Photo: Barry McCluskey
Toronto Maple Leafs added John Gruden as an assistant coach on the new coach’s staff Jim Hiller.
Gruden, 56, joins the Maple Leafs after spending the past three seasons as head coach of the Toronto Marlies, leading the club to a Calder Cup championship in 2025-26. After finishing fourth in the North Division in the regular season (36-26-5-5, 82 points), the Marlies went 16-8 on a five-game playoff winning streak, culminating in a five-game victory over the Chicago Wolves in the Calder Cup Finals.
In his three seasons, Gruden guided the Marlies to a 107-75-19-15 (.574) record.
Gruden previously coached in the NHL as an assistant with the New York Islanders (2018-22) and the Boston Bruins (2022-23). He was also the head coach in the Ontario Hockey League for Flint (2015-16) and Hamilton (2016-18), winning the league championship in the 2017-18 season.
A native of Virginia, Minn., Gruden played defensive back for 10 seasons following a four-year stint at Ferris State University. He skated in 175 games in the AHL with the Providence Bruins and Grand Rapids Griffins, and was an AHL All-Star in 2002.
