It’s been the summer of change for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have made multiple notable moves involving the front office along with names on the playing roster.
As far as the coaching staff is concerned, Chayka removed head coach Craig Berube and replaced him with former Toronto assistant Jim Hiller; he also did not retain assistants Derek Lalond and Mike Van Ryn, but announced the arrivals of former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson as a new assistant on Hiller’s staff, along with John Gruden and Brad Werenka.
And now, according to new reports, the Maple Leafs have parted ways with a number of key staffers from around the organization.
Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Has Dismissed Multiple Toronto Staff Members
According to a new report from Terry Koshan of The Toronto Sun, the Maple Leafs have removed multiple staffers.
“A group of people were let go on Wednesday, the Toronto Sun has learned, including Darryl Metcalf, assistant general manager, hockey research and development; Mark Leach, director amateur scouting; and Dave Morrison, senior advisor, player personnel.
The Leafs, through a spokesperson, said the team had no comment.”
While there was no initial statement from the team, Chayka has now offered an official response to the multiple staff members being let go.
“As part of our ongoing evaluation of the organization, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with some valued colleagues,” Chayka said. “These decisions were not easy and are not a reflection of the commitment of the impacted people. We are sincerely grateful for everything they have contributed to this organization and wish them nothing but the very best in the future.”
The Clock Continues To Tick On Morgan Rielly’s Future With The Maple Leafs
Whether or not longtime Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is part of the multiple subtractions that GM John Chayka has made to the organization so far this offseason remains to be seen.
There have been multiple reports indicating that Rielly is heavily embroiled in trade rumors, though a deal has yet to materialize.
However, Rielly made it clear that his ultimate preference is to remain with the club that selected him in the opening round of the 2012 NHL Draft.
“I’ve always wanted to stay,” Rielly said. “I still wanna stay. I love playing here, I love being a Leaf.”
“It’s a challenging thing to answer when those conversations haven’t happened yet,” Rielly said. “But, you know, after a year like this, after any year, but especially one like this, as an athlete, you have to be prepared for that. You know, it’s not the first time that it’s crossed my mind.”
Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Fires Multiple Toronto Staff Members