When the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brad Treliving as general manager in May 2023, the steps they took to find their guy were underwhelming. Perhaps time was a factor as the NHL Draft and free agency were fast approaching. Maybe they figured they needed someone in place quickly. On the other hand, maybe they were just lazy.
As TSN’s Chris Johnston revealed on The Chris Johnston Show on Friday, the search was anything but exhaustive.
The Maple Leafs Didn’t Do an Exhaustive Search
According to Johnston, the Maple Leafs’ search at the time was anything but exhaustive. He explained:
“Obviously, there were some time pressures there, to get someone in place by the time the draft came about and to be ready for free agency. The only people I’m aware the Leafs spoke to at that time were, obviously, Brad Treliving, and Marc Bergevin. There may have been another interview or two that I never heard about, but the point was it wasn’t a lengthy process or didn’t include a long list of candidates.”
That abbreviated approach has become a cautionary tale as the Leafs go through the process again.
The Maple Leafs Need to Get It Right This Time
Treliving’s three-year tenure ended when Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley fired him after a disappointing season. He cited a lack of culture and results as the issue, but the Leafs, as an organization, should take much of the blame here. Pelley may never admit it publicly, but if he believes the organization dropped the ball on their hiring process last time, it could explain why he’s going to great lengths this time to do things differently.
In the weeks since Treliving’s exit, the Leafs have launched what Pelley calls an “exhaustive search” for their next head of hockey operations. They’ve hired a search firm to help with their long list of candidates and have yet to determine if the role could be a standalone GM, a president of hockey operations, or a hybrid structure.
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Pelley has deliberately left that flexible. What is non-negotiable is a “data-centric” leader comfortable relying on evidence-based decision-making in the modern NHL. Still, that could be several people and if a partnership to manage the team is brought in, only one person needs to cover the data side of things.
In an attempt to leave no stone unturned, Toronto has retained Neil Glasberg and The Coaches Agency (PBI Sports) to manage the process professionally. The firm, which has conducted executive searches for Vancouver, Anaheim, and Philadelphia, is helping cast a wide net. Say what you will about the conflict of interest that might exist with the choice of firm, it’s clear Pelley does not want to take this on alone.
He has already received interest from at least seven candidates, and the Maple Leafs have secured permission to speak with Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta. Other names in the mix include former GM Mike Gillis, with whom Pelley has reportedly held multiple conversations.
Don’t Expect These To Be the Only Two Candidates
What seems clear is that Mehta and Gillis won’t be the only names in the running. Pelley aims to have a candidate in place by mid-May, but he’s likely to interview several people. That’s a must if the Maple Leafs want to avoid the same mistake they made last time.
Hiring Glasberg, expanding the candidate pool, and refusing to rush despite timeline concerns all provide evidence that the Leafs are trying something different. Frankly, the stakes are too high to do this any other way and get it wrong.
This time, Toronto isn’t just filling a chair. It’s building a better process to finally build a contender.
