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Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 5 Coaches of All Time

By David Morassutti

Mar 2, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock (R) talks to his team during a timeout against the Washington Capitals in the third period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock (R) talks to his team during a timeout against the Washington Capitals in the third period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Apr 13, 2014; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Pat Quinn is inducted into the Ring of Honor before the start of the first period as the Vancouver Canucks host the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Pat Quinn (1999-2006)

Regular Season 

Games Coached: 574

Record:  300-196-52

Winning Percentage: .591

Playoffs

Games Coached: 80

Record: 41-39

Winning Percentage: .513 

Before arriving in Toronto, Quinn had an impressive resumé from his time in Vancouver, where he nearly won a Stanley Cup in 1994. The Leafs had immediate success in his first season as head coach in 1998-99, with a 45-30-7 record.

The team would make it all the way to the Conference Finals, where they would lose to the Buffalo Sabres. Quinn would be a finalist for the Jack Adams trophy losing to Jacques Martin, and would be given the duties of General Manager along with his coaching duties.

The Leafs would make the playoffs every season with Quinn, before the lockout in 2004-05. He coached the team to a franchise record of 103 points in 2003-04, and wins with 45 in 1998-99,1999-00 and 2003-04.

In 2003-04, the Leafs would also record 24 losses with Quinn as coach – the fewest the team has had over an 82 game season. Players like Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Tomas Kaberle, Bryan McCabe, Gary Roberts, Curtis Joseph, and Ed Belfour were important members of the Leafs core through the years with Quinn.

Quinn’s achievements with the Leafs also landed him the coaching job for Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He would help Canada overcome the gold medal drought at the Olympics and restore glory for Canadian hockey fans.

Unfortunately for Quinn, he was unable to get the Leafs over their Stanley Cup drought and after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2005-06 he was let go by GM John Ferguson Jr. The Leafs have been unable to qualify for the playoffs in a regular 82 game season since the team fired him.

“We had a lot of success playing for Pat, obviously, the years here with the Maple Leafs,” Sundin said. “As a coach (he) had a presence in the dressing room that demanded respect and had a way of talking and getting the guys ready for each game that really got the best out of the teams that he coached.”

Next: His tenure should have lasted longer

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