We know what Joe Pavelski really thinks of Maple Leafs head coach job | Sporting News (original) (raw)
Joe Pavelski wasn't in the rumors initially.
But this week, the long-time San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars legend emerged as a candidate for the open head coach job with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It was a shocking report initially, but it's real, and Pavelski appears to be clearly in the running.
The most important thing: He wants the job.
NHL insider Darren Dreger has reported that Pavelski hasn't just been contacted -- he's expressed that he is interested.
Pavelski has coached his son Nate "at the youth level" in Madison, Wisconsin, according to insider Elliotte Friedman. It would make him a bit like when the Canadiens hired Martin St. Louis.
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Pavelski, 41, is an all-time great player who skated in 1,332 NHL games and finished with 476 goals and 592 assists.
He was just a seventh-round pick by the San Jose Sharks but became one of their best players ever. He wrapped up his career with the Dallas Stars, and probably could've kept playing if he had wanted to.
Instead, Pavelski retired, and whether or not he saw this as his next step, it has now emerged as an option.
Pavelski isn't Canadian, and he never played for an NHL team in Canada, but his high-level playing experience could likely help him handle some of the high-octane Toronto pressure.
There's no way to know for sure what's coming next, but the fact that Pavelski is interested seems like it'll bring him deep into the running.