The Toronto Maple Leafs front-office overhaul does not seem complete. Reports have emerged regarding a potential major addition to Toronto’s management staff this offseason.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs could be looking to hire current Minnesota Wild Director of Amateur Scouting Judd Brackett.
Since the tenured executive remains under contract with the Wild until the end of the season, Toronto has requested permission to speak with Brackett. However, the Leafs will be looking to promote draft guru into an assistant general manager (AGM) role with the organization.
It’s worth noting that the Maple Leafs cut ties with former AGM Brandon Pridham in May. The two parties reportedly mutually decided to go their separate ways. As such, there’s an opening in John Chayka’s staff.
As Michael Russo noted, Brackett is on an expiring deal. And so, he won’t be returning to Minnesota next season. That situation makes him a prime candidate for various organizations looking to fill out front-office roles.
Brackett has been the mastermind behind several of the Wild’s savvy draft choices. During his time, the Wild stocked up their prospect pipeline to the point where they could swing the Quinn Hughes trade earlier this season.
Brackett to Play Key Role in Maple Leafs’ Management Group
If hired, Judd Brackett would play a key role in the Maple Leafs management group. Chayka has been adamant about bringing in reinforcements who share his analytics-based vision. That’s why Brackett makes sense for a GM like Chayka.
Moreover, the Maple Leafs will be looking to rebuild on the fly. And the only real way they can do that is to make the best of the current draft capital the organization has. That’s why a scouting whiz like Brackett would be a perfect fit.
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Brackett Would Improve Toronto’s Awful Draft History
The Maple Leafs have had an awful track record in the NHL Draft. If the last two drafts are still too soon to call, Toronto has not had much success from 2023 and back.
In 2023, the Leafs had just three picks in the entire draft. They snagged Easton Cowan with the 28th selection. So, that was a good start.
In 2022, the Maple Leafs landed Fraser Minten in the second round and Dennis Hildeby in the fourth. Not bad, but that’s pretty much it.
The only real home run the Leafs have hit has been Matthew Knies in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. From there, fans would have to go back to 2019 when the Leafs landed Nick Robertson in the second round, as well.
To make matters worse, the Maple Leafs found three good players in the 2018 draft, all of whom are no longer with the organization (Rasmus Sandin, Sean Durzi, and Pontus Holmberg).
Incidentally, the last time the Leafs landed an impact player was in 2016. Yes, that was the year they picked first and landed Auston Matthews. Surprisingly, the Leafs get to pick first once again, a decade later. They have another chance at an impact player.
And it looks like this time it will be Gavin McKenna. Don’t look now, but the Maple Leafs may have a chance to make team history by having two of their own first-overall picks play together.
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