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Maple Leafs add Senators legend to coaching staff
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- Maple Leafs add Senators legend to coaching staff
Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have been aggressive so far this offseason. They have a new GM, head coach, and incoming top pick in the NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna. They also added multiple players in NHL Free Agency, including the Maple Leafs signing Sergei Bobrovsky .
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Now, the Leafs have made another move to add to their coaching staff, bringing in a legend from their rival , the Ottawa Senators , according to a release from NHL.com.
Senators Legend Daniel Alfredsson has been hired by the Maple Leafs as an associate head coach. He has spent the last three seasons as an assistant with the Senators, as well as an assistant for Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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"One of the first moves we made after taking over the franchise was bringing Daniel Alfredsson back into the fold as an assistant coach in December of 2023," Senators owner Michael Andlauer said in a statement. "I quickly learned that 'Alfie' embodied all the characteristics of what it meant to be an Ottawa Senator . While I wish he wasn't joining an arch rival, Alfie is forever an Ottawa Senator and the door will always be open for his return. He has done so much for our organization and community and he has my full respect."
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Alfredsson was the 133rd overall selection by the Senators in the 1994 NHL Draft. He would join the Sens in the 1995-96 season and immediately make an impact, playing in 82 games, scoring 26 goals and adding 35 assists. Alfie would remain with the team through the 2012-13 campaign, when he signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings .
In his Senators career, he played in 1,178 games, scoring 426 goals while adding 682 helpers.
The Maple Leafs also added John Gruden and Brad Werenka to the staff as assistant coaches. Gruden was recently the head coach of the AHL Toronto Marlies, while Werenka recently served as an assistant at the University of Calgary.
"I'm incredibly excited to add Daniel, John and Brad to our coaching staff," said Toronto coach Jim Hiller. "Daniel's experience, leadership and understanding of the game speak for themselves. John has established himself as one of the top coaches in the American Hockey League and played an instrumental role in leading the Marlies to a Calder Cup championship last season. Brad brings a unique combination of NHL experience, player development and expertise in performance analytics. Together, they'll be outstanding additions to our team."
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With the staff and roster most likely set, the Leafs can now focus on the 2026-27 campaign. They will open the preseason on September 19 agaisnt the Montreal Canadiens , and find out their regular season schedule with the rest of the NHL this week .
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