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Major Hurdle Needs Jumping Before Maple Leafs Hire a New GM

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Apr 2, 2026 7:06 PM ET

Before anyone jumps to conclusions about a shortlist of names that are frontrunners for the most prominent job in hockey, the first step in hiring a new general manager in Toronto is to select the firm that will conduct the search. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, that hasn’t happened yet.

Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) still needs to hire a search firm, and as of Thursday, one hadn’t been selected. The expectation is that one will be hired by the end of next week, at which point the process will formally begin.

MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley isn’t sitting idle while the firm that will be chosen is put in place. In fact, LeBrun reports that Pelley has already been in contact with several people around the league. By the time the firm is hired, Pelley is expected to present an initial list of eight to ten candidates.

What Exactly Are the Maple Leafs Hiring?

Another big item to check off the list is what exactly the organization is hiring. Is it the President of Hockey Ops? Is it a GM? Interestingly, the role isn’t strictly defined as a general manager position. Instead, the organization is searching for a “head of hockey operations,” and it hasn’t yet been determined whether that means one person handling both GM and president duties or a split setup.

While many believe the job calls for a highly experienced executive, there’s also discussion about potentially following a model similar to other teams that have hired a first-time GM.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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