The Toronto Maple Leafs missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016 owing to their inconsistent on-ice play, and they certainly weren’t aided by multiple injuries to key players like Auston Matthews, Anthony Stolarz, William Nylander, and Chris Tanev.
Just before the regular season came to a close, the Maple Leafs decided to make a major change in leadership in their executive office. They parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving, who had taken over the role in 2023 after the club terminated Kyle Dubas.
And while former Maple Leafs team captain Mats Sundin has been floated as a potential possibility to take over the vacated role, a Hall of Fame defenseman has also reportedly interviewed for the position.
What Are The Chances Of Chris Pronger Taking Over As GM Of The Toronto Maple Leafs?
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs have interviewed Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger for the general manager position.
Pronger played several years in the NHL and, after being acquired by the St. Louis Blues in 1995, became known as one of the best and most bruising defensemen in the League.
He helped the Anaheim Ducks to the franchise’s first and only Stanley Cup win to date in 2007, and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
Chris Pronger Got Brutally Honest About Auston Matthews’ Future In Toronto
Earlier this month, Pronger had a candid conversation with Insiders Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke during an edition of the “NHL @TheRink” podcast.
“They’re going to have to have deep conversations with Auston Matthews and his agent, Judd Moldaver, to get a sense as to what his plans are and what he’s thinking, and you have to lay out a vision,” Pronger said of Matthews. “Whoever comes in there is going to have to lay out a vision to figure out how you’re going to reimagine the team and how quickly you can do that, albeit without first-round picks currently.
“They’ve been trying to get this thing over the finish line and moving prospects and picks over the last 5-6 years as this core has now gotten into their prime, into their window, and they just haven’t been able to get it done. Whoever goes in there is going to really have to button this thing up quickly and figure out what is (Matthews) going to want, (and) what about (William) Nylander? All the guys that have no-move clauses, you’re going to have to have conversations with them to figure out what the expectation is for the team. You may have to have a few hard conversations and be like, ‘We need to move off you,’ if that is the plan. This thing can go in three or four different directions based on some of those conversations, but whoever goes in there is going to have those very quickly.”
What are the chances that it could eventually be Pronger pulling the trigger on a move involving Matthews if he were to take over as Leafs GM?
Could NHL Hall Of Famer Take Over Maple Leafs GM Position?