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Leafs add experience to staff with hiring of MacLean

September 26, 2020, 7:52 AM ET [172 Comments]
Mike Augello
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The Toronto Maple Leafs rounded out their coaching staff on Friday with the hiring of former Jack Adams Award winner Paul MacLean as an assistant coach. The 62-year-old is the second addition to the Leafs coaching staff after Paul McFarland returned to the OHL to become the coach and GM of the Kingston Frontenacs and not renewing the contract of assistant coach Andrew Brewer.

Former NHLer Manny Malholtra was hired earlier this month and MacLean will join former Philadelphia head coach Dave Hakstol to give head Sheldon Keefe a resource of longtime NHL experience.

"Over nearly two decades as an NHL coach, Paul has filled every role on a coaching staff, winning a Stanley Cup and Jack Adams trophy along the way,” Keefe said in a press release. “Adding someone of Paul's expertise and character to advise and assist our staff is something that we felt was very important as we seek to make tangible steps next season."

MacLean played for Canada in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics and had an excellent 11-year NHL career with St. Louis, Winnipeg and Detroit, posting a career-high 101-point season with the Jets on the wing with Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk. After his playing career, he served as an assistant to former Leafs head coaches Mike Babcock in Anaheim and Detroit, and Randy Carlyle in his second stint with the Ducks.



As head coach of the Ottawa Senators, MacLean went 114-90-35 over four seasons and won the NHL’s coach of the year in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign with a 25-17-6 record.

Last season, he was added to John Tortorlella’s staff in Columbus in November, and helped an injury-ravaged Blue Jackets squad make the playoffs and defeat the Leafs in the qualifying round.

The relationship to Keefe is through MacLean’s son A.J., who has worked with the Leafs head coach as part of his coaching staff going back to his days with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds and move to the pro ranks when he was hired to be the Marlies head coach in 2015.


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