The case for Evan Gold as next Maple Leafs GM

Boston Bruins assistant general manager and director of legal affairs Evan Gold has reportedly emerged as a finalist for the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager vacancy. MLSE CEO Keith Pelley outlined on March 31 that the next president of hockey operations and/or general manager would have to be data-centric. Gold fits this description perfectly, as he’s tasked with advising the Bruins on salary cap analysis, CBA compliance, pro scouting, among other tasks. He’s a rising star within the Bruins organization, working behind-the-scenes as Don Sweeney’s right-hand man.

We’ve previously made the case for Sunny Mehta (hired by the New Jersey Devils as their next GM) Ryan Martin, Brandon Pridham, along with a few other internal candidates. All of these candidates meet the data-driven pre-requisite established by Pelley. Gold stands out as a relatively young candidate, he has strong familiarity with emerging prospects as the general manager of the AHL’s Providence Bruins, while assisting in identifying young, miscast talent to accelerate the Bruins’ re-tool. For a team boasting unmatched institutional resources, the Maple Leafs would be wise to reject conventional thinking and automatically look to the old guard, when the league is getting younger, smarter, agile and data-driven. Gold may be the perfect candidate.

Pelley seemed to outline the criterion for an unconventional candidate on March 31. Gold holds a law degree and MBA from the University of Toronto, and the Maple Leafs’ general manager role would represent a homecoming of sorts. Considering that Pelley mentioned the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres without prompt during his press conference, before expanding on their respective pools when asked in the ensuing scrum, it’s clear that making up some ground on their Atlantic rivals is a top priority. Gold is fluent in the challenges posed by the division and at least on paper, could be Toronto’s answer to Tampa Bay’s Julien BriseBois, the University of Montreal MBA who has emerged as arguably the best general manager in the NHL.

There has been some pushback from the old guard, believing that previous experience is mandatory for the Leafs’ general manager position. It’s precisely this type of rigid thinking that allowed the Maple Leafs to hire Brad Treliving with a relative lack of due diligence, earmarking him for the role without much competition. Toronto would be wise to find the best candidate possible, regardless of previous experience, or familiarity to the hockey insider industrial complex. Gold is a rising star within the NHL, and the Maple Leafs would be wise to pounce on young, emerging talent as it looks to catch up to the rest of the league.