State of the Leafs going into offseason full of changes

While how exactly the Leafs look when next season begins remains anyone’s guess, that hasn’t stopped The Leafs Nation team from coming together and discussing what needs to be done between now and opening night next season. Without further delay, let’s get into the roundtable!

Who do you think the Leafs should hire to be the next head of hockey operations?

Jon Steitzer, editor: The easy answer is Mike Gillis for me. He’s dealt with a tough owner to navigate in Vancouver and was the last person to thrive in that role. There are plenty of other options that have appeal but Gillis isn’t an overcommitment to one style of play or going all in on one philosophy. In Vancouver he had a coach who made his team play tough, he valued analytics, they drafted well, and signed good value contracts. Everyone outside of Vancouver hated him, but Canucks fans miss him. That makes me think he’s onto something.

Which one of these scenarios are you most comfortable with and why: the Leafs hire a president and GM, the Leafs hire one person to be president and GM, or the Leafs only hire a GM?

Hobson: My ideal structure is a President/GM structure. If they can hire somebody like Mike Gillis at PoHo and then somebody like Sunny Mehta as GM, I’d consider their executive search a big time success. They need to head in a different direction than before and think outside the box, and this is the way to do it.

Mazzei: Any structure that isn’t a President and GM model would be a massive mistake for the Leafs. Last season was proof of concept of just how porous the setup was with only Treliving reporting to Pelley and no middleman to bridge the gap between the executives and the hockey operations. For all of his faults, Brendan Shanahan’s presence made the operations run much smoother and it would be in the Leafs’ best interest to go back to that route.

Steitzer: I’d very much prefer the President and GM model. Get your experience guy in the PoHO role and then lean into a first time GM that has something important to offer in the GM spot. Pridham would be a great GM option in that set up as he brings the organizational knowledge and appears to be ready for the big time or bringing in someone like Sunny Mehta who brings a lot of expertise in one area that a more experienced PoHO could support the development of. Just spare me Chris Pronger and I’ll be happy. His public campaigning for a job with the Leafs hasn’t inspired any confidence in him as the right decision.

If the Leafs decide to move on from Craig Berube, who do you think should be his replacement?

Srinivasan: Although he’s shown no indication that he wants to leave the college ranks, the Maple Leafs should flex all their institutional and financial resources to coax David Carle into the role. Carle is smart, experienced, wins prolifically, with an excellent record of working with younger players. If it’s not Carle, I’m also on board with Manny Malhotra.

Hobson: Somebody fresh. They can’t hire a head coach who has been with other teams in the past and has an established shelf life. Finding the next Jon Cooper should be imperative, so I’m open to several options so long as there’s actually a thorough search outside of just the old boys club. Somebody like Manny Malhotra could be fun.

Mazzei: I would be on board with Manny Malhotra for a multitude of reasons. Beyond the fact that he is less than a year removed from guiding the Abbotsford Canucks to the Calder Cup, he has been raved for his preparation, approachability, and the strong system with an emphasis on maximizing his players, which would be a breath of fresh air. It certainly helps that he already has familiarity with a good chunk of the roster so the adjustment period wouldn’t be too difficult for him to manage.

Steitzer: The best coach is the one hand picked by the GM because they are on the same page. There is no perfect fit other than maybe Jon Cooper or Jared Bednar and neither of them are touching a completely lost in the woods team. The ideal choice would be going off the radar and taking a chance on a strong AHL or Assistant Coach option. Or if it’s a retread maybe some a bit more removed from the Head Coach position like Brad Shaw or Davis Payne.

Do you agree or disagree with Keith Pelley’s assessment that the Leafs need to retool?

Hobson: Agree. The Leafs still have high end talent and the amount of statistical categories they were dead last in (shots against, possession time etc) should tell you that this team was made to look a lot worse by their head coach. Especially if they land a top-5 pick this year, they’re not on the cusp of having to blow it up even if some fans are sick of any remnants of the Matthews era.

Mazzei: I understand why some fans think the Leafs should commit to a rebuild, but it’s probably in their best interest to retool instead. There are still some talented players on this roster, a solid goalie tandem when healthy, and a few intriguing prospects who could soon make the jump. It’s not going to be easy to pull off, but this team is capable of bouncing back next season with the right moves and a smart executive managing the ship.

Steitzer: I’m all for a retool over a rebuild if the Maple Leafs retain their pick in the draft and will be receiving help in the form of one the top five picks in the draft. Year two of Cowan, another prospect, and maybe Ben Danford pushing for a roster spot might convince me that the Leafs can roll the dice on a quick retool. If I’m the new GM I’m also talking with the Maple Leafs medical staff on day one and understanding what they think the future holds for Auston Matthews health before deciding.

How confident are you in the direction of the Leafs moving forward as it stands right now?

Srinivasan: I’ll place it at a 3 out of 10. If they hired Sunny Mehta, my confidence would’ve grown tenfold. We’ll wait and see, sorry if this is a cop out!

Hobson: I’ll put it at a 5 right now, subject to change depending on who they hire.

Mazzei: I am not overly optimistic about the state of the Leafs right now, but I am not pessimistic about their future just yet. Of course, a lot of it depends on who they choose to hire and what else ends up happening in the summer months. A big factor in swaying my opinion is regarding Berube, because I can’t imagine anyone would be on board with the team bringing him back given his porous tactics and failing to get a lot out of his players.

Steitzer: Can I give a negative value? What in the history of this organization inspires confidence? They are ending an era where they had their best opportunity to take a serious run at a Cup since the early 90s and fell flat. They are entering a rebuild where they have traded away two high first round picks, and they refuse to fire their coach who has been lost in the woods since the first game of the season. Keith Pelley’s comments that firing Craig Berube would need approval from the board is also a sign that organizationally they aren’t going to streamline or empower their Hockey Operations department anytime soon.

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