Mitch Marner Is About To Win A Stanley Cup, And Toronto Is Still Searching For A Coach

Holy smokes, Seattle, can you believe what's happening out there in the hockey world? While our Kraken are always on our minds, you gotta look around the league sometimes, right? And what we're seeing in Toronto right now is just wild. We're in early June, the Stanley Cup Final is kicking off, and guess who's playing in it? None other than former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner, skating with the Vegas Golden Knights, ready to hoist the Cup! And his old team? They're still trying to figure out who's gonna be behind the bench after a total face-plant of a season. You can't make this stuff up!

The Coaching Carousel Spins While The Cup Glitters

Talk about a gut punch. While Marner and Frederik Andersen, another ex-Leaf, are battling it out for hockey's ultimate prize, the Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly interviewing Peter Laviolette and Patrick Roy for their head coach position. Seriously? This is the situation after they just finished *last* in the Atlantic Division. Last! That’s a tough pill to swallow for any fanbase, let alone one as passionate as theirs. You’d think finishing in the cellar would light a fire under them, but now they're just getting started on figuring out who's in charge for next season. They've got optimism for 2026-27 because of their "current stars," but man, that's a tough sell when you just tanked your division and can't even lock down a coach.

Ex-Leafs Keep Winning, And Toronto Still Has Holes

The pain just keeps coming, doesn't it? It's not just Marner and Andersen making a Cup run. We've seen a whole list of former Leafs like Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, and Phil Kessel go on to win Stanley Cups AFTER leaving Toronto. That's gotta sting, seeing your talent find glory elsewhere. It even has Jack Eichel saying Marner was "treated unfairly" in Toronto. What does that tell you about their locker room, huh? To add insult to injury, two of their own draft picks went unsigned and are re-entering the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Meanwhile, their AHL affiliate, the Marlies, are leading the Eastern Conference Finals 2-1 against the Penguins, though their Game 3 loss was deemed "just not good enough" by Luke Haymes. At least *some* parts of the organization are having a postseason, but it's cold comfort for the big club.

Other Headlines From Up North

Beyond the coaching drama and ex-player success, there are other rumblings. Matthew Knies had his third year wrapped in knee issues and trade rumors, which is never a good look for a young guy. On the brighter side, goalie Artur Akhtyamov showed "steady growth" in his second pro season, and Phil Housley reportedly praised defenseman Jake McCabe, saying, "You can count on him." So there are *some* pieces. They even made some front office moves, hiring Judd Brackett as Assistant General Manager after getting permission from the Wild, and Freddie Hamilton as chief of staff. These are behind-the-scenes moves that might pay off down the road, but right now, the biggest question is who takes the reins of a team that finished last in their division but still talks about "current stars."

So, what's next? The Leafs need to pick a coach. ASAP. With former players winning the ultimate prize and their own season ending in a whimper, they've got some serious soul-searching to do before next year kicks off. You gotta wonder if any coach can turn that ship around fast enough to quiet the noise. This whole situation is wild, and we'll be watching to see if they can finally get it together up there. Go Kraken!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.