NHL Rumors: Jay Woodcroft Taking Another Run At Head Coaching Job
Per Eric Stephens of The Athletic, Woodcroft is expected to pursue multiple head coaching opportunities this offseason, with Ducks GM Pat Verbeek making clear he will not stand in his way.
"I would never hold a coach back from getting a head coaching job," Verbeek said. "There's only 32 of them. That's the pinnacle of his profession, so I would never hold him back from that."
That is as clean a green light as a coach on the market can receive from his current employer, and perhaps a shot at the Vegas Golden Knights, who are holding back Bruce Cassidy from interviews right now.
The Los Angeles Kings need a head coach after parting ways with Jim Hiller in March, and the Toronto Maple Leafs need a head coach after firing Craig Berube.
The Career That Makes Him Relevant
Woodcroft, 49, has spent his entire professional coaching career working with high-end offensive talent, which is a valuable credential in a league where star management is the most difficult and most consequential part of a head coach's job, especially in a big market like Toronto.
He spent ten seasons as an assistant with the San Jose Sharks and Oilers before being promoted to head coach of the AHL's Bakersfield Condors in 2018, where he built one of the best development programs in the minor leagues.
David Pagnotta: Re Maple Leafs coaching search: Jay Woodcroft might be another one that I could see being a potential target - The Sheet (5/13)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 16, 2026
The Oilers elevated him to the NHL bench in November 2021, replacing Dave Tippett 13 games into the season, and Woodcroft took Edmonton to the Western Conference Final in his first full season before being eliminated in the second round the following year.
He was fired 13 games into the 2023-24 season with a 3-9-1 record, a result he has been trying to move past ever since.
Since his dismissal, he has interviewed with the Devils, the Bruins, and the Penguins over two consecutive summers without landing a job, came closest to the Boston position last summer per multiple reports before returning to Anaheim as an assistant, and has spent this past season rebuilding his profile in a system that was one of the surprise stories of the NHL's 2025-26 campaign.
Why the Leafs Conversation Is Interesting
Woodcroft has already been identified as a potential Berube replacement, with insider Elliotte Friedman also making the link.
The Matthews situation would probably be the main reason. Woodcroft understands generational centers, having coached Connor McDavid for the better part of three seasons.
Is Jay Woodcroft the next head coach of the LA Kings?
— Slava (@daddykopitar) May 14, 2026
If Chayka's vision for next season involves building an offensive structure around Matthews and the first overall pick, a coach who has worked through that specific challenge at the NHL level carries a ton of value.
But, so would Kris Knoblauch, who was also just fired by the Oilers.
Kings GM Ken Holland also has a history with Woodcroft from their time together in Edmonton, which could very well be a difference maker in their process this summer.
The openings are there for Woodcroft, and Verbeek has cleared the path.
Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
