According to a statement made by Elliotte Friedman this Monday morning, John Tortorella is making news as a possible head coach choice for both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.
It’s common for the NHL coaching Merry-Go-Round to have a snag. Whether Friedman will return to Vegas depends on his report.
The Golden Knights hired Tortorella on March 29, 2026, and with him at the helm, the team finished 7-0-3 over its final 10 games.
It’s not a discreet reconstruction. That’s a really struggling franchise seeking a new kind of voice in the changing room.
Edmonton is a different story altogether. With GM Stan Bowman managing the front office, the Oilers finished 14th in the league with 93 points and a 41-30-11 record.
Neither club has a head coach mentioned in the offseason. There are two open seats, two quite different rosters, and one name with sufficient credibility to fill either.
Is Tortorella capable of making the Edmonton Oilers go further or fixing what’s wrong in Toronto?
At 68 years old, torts. He is not a development initiative. He’s not a methodical system creator. He is a coach that emphasizes accountability, is direct and intense, and has always expected buy-in swiftly.
On paper, Edmonton is more suitable for that profile. The Oilers possess the talent. In the Western Conference, they require order and a person who will not be outworked.
Toronto, though, would be giving a scorched locker room to a coach who has never had a comfortable relationship with outstanding players.
One may contend that is precisely what the Maple Leafs require. Alternatively, it may be the worst possible match in an already friction-free market.
Regardless, the first call this week is Kelly McCrimmon’s in Vegas.
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