Are The Leafs Using Sundin As A Diversion?

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost one option in their search for a new general manager, with the New Jersey Devils hiring of Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta, but according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the club has interviewed or is in the process of interviewing a number of candidates, and there are some indicators that their search may wrap up much sooner than the target of mid-to-late May that MLSE boss Keith Pelley indicated.

Friedman in his latest edition of “32 Thoughts” column mentioned the Leafs talking to Islanders Assistant GM Ryan Bowness, former Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka, former Vancouver GM Mike Gillis, Leafs Assistant GM Ryan Hardy, Rangers Assistant GM Ryan Martin, Leafs Assistant GM Brandon Pridham, and Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger. He also believes that the club may want to talk to Panther AGM Gregory Campbell,  Bruins AGM Evan Gold, and Flames AGM Brad Pascall. 

On Friday, the name of former Leaf Mats Sundin began to percolate as a possibility in some role with the club. Nothing is defined, other than Sundin was in Toronto and will or has talked to the club, which prompted me to quip on social media that MLSE will be hiring him as an expert on no movement clauses. 

Sundin left the organization in 2008, after blocking a trade at the deadline. The club traded his rights to Montreal after the season, but he chose to sit out the first half of the 2008-09 season before signing with Vancouver and retiring from the NHL. Between then and 2023, the former Leafs captain’s interaction with his former club was scant, including him not being a part of the retirement ceremony for his number in 2016. That appeared to change when the Leafs took part in the Global Series, when Sundin interacted with the club, and earlier this season, when he came to Toronto to acknowledge Auston Matthews breaking his record for most career goals as a Leaf. 

The question regarding Sundin is what role is MLSE envisioning for him. Former team president Brendan Shanahan had at least the appearance of a hands-on approach with the club, in spite of the fact that he still lived in New York City and was only part time in Toronto over his 11 year tenure with the Leafs. If his presence is as an advisor, that input would be welcomed because Sundin is a classy individual and cares about the club he spent 13 seasons with, but there has to be some suspicion that Rogers and MLSE boss Keith Pelley are using the Hall of Famer’s name and involvement as a diversion. 

Toronto must find a management team, not just one man as a general manager to handle the herculean task of piloting the sport’s most valuable franchise, but that seems to be anathema to the policies of Rogers, who let go of Raptors boss Masai Ujiri, and the president of TFC Bill Manning. Bringing in Sundin in a part time role and leaving the day-to-day running of the Leafs to a first-time GM or someone like Gillis, who has not been employed by an NHL club in a dozen years, does not appear to be Rogers leaving no stone unturned to find the best they could find.