The biggest narrative of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ offseason is their search for a new GM. There have been tons of names thrown around, with some gaining more steam than others.
While there’s no clarity on the specific candidate who could get the job, there is a little more clarity on when the process will end.
Insider Frank Seravalli offered some insight into the timeline of when the Maple Leafs could announce their next GM. The notable insider revealed that the organization is moving to the next phase of its search process this coming week, with a decision potentially coming by the end of the week.
It’s worth pointing out that one of the criticisms during the hiring process of Brad Treliving was the celerity with which the process occurred. The organization didn’t really take much time in deciding who the next GM would be.
At that time, Treliving had recently left the Calgary Flames’ front office. So, the Maple Leafs pounced on the opportunity to bring him in.
This time around, it seems the process has been a lot more methodical. That’s why the overall search process has been more conscientious, according to rumors. Considering how serious this offseason is for the Maple Leafs, the organization can’t take any chances in bungling its search.
Maple Leafs Could Still Hire POHO and GM
One of the issues bouncing around is the possibility of the Maple Leafs hiring a President of Hockey Operations (POHO) and a GM. That was the setup the organization had while Brendan Shanahan was at the helm.
However, the organization chooses to chuck the POHO role this season, leaving Treliving as the GM and de facto POHO. The chatter is that the setup didn’t really work. Insider Elliotte Friedman had a lengthy discussion on that subject, stating how the Maple Leafs POHO and GM role could be too much for a single person.
It’s worth pointing out that observation does not preclude the organization from hiring one person to cover both roles. If that’s the direction the organization is going, it would require someone who has the bandwidth for such a challenging position.
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New GM Will Need to Shed Light on the Path Forward
Beyond the evident decisions the new GM will need to make, the entire organization and fanbase will need something crucial: Clarity on the path forward.
That path forward involves Craig Berube’s future and whether the team will explore moving Auston Matthews. Thus far, everyone has said all the right things. But there’s a difference between being politically correct for the media and making tough calls.
That said, the new Maple Leafs GM won’t have it easy. The club is at a bifurcation in which the organization will need to choose between a retool and a rebuild. It seems the path forward will be a retool. But that largely depends on what crucial pieces like Matthews decide to do.
That’s why everyone needs clarity. That murkiness should begin to dissipate as soon as the organization name their new GM.
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