Chris Johnston reveals Marc Bergevin was only other candidate Maple Leafs interviewed before hiring Treliving

While this may seem like how most searches for prominent positions go, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported today on the Chris Johnston Show that the last time the Maple Leafs were in the business of finding a new general manager, the net wasn’t cast as wide. 

“Obviously there were some time pressures there, to get someone in place by the time the draft came about and to be ready for free agency,” Johnston said to co-host Julian McKenzie. “The only people I’m aware the Leafs spoke to at that time were, obviously Brad Treliving, and Marc Bergevin. There may have been another interview or two that I never heard about, but the point was it wasn’t a lengthy process or didn’t include a long list of candidates.”

During Treliving’s time as the Maple Leafs general manager, the club compiled a regular season record of 139-92-27, and a 10-10 playoff record. 

According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs, along with the New Jersey Devils, have been granted an interview with current Florida Panthers assistant general manager Sunny Mehta, the first name in what could be a longer search process. Mehta is the head of the analytical department in Florida and would fit the ‘date-centric’ mindset that Pelley is looking for when it comes to the next GM.   

Johnston states that this time around, the Maple Leafs want to place greater emphasis on ensuring they aren’t missing anything, and because of the Treliving experience, the club won’t stop at just one or two candidates. The team will look at all the possible options to help turn the ship around after a disappointing season. 

Johnston is also reporting that the club’s interest in Mike Gillis, originally reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, is real and that a conversation has already taken place between Gillis and Pelley. The plan is for the two of them to speak again in the near future. Gillis is the former Vancouver Canucks general manager and helped build the Canucks team that fell in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final to the Boston Bruins back in 2010-11. 

As the 2025-26 regular season inches closer to wrapping up, the Maple Leafs appear to be doing their due diligence this time around for who will lead the club after this year’s disappointment. 

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