Mired in last place in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division, the Toronto Maple Leafs dismissed assistant coach Marc Savard on Monday.
Savard was responsible for Toronto’s dismal power play, which is last in the league at 13.3 percent. They have scored only twice in 27 opportunities during December.
The Maple Leafs are 1-4-1 in their last six games and 15-15-5 overall.
Savard played for 13 years in the NHL, amassing 207 goals and 499 assists for the New York Rangers (1997-99), Calgary Flames (1999-2003), Atlanta Thrashers (2002-06) and Boston Bruins (2006-11). He competed in the 2008 and 2009 NHL All-Star game, representing the Bruins.
Savard joined head coach Craig Berube behind the bench for the second time when Berube took the top job in Toronto in May 2024. He also served under Berube in St. Louis during the 2019-20 season, before stepping away from the game in September 2020 to spend more time at home.
The Leafs’ plan — according to league sources — is not to replace Savard immediately, but utilize assistants Derek Lalonde and Mike Van Ryn to re-energize the power play.
High-scoring Toronto forwards Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares have been ineffective for much of the season after enjoying outstanding success in previous campaigns.
