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Toronto Maple Leafs' Newest Front Office Hire Suggests Possible Trade with the Hurricanes

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 5:52 PM ET

The Maple Leafs have hired the father of Jesperi Kotkaniemi as a new scout, leading to speculation that a trade with Carolina could become possible in the future.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made plenty of changes in recent times, but heading into the 2025/26 season, they're still confident that they can be a Stanley Cup contender this year.

At this point, it's tough to see just how good they'll be given the logjam of forwards on this roster, but with so much talent up front, this is never a team to take lightly throughout the regular season.

Maple Leafs hire Mikael Kotkaniemi, father of Jesperi

Now, the team have made a very intriguing signing, as they have officially announced Mikael Kotkaniemi, the father of Hurricanes star Jepseri as a European scout ahead of next season.

Unsurprisingly, the elder Kotkaniemi was thrilled about his new role, posting about the move on Linkedin as he looks to become a key piece of the Maple Leafs scouting department.

'It's a real privilege to become part of such a storied organization-one that inspires so much passion and emotion among fans around the world. I'm looking forward to contributing to the Leafs' future success.'

Could this mean a trade with Carolina is coming?

Unsurprisingly, this move has led to some speculation that the team could target Kotkaniemi in a deal at some point, and with the team needing centre depth, it's certainly a fit that would make sense.

Ultimately though, it doesn't have to mean that, as a father can work in an organization and not make a move to land his son, and with little influence in North America, Mikael likely isn't pushing for a deal, but it's one to keep a close eye on moving forward regardless.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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