The Toronto Maple Leafs made a significant coaching addition this week, hiring Derek Lalonde as an assistant coach. While the move might fly under the radar, Lalonde’s resume and winning pedigree say otherwise. Here’s a breakdown of what the Maple Leafs are gaining in their new assistant coach.
From Lane Lambert to Derek Lalonde: Changing of the Guard
Lalonde replaces Lane Lambert, who left the organization to take the head coaching job with the Seattle Kraken. Lambert was quietly effective during his brief tenure in Toronto, running the penalty kill and helping solidify the defensive structure and goaltending performance. Before that, Lambert’s long record as an assistant with the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders included a Stanley Cup and deep playoff runs. His departure leaves a gap, but also opens the door for a coach with similar championship-level experience.
Lalonde Is a Proven Winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning
Lalonde’s NHL assistant coaching experience comes from one of the most dominant modern dynasties—the Tampa Bay Lightning. He spent four seasons (2018–2022) behind the Lightning bench. While those successes can’t be credited solely to any one assistant, Lalonde was part of a coaching staff that maximized the talent of stars like Andrei Vasilevskiy, Victor Hedman, and Nikita Kucherov.
As an assistant, Lalonde helped lead the team to outstanding success, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. During his tenure, the Lightning reached three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, establishing themselves as the most dominant playoff team of that era.
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No team won more postseason games during that stretch than Tampa Bay, which put up 48 playoff wins, ten more than the next closest team. Under Lalonde’s guidance, the Lightning consistently ranked among the NHL’s best, finishing in the top five in goals for, goals against, power play efficiency, and penalty killing.
Lalonde’s NHL Resume Includes His Being a Coach at Every Level
Lalonde’s path to the NHL was developed through a traditional coaching climb marked by steady development and success at each level. He began his career as an NCAA assistant coach, spending time with Ferris State and the University of Denver. He then became head coach of the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he captured a league championship in his first season. Lalonde continued his upward trajectory in the ECHL with the Toledo Walleye, leading the team to two impressive 70+ point seasons.
His next step came in the American Hockey League (AHL) as head coach of the Iowa Wild, where the on-ice results were more modest, but the experience proved invaluable. In 2018, Lalonde joined Tampa Bay, launching a successful four-year run behind the bench. He then became head coach of the Detroit Red Wings in 2022. Though his time in Detroit was more challenging, he gained valuable bench leadership experience with a rebuilding team.
Look for Lalonde to Become the Penalty Kill Guru in Toronto
Although the Maple Leafs haven’t officially announced Lalonde’s specific responsibilities, it’s expected that he’ll take over the team’s penalty kill duties. That role was handled by Lambert last season, and Lalonde brings considerable experience with special teams from his previous coaching stops. With Lalonde’s addition, the current coaching staff under Craig Berube is shaping up with clear areas of focus: Marc Savard will run the power play, Mike Van Ryn oversees the defence, and Lalonde is anticipated to lead the penalty kill and potentially assist with goaltending coordination. Lalonde was a goalie when he played.
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The Maple Leafs now have a staff with strong NHL experience and a good mix of personalities and coaching styles.
The Bottom Line: Lalonde Is a Quiet Hire with Big Potential
One fact might turn heads. Tampa Bay has not won a playoff round since Lalonde left. Coincidence? Maybe. But it highlights how much Lalonde contributed to the team’s structure and success. While he struggled in Detroit, like Lambert, his strengths may lie in being the second voice, not the first. He’ll return to a support role in Toronto on a much deeper roster, and the fit could be flawless.
Fans shouldn’t judge this signing by Lalonde’s head coaching record. Instead, look at his results as part of an elite coaching group in Tampa Bay. In that role, he helped build one of the best teams of the last decade. With Berube at the helm and Lalonde reinforcing the bench, the Maple Leafs have built a cadre of playoff-hardened coaches, which might be what this core needs.
