Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde as Assistant Coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Derek Lalonde as an assistant coach under head coach Craig Berube for the upcoming NHL season. Lalonde, 52, was recently dismissed as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, where he served from the 2022-23 season and finished with an 89-86-23 record but did not reach the playoffs. Before joining Detroit, Lalonde was an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, contributing to their Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021. He has international experience with the U.S. national team at the IIHF World Championships in 2023 and 2024. Lalonde has also held head coaching positions in the AHL, ECHL, and USHL, earning multiple coaching honors in those leagues. His hiring fills the vacancy left by Lane Lambert, who became head coach of the Seattle Kraken.