After the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Jim Hiller as their head coach on Wednesday, the opportunity for other candidates to lead the team from behind the bench expired, and that includes Joe Pavelski.
Pavelski, a former star NHL center who played for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, was surprisingly in the running for the Maple Leafs’ coaching vacancy, despite never having a role on an NHL coaching staff.
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In the aftermath of being considered for the head coach job in Toronto, Pavelski spoke on the process of interviews and what it was like being contacted by the Leafs regarding the role.
“It was awesome, it was interesting,” Pavelski told The Athletic. “When I got the call, if I had interest in the job, yeah, I mean, it’s Toronto. It kind of takes your breath away to be thought about as a head coach. So it definitely had my attention.”
Though Pavelski has never coached in the NHL, the Maple Leafs were seriously considering Pavelski’s services behind the bench as he was reported to be one of the few remaining candidates for the job.
Report: Joe Pavelski Confirms Ongoing Process With Maple Leafs For Head Coach Role
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“After they first reached out, I took a couple of days to think about it,” he said. “It’s a process you definitely want to go through and see how it really looks. I have so much respect for what these coaches do, and that’s one of the reasons you really have to look at it. You know the time they put into it and the care they put into it and everything that comes with it. “I definitely wanted to follow up on the process and see where it went.”
Since retiring from the NHL in 2023-24 has found some time to coach. This past year, he led the Madison Capitols U-15 AAA team, coaching his son, Nate.
The Montreal Canadiens hired Martin St-Louis, who had only experience coaching his son at the youth level, too.
Since then, St-Louis has had success in Montreal as its bench boss, making the possible hire of Pavelski in Toronto all the more sensible.
What Will Jim Hiller Bring To The Maple Leafs, What Could Make Him A Good Fit?
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Even Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour just led his team to the 2026 Stanley Cup. He also had a successful playing career and was able to transfer his knowledge to coaching and relate with his players.
“Even to have that opportunity (of interviewing with the Leafs), I probably owe Marty St-Louis a big thank you, or to Rod, for what those guys have done and what they’ve meant to their teams,” he said. “Those guys have done a tremendous job. And you definitely see how it might benefit you in some ways.”
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