The Toronto Maple Leafs are named John Gruden Coach of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
Gruden became the eighth head coach in club history. He joined the organization after spending the 2022-23 season as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins winning the President’s Trophy. He was also an assistant with the New York Islanders from 2018 to 2022, a stint that included back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Semifinals in 2020 and 2021.
Gruden, 53, served as head coach in the Ontario Hockey League for Flint (2015-16) and Hamilton (2016-18), winning league championships during the 2017-18 season. He was an assistant in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, helping Team USA capture gold medals at the U-18 World Championships in 2012 and 2014, and began his coaching career as head boys hockey coach at Brother Rice Prep (2005-2007). )) in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and at Stony Creek High School (MI) (2007-10).
Born in Virginia, Minnesota, Gruden played professionally as a defenseman for 10 seasons after a four-year career at Ferris State University. He played 175 games in the AHL with the Providence Bruins and Grand Rapids Griffins, along with 92 NHL games with Boston, Ottawa, and Washington.