Joe Pavelski…head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Elliotte Friedman says that the Leafs are looking at the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars legend to take over behind the bench.

Pavelski, retired since 2024, has been coaching his son Nate at the youth level, but the younger Pavelski has just been drafted into the USHL.

There’s no sense of how high Toronto is on Pavelski, but he is interested and will interview.

And while Pavelski is a non-traditional candidate, Friedman says that he’s been compared favorably to Martin St. Louis, another recently-retired legend who went straight from coaching youth to helming an Original Six franchise. St. Louis led the Montreal Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Finals in his fifth season behind the bench this year.

At San Jose Hockey Now…

Sharks Combine buzz: Macklin Celebrini contract negotiations have begun, Mario Ferraro probably gone, ideas about how to improve the defense. Also, how many players did the San Jose Sharks take out to dinner? How many did they interview?

SJHN got to know Chase Reid and Ivar Stenberg at the Combine.

PWHL San Jose has added its first four players.

How did Chase Reid do in fitness testing…and what were 2026 Draft prospect heights and weights?

Other Sharks News…

Finalist Macklin Celebrini has missed out for the Ted Lindsay Award: Connor McDavid has tied Wayne Gretzky with his fifth win of the player-voted honor.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kasper Halttunen and Cam Lund! pic.twitter.com/QvkqFouKts

— San Jose Barracuda (@sjbarracuda) June 7, 2026

Friedman wondered if Dylan Larkin would be interested in playing on the San Jose Sharks?

Around Hockey…

Feel like this is worth clearing up in regards to Kristin O’Neill:

Outside of staying in New York, San Jose was O’Neill’s preferred destination. Had she told Troy Ryan she did not want to be there, he’d have never made the offer.

She was also #1 on San Jose’s EFO list.

— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) June 7, 2026

Georgii Romanov has re-signed with the St. Louis Blues.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has won the Vezina Trophy and Nick Suzuki has taken the Selke.

The Vegas Golden Knights take a 2-1 series lead in what’s been a thrilling Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, powered by Mitch Marner:

MITCH MAGIC 🪄

He sets the @GoldenKnights franchise record for most points in a single postseason! 😮‍💨 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: ABC
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/DR2UDMlfx6

— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2026

Rob Blake is joining the Nashville Predators’ front office.

Matthew Knies almost went to the Montreal Canadiens in a blockbuster trade.

Ex-Sharks forward Jay Leach is taking over the Hartford Wolfpack.

Milan Lucic officially retires.

i’m celebrating Indigenous hockey players making history for #NIHM2026
i feel so lucky to follow a sport that is finally recognizing the incredible impact and legacy of these athletes pic.twitter.com/A0fmMe0mF0

— monty 🦷 (@moncuries) June 6, 2026

Could the Pittsburgh Penguins land a big fish in a trade?

Why does Dylan Larkin want out?

Philadelphia Flyers nearing extension with Dan Vladar?

Hockey Hall of Fame executive Cliff Fletcher has passed away at the age of 90. pic.twitter.com/5A3NCjDlua

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 5, 2026