Maple Leafs Granted Permission To Speak To Top Coaching Candidate Jay Woodcroft

Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft

The Toronto Maple Leafs' extended head coaching search continues. A lot of names have cropped up so far, some more practical than others. We're hearing on Wednesday that one of the more realistic candidates is one step closer.

According to Nick Alberga of The Leafs Nation, the Anaheim Ducks have granted the Leafs permission to speak with their assistant coach Jay Woodcroft.

Hearing the Ducks have given the Leafs permission to speak to Jay Woodcroft.

Initial interview pending. No surprise, but he’s high atop their list of potential candidates. @TLNdc
— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) May 27, 2026

Insider Frank Seravalli says an interview is coming this week. Woodcroft also interviewed with the LA Kings last week. He has been considered one of the leading candidates for the Leafs job.

The insider adds that Toronto is looking at as many as 20 interviewees, from would-be first-time head coaches, to those with some, or plenty of experience.

Before landing in Anaheim on Joel Quenneville's staff this year, Woodcroft, 49, was the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for a year and a half. He took over behind the bench in February 2022 and guided the team to a Western Conference Final appearance that spring.

Woodcroft has short, but impressive resume as head coach

Overall, Woodcroft posted a 79-41-13 record in the regular season with Edmonton for a .637 points percentage. Of course, in Toronto, he wouldn't be able to look down the bench and send Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl over the boards. But Auston Matthews and William Nylander could be a good start for him if he were to land the gig.

Woodcroft was fired by the Oilers early in the 2023-24 season, after a rough 3-9-1 start. As we've seen in the two seasons since then, those slow Edmonton starts can't really be laid at Woodcroft's feet.