The Toronto Maple Leafs are about to enter a pivotal offseason that could shape the future of the franchise after parting ways with general manager Brad Treliving.
Toronto is sitting outside the playoff picture and is bound to miss the postseason for the first time in a decade. The Maple Leafs are also facing pressure as an Original Six franchise with a front office in flux and without a clear path going forward.
CEO Keith Pelley told reporters on Tuesday that he is not committing to a full rebuild, instead describing the Leafs' current situation as a "retool" built around the existing core. Pelley also made clear that the new front office will need to be data-savvy.
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“They have to be data-centric,” Pelley said. “They have to really understand data and the importance of data and where data is moving.
“Every single decision that we will make will be evidence-based. Evidence-based decisions are never wrong.”
Amid that directive, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman identified one name gaining traction within league circles as a candidate for the Leafs GM role.
“One of the names that is kind of floating around because they’re interested in what he did in his past job, I think, potentially, is Mike Gillis,” Friedman said.
Friedman pointed to former NHL player and Vancouver Canucks president and general manager Gillis as a candidate whose past success and working traits would align with what Toronto may be seeking.
“He took a team that was really struggling and took them to the edge of the Stanley Cup Final,” Friedman said. “I don’t know that it’s gonna be Mike Gillis, but I think that he is the kind of person that they’ve been looking at so far.”
Gillis previously led the Canucks to back-to-back Presidents’ Trophies and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2011.
Pelley, however, also noted that prior general manager experience in the NHL will not be required and that the organization could explore different structures for its new front office.
The Leafs have a 32-30-13 record and 77 points in 75 games this season, sitting second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings.
