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Why Steve Sullivan is the new head coach of Toronto Marlies

An assistant for two years on the farm before helping out the Leafs, Sullivan replaces the promoted John Gruden to run the AHL champs.

Published Jul 09, 2026 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 4 minute read

Steve Sullivan talks to his troops during his previous stint as Marlies head coach. Photo by Toronto Marlies photo

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Steve Sullivan will have a tough act to follow as the new coach of the Marlies.

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As is the nature of shifting rosters and priorities in the entire American Hockey League farm system, teams rarely repeat as Calder Cup champions. It has happened just three times since the National Hockey League added the four former World Hockey Association clubs in 1979. The Hershey Bears did it twice, 2023 and 2024, and 2009 and 2010, joined by the 1989 and 1990 Springfield Indians.

Sullivan, named to replace John Gruden on Thursday after Gruden accepted a post on Jim Hiller’s staff with the Maple Leafs, will try to keep the pipeline flowing to Scotiabank Arena from the Coca-Cola Coliseum, make the playoffs and try to get on the kind of run Gruden’s group did in earning the franchise’s second Calder.

Sullivan returns to the Marlies after a December promotion to the Leafs when Marc Savard was fired as assistant after the power play went south. It saw immediate improvement under Sullivan, but Hiller and associate coach Daniel Alfredsson will run it now.

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On TSN radio, Sullivan said he had applied for the Leafs head coaching job after Craig Berube had been dismissed and then with Hiller. It forced Sullivan to look beyond his power play/team offence comfort zone.

“That sparked a different perspective for me. Doing a deep dive on the whole team and what we were all about, to John Chayka, Mats Sundin and Ryan, it was exciting for me.

“If you look at the NHL, of 32 head coaches only five have zero (prior) experience. If you want to be the best in your profession (the AHL) is a path I have to take anyway, so why not now?”

History with John Chayka

The 51-year-old Timmins, Ont., native had spent two years with the Marlies before last season’s change of assignment. The hiring of Chayka as Toronto’s GM in May was advantageous to Sullivan, who had worked under Chayka in the Arizona Coyotes front office, replacing him as GM in 2020 after a sudden falling-out with ownership.

Sullivan had been AGM since 2018 and oversaw Arizona’s affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners.

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In perfecting his scoring tactics, Sullivan played more than 1,000 NHL games with New Jersey, Chicago, Toronto, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Phoenix, amassing 290 goals and 457 assists. In the AHL he had 171 points in 153 games with the Albany River Rats and won the Calder Cup in 1995.

“Steve has earned this opportunity through his work with both the Leafs and Marlies and has built strong relationships with our young players throughout the organization,” Hardy said in a release. “His experience as both a player and coach, combined with his commitment to player development makes him the right person to lead the next generation of Marlies.”

It was thought Sullivan would take over on the farm when he was not mentioned among the changes to the Leafs staff earlier in the week. when Alfredsson, Gruden and newcomer Brad Werenka were added.

Also announced Thursday, coaching adviser Mark Giordano moves into a full-time assistant’s role with the Marlies after Michael Dyck left to become GM/head coach of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants.

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Which players will he be inheriting?

The makeup of the Marlies is a lot of guess-work right now, though Chayka’s blanket signings of several NHL veteran bottom-six forwards on July 1 through free agency and trades could mean fewer minor leaguers move up as expected.

Sullivan will likely have playoff MVP Artur Akhtyamov back in net after the Leafs added Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency to partner Anthony Stolarz. The likely Marlies backup will be Slovakian Samuel Hlavaj. Hannu Toivonen returns as the Marlies’ goalies coach after Akhtyamov and the traded Dennis Hildeby showed marked improvement

While William Villeneuve signed a two-year-deal this week with the Leafs and forwards Jacob Quillan and Ryan Tverberg one-year pacts to be re-united with young Luke Haymes, they’ll all be battling newcomers such as Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons and Zack MacEwen for roles on the third and fourth lines, with Steven Lorentz and Dakota Joshua already in the mix.

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Veteran Marlie forwards Vinni Lettieri and Bo Groulx had hoped their long Marlies playoff run — Lettieri leading the AHL in post-season points — would also translate at the next Leafs training camp.

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♦ On Wednesday, Marlies captain Logan Shaw was named winner of the AHL’s Dave Andrews Award for player excellence on and off the ice.

♦ The team also released its 2026-27 regular season schedule, a home opener at Coca-Coliseum Oct. 3 against the Hamilton Hammers, the relocated far, club of the New York Islanders, while the latter hosts the Marlies in their first game on Oct. 9 at Hamilton’s TD Coliseum.

Lhornby@postmedia.com