Leafs fans might not know his name but this coach is making a massive impact

Derek Lalonde has done a great job with the Maple Leafs defensive structure and penalty kill this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning v Toronto Maple Leafs | Kevin Sousa/GettyImagesThe Toronto Maple Leafs hired Derek Lalonde on June 6th, 2025, after Lane Lambert left to become the head coach of the Seattle Kraken. Lambert had done an exceptional job with the Maple Leafs' defensive core, turning them into a top-five group in the NHL. When Lambert left to go to the Kraken, the Maple Leafs had a hole to fix. Enter Lalonde.

Shaky NHL career

Many people were skeptical of the hire. Nobody was sure how it would go. He had done a good job with the Tampa Bay Lightning, as they won multiple Stanley Cups during…