Marlies Add to Front Office and Coaching Staff

The Toronto Marlies announced on Wednesday that Chris Bourque has been appointed as assistant general manager. Bourque will also act as the head of college recruitment for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He will report to Maple Leafs AGM Ryan Hardy, who also serves as GM of the Marlies.

The 40-year-old Bourque played 794 AHL games and was named the league’s most valuable player for the 2015-16 season. He was playing for the Hershey Bears at the time. Bourque also played in 51 NHL games. He has been with the Maple Leafs’ organization since 2022. Many consider him to be a rising star within the managerial department.

“Chris has established himself as an important part of our hockey operations staff, and this role reflects the immediate impact he’s had in identifying talent and supporting our player development efforts,” Hardy said in a release issued by the Marlies. “Combined with Mike’s leadership, experience and commitment to our players and staff, we have an outstanding leadership group in place to strengthen our player development model and position the Marlies for sustained success.”

Marlies Make More Changes Behind the Bench

The Marlies also announced that Denver Manderson and Greg Moore are joining the team as assistant coaches. Manderson is also going to operate as director of minor league development for the Maple Leafs.

Denver Manderson

Manderson originally joined the Maple Leafs organization in 2017-18 following the conclusion of his playing career. He started as a Team Consultant and was promoted to Development Coach in 2023-24, working exclusively with the NHL club. He has also worked with the Guelph Storm (OHL) and the University of Guelph (USports) in various capacities, supporting player development and skills training.

Greg Moore

Moore was named an AHL All-Star in 2008 and played 10 NHL games. The 42-year-old returns to the Marlies as Assistant Coach following three seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. During his time with the NTDP, he captured a silver medal (2023-24) and a bronze medal (2025-26) at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and a bronze medal (2024-25) at the IIHF World U18 Championship.

Before his role with the NTDP, he served as Head Coach of the Marlies from 2019 to 2023, compiling a record of 107-91-8-6 and leading the North Division at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic.

“I’m excited to welcome Denver and Greg to our coaching staff,” Marlies head coach Steve Sullivan said. “They both bring valuable experience, strong hockey knowledge and a commitment to creating an environment where players can grow and succeed. They are excellent additions to our group, and we’re looking forward to the impact they will have on our players and our organization’s continued success.”

It has been a busy summer for the Calder Cup champions. John Gruden was promoted to Jim Hiller’s staff with the Maple Leafs, while Sullivan takes over as Marlies’ head coach. Mark Giordano, Nick Biamonte and Hannu Toivonen make up the rest of the Marlies’ coaching staff.