Report: Dallas Eakins Believed To Be In The Race For Maple Leafs Head Coach Job

There's an understanding that, to this point in their search for a new head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs have narrowed down their list of candidates to some degree. 

Not long ago, TSN's Pierre LeBrun provided a report saying the Leafs have entered the second phase of their process in landing their next bench boss, and that phase includes in-person interviews with "about five candidates."

On Thursday, during OverDrive, Darren Dreger guested on the show and added a name to the mix that he believes should be included in this next round of interactions.

"We believe that Dallas Eakins is still in the mix," Dreger said on the show.

To add to the discussion of Eakins being in the mix for the Toronto job, he was spotted with former NHL executive Brian Burke, taking in Game 3 of the AHL's Eastern Conference final between the Toronto Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Eakins has a history with the Maple Leafs organization. According to eliteprospects.com, Eakins' first coaching job was as an assistant coach for the Marlies in 2005-06.

For the next two years, he was an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs, followed by a year as the director of player development. In 2009-10, he rejoined the Marlies in the AHL, but this time as a head coach.

After four years of leading the Marlies behind the bench and taking that team to the final once in that span, he took his talents to the NHL.

In total, Eakins has been a head coach in the NHL for six years and has been behind the bench in that role across 404 regular-season contests. 

Eakins last coached in the NHL in 2022-23, his fourth year behind the bench with the Anaheim Ducks. He also coached the Edmonton Oilers for two years in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Since then, the 59-year-old has been coaching in Germany for DEL Mannheim. He's coached Mannheim for the past three seasons, losing in the final of this past campaign.

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