Scribe Says Maple Leafs Should Make ‘Full-Court Press’ for Best NHL Has to Offer

According to The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel, “If they haven’t already, the Leafs should try anyway, make a full-court press for the best the league has to offer.” The scribe argues that, as the Maple Leafs look for a new GM or President of Hockey Ops, they shouldn’t be afraid to go after names already involved with other NHL organizations.

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He argues, “Look to the NHL’s most successful teams and try to swipe their top executives, just like the Toronto Raptors did once upon a time with Masai Ujiri, then the NBA’s reigning executive of the year with the Denver Nuggets.”

However, that’s not as easy as it sounds.

Siegel concedes that two significant hurdles potentially stand in the way. “It’s possible that in every case, Pelley and the Leafs will be denied, either because the owner of said team won’t grant permission or because the executive in question has no interest in leaving their gig to come to Toronto, especially in its current state.”

Still, it’s worth a shot and teams in other leagues have found success pitching to the best there is, even if that person is with another organization.

Why Would Someone Leave to Join Toronto?

It’s possible that anyone the Maple Leafs might pitch don’t see the grass as greener on the other side. Still, Toronto has something to offer.

Siegel notes, “The Leafs have two things, theoretically, working in their favour: The financial muscles to outspend anyone on front-office talent and the opportunity to revive an Original Six franchise in a lengthy championship drought.”

For any exec that might be looking at the Maple Leafs, they’ll be handsomely rewarded if they leave their cushy gig for the Toronto job. Even with no state tax or other complications that don’t make any move dollar-for-dollar comparable, MLSE will make it worth the jump.

And, if there’s an exec out there that wants to take on the challenge of getting the Maple Leafs to a place no other GM or President has before, the appeal of succeeding where others have failed — and becoming the hero in Toronto if it works — might be too enticing to ignore.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Habs Tied, Canucks Eye Doan & Pronger Denial