The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have much time to find their next GM. That may seem like an obvious observation, but there are two key reasons behind that assessment.
Firstly, the Maple Leafs were right to jump the gun in making the move before the end of the season. While the move should have been made months ago, it at least buys the Leafs some time to set up before the most crucial event looming: The 2026 NHL Draft.
Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I have a feeling the Maple Leafs will somehow end up moving up just enough in the NHL Draft Lottery to recover that 2026 first-round pick from the Boston Bruins.
If that’s indeed the case, having a GM in place, one who knows what he’s doing, will help the Leafs pick what could be a generational talent. While it’s not absolutely necessary for the Maple Leafs to have a GM in place ahead of the draft, it will certainly help give the team direction.
Allow me to elaborate. Let’s assume, for argument’s sake, that the Leafs pull off a miracle like the New York Islanders did last season. The Maple Leafs somehow win the NHL Draft Lottery and get the first-overall pick.
At that point, do the Leafs take a generational forward in Gavin McKenna or a future high-end blueliner in Keaton Verhoeff?
Those are the questions that someone truly in charge will have to answer.
The second reason lies behind the bench. The team will need to determine who will be coaching the team next season before free agency. The reason is clear: If the Maple Leafs intend to contend next season, they’ll need to dip into the free-agent market. And just about every free agent wants to know who they’ll be playing for before inking a new deal.
That’s why the Maple Leafs need to either confirm Craig Berube or get rid of him. The ultimate decision isn’t necessarily the issue. The issue is knowing who will be calling the shots behind the bench.
But there’s one even bigger reason why the Maple Leafs need a new GM in place ASAP.
Auston Matthews’ future could hinge on new Maple Leafs GM
Perhaps the most urgent reason for the Maple Leafs to find a new GM is Auston Matthews. In particular, Matthews and his camp will need certainty moving forward. It’s not that Matthews is some sort of whiny baby. It’s par for the course when you’re the face of the franchise.
Think of it this way: Matthews will be a free agent in two years. He needs to think about what direction the franchise is heading. If that direction does not match with his personal objectives, he’s within his right to either ask for a trade before hitting the market or let the team know he’s on board no matter what.
But that’s a conversation he can’t have with placeholders. While he might have it with Keith Pelley, the Maple Leafs’ CEO has been adamant he’s not making those sorts of decisions.
So, it’s up to a GM and/or President of Hockey Operations to have that discussion and agree on a path forward.
I’m not here to forecast whether Matthews stays or goes. But you have to think that if Matthews prefers to leave, the Maple Leafs will need as much lead time as possible to figure out a trade.
That leads to a significant reduction in the lead time, which significantly shrinks the longer the organization takes to find a new GM. The timeline isn’t very favorable. Sure, there’s no sense in rushing. But the organization can’t take its sweet time to figure things out.
The clock is ticking surprisingly quickly.