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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
Dec 15, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The Toronto Maple Leafs logo at center ice before the start of the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Air Canada Centre. The Lightning beat the Maple Leafs 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Pat Burns (1993-1996)

Regular Season 

Games Coached: 281

Record:  133-107-41

Winning Percentage: .546

Playoffs

Games Coached: 46

Record: 23-23

Winning Percentage: .500

Burns started his coaching career in 1988 with the Montreal Canadiens, but when he left in 1992 he had two coaching jobs to choose from. One was from the Los Angeles Kings, with players like Rob Blake, Jari Kurri, Luc Robataille and a guy named Wayne Gretzky.

The other was the Leafs who had just finished the season with a 30-43-9 record. However, they had a promising roster with Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark, Glen Anderson, Nikolai Borschevsky, and rookie goaltender Felix Potvin.

Burns would make the bold choice of taking the Leafs offer saying that “I find myself fortunate to coach two of the greatest franchises in NHL history“. It would turn out to be an important move for GM Cliff Fletcher and the Leafs, who would finish third in the Norris Division with 99 points.

Ironically, the Leafs would lose to the LA Kings in the conference finals after a memorable playoff run. The remarkable turnaround in Toronto landed Burns the Jack Adams Trophy, the only Leafs coach to ever win the award.

The following season the Leafs would finish second in the Central Division with 98 points and make it to the Conference Finals for a second straight season, this time losing to the Vancouver Canucks. The Leafs would let Burns go in the 1995-96 season, ending a tenure that had brought honour back to the Leafs organization.

When Burns passed away after a long battle with cancer, many would come to remember his accomplishments and the impact he had on many teams including the Leafs. Fletcher had this to say about hiring Burns,

"“Getting Pat for the Toronto Maple Leafs was maybe the biggest thing that happened to the franchise in about two decades. We had a press conference at center ice and we had to have 10,000 people there in June. He was a huge personality. He was a great coach. He was very demanding, but he was a real smart guy,” Fletcher said. “He made sure that the best players on his team bought his program. He always had a great relationship with his best players.”"

Leafs fans and the organization admired someone who brought accountability, and passion to the team. No coach in Leafs history embraced that identity more than Burns.

Unfortunately for Burns, he was unable to bring the Cup to Toronto and it would have been nice to see his tenure last longer. However, Fletcher did say his coaching style took a toll on the players and a change was needed.

Next: Could easily have been number one

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