could serve as the finishing piece to push them over the edge. Toronto’s current rebuild-like struggles do not fit that profile.

"I was told was if he does consider joining an NHL club, it's a team that's right there. It's a team that you guys touched on it a little bit earlier. He's, he's the finishing piece. He's the one that's going to put you over the edge by bringing him in in order to get to a cup final or to win the whole thing," Pagnotta said.

He continued:

"That's tthe type of team that he would consider going to and joining from, from what I've been told is a team that's right there, and they need that finishing piece to kind of lead them along the way. That's not here."

Pagnotta concluded that he would be surprised if DeBoer took the Leafs job unless offered an extraordinarily lucrative contract—something in the range of $6-8 million per season.

"So I'd be a little bit surprised unless they're throwing, you know, $6-8 million his way per season. I would be a little bit surprised if he would consider this based on what I'd heard a couple of weeks ago about his scenario."

Toronto Maple Leafs make coaching change

On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a coaching change after firing assistant coach Marc Savard, who had been hired in June 2024.

The move comes amid the team’s disappointing season and its league-worst power-play conversion rate of just 13.3 percent, along with allowing four shorthanded goals.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, return to action against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta