Richard Peddie delivers reality check on running MLSE in Toronto: Leafs Morning Take
The Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes seem to be on a collision course to clash in this year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Incredibly, Carolina Hurricanes, who topped the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Thursday night, are now 7-0 this postseason and just one win away from sweeping a second consecutive series. Similarly, Colorado Avalanche could find themselves in the same scenario if they win Game 3 on Saturday in Minnesota.
That’s where the conversation started on the Friday edition of Leafs Morning Take. After that, we spent a lot of time on Auston Matthews, who’s reportedly set to meet with new GM John Chayka in the coming days. Honestly, it’s hard to fully make sense of the situation right now. It’s felt at times like Matthews is holding some leverage over the organization, but the full picture still isn’t clear, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. What is clear, though, is that Matthews wants to win. If he feels that isn’t going to happen in Toronto anytime soon, he has every reason to at least consider his future.
Where does Craig Berube fit into all of this is the big question. At this point, his return seems to hinge largely on the money left on the final two years of his contract. That said, it may also make more sense to get clarity on Auston Matthews before making a final decision on the coaching side. There are a lot of moving parts here, that’s for sure. Either way you slice it, landing the No. 1 overall pick was massive. We’ll see how everything unfolds from here.
We also touched on Joseph Woll heading to the World Championships with the United States. It’ll be a good opportunity for him, but given his injury history, there’s always that added layer of concern. Especially with the Leafs potentially exploring a goalie move this summer, a strong, healthy showing in Switzerland could go a long way toward boosting his trade value.
Former MLSE President & CEO Richard Peddie joined Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill for a candid conversation on what it’s really like running MLSE in today’s pressure-filled sports landscape. Peddie discussed the balance between winning and business expectations, the demands of Toronto’s fan base, and how ownership influences major organizational decisions. He also offered perspective on current MLSE leadership under Keith Pelley, including the scrutiny that comes with the role and managing public perception. The conversation also touched on hiring GMs, navigating high-stakes decisions, and lessons from past moves involving executives like John Ferguson Jr. and John Chayka.
That will do it for another week of Leafs Morning Take. We’ll be back on Monday, when Brian Burke will join us to weigh in on everything.