Team has cycled through 33 coaches in their history, firing a few along the way
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The meeting was a delayed three years, but Mike Babcock is getting his shot at the team that fired him.
Saturday night in Edmonton was to be his first game against the Maple Leafs since November 2019, after his return to the NHL bench in 2023 with Columbus never made it past training camp. He resigned there after reports of invasive player privacy tactics, the kind of transgression that surfaced after the Leafs fired him halfway through his unproductive eight-year and record $50 million contract.
Babcock will be the 10th former Toronto coach to return to the NHL with another team, and with a record of 8-1-1, playing at home and with the Leafs defence wracked by injuries, you have to like his chances on Saturday, even if he made few friends in his Leaf tenure.
Past Maple Leaf coaching returns
Here’s how ex-Leaf coaches have fared in their first return engagement with their new clubs:
Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey Devils: Oct. 10, 2024, 4-2 Leafs @ NJ
Paul Maurice, Carolina Hurricanes: Nov. 2 2008, 6-4 Hurricanes @ Carolina
Pat Quinn, Edmonton Oilers: Dec. 30, 2009, 3-1 Oilers win @ Toronto
Pat Burns, Boston Bruins: Dec. 31 1997, 2-2 tie @ Toronto
Dan Maloney, Winnipeg Jets: Dec. 31, 1986, 6-1 Leafs @ Toronto
Roger Neilson. Buffalo Sabres: Oct. 19, 1980, 4-2 Leafs @ Toronto
Punch Imlach, Buffalo Sabres: Nov. 18, 1970, 7-2 Sabres @ Toronto
Billy Reay, Chicago Blackhawks: Oct. 13, 1963, 4-2 Hawks @ Toronto
Dick Irvin Sr., Montreal Canadiens: Nov. 14, 1940, 6-2 Leafs @ Toronto
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