2025-26 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
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Guilt Trip
Well-known member
I do blame Berube. You need to adjust to put your players in a spot to succeed. Dubas made mistakes like every GM but his teams also finished with an average of 106pts. He was also ready to move on from the core 4. How different would this team look now? Probably a lot better then this set up. And let's not forget. What prospects did he give up at the deadline? He pretty much always made moves not having cost them any top prospects.
Anyway Keefe, emphasized D but also allowed them to use their talents when they got the puck.
The Leafs won the division last year because the other teams sucked. TBay was 2nd with 102pts. The 102pt pace would have been Keefe's worse finish as a Leaf's coach. The Leafs finished 2nd twice with 111pts and 115pts.
Tre is on his 2nd coach and doesn't get another bullet. Sorry. He fired Keefe after they lost to the Bruins in 7 games despite the fact that both Nylander and Matthews missed games in that series and Woll was hurt going into GM7.
I truly believe if Keefe was running the show with last year's roster, they would have done better.
Woll/Stolarz and the tandem of McCabe/Tanev hid a lot of warts last season.
Having said all that, Tre is def the first to go. If they're going to do a retool on the fly, this isn't the guy I want runnng it. He's done enough damage.
For GM I would say these are the candidates:
MATHIEU DARCHE
It seems like only a matter of ‘where’ and not ‘when’ Darche will get an opportunity to run an NHL club. Julien BriseBois’ understudy in Tampa Bay has been interviewed and advanced as a finalist for at least two or three other openings in recent cycles, putting him squarely on the radar. He’s helped the Lightning to two Stanley Cups and has been trained in just about every facet of the front office. The 48-year-old Quebecois is sharp, knowledgeable and hungry.
EVAN GOLD
With so much turbulence in the Boston Bruins‘ season, Gold may not end up on many public lists, but he’s a name that hockey executives around the league are talking about. The Bruins’ assistant GM, 45, helps GM Don Sweeney in all Boston’s day-to-day operations, from salary cap and contract negotiations to CBA compliance and player acquisition, and Gold manages Boston’s AHL affiliate in Providence. He began with the Bruins in 2015 as Director of Legal Affairs and has earned a stellar reputation as someone to deal with.
RYAN MARTIN
There isn’t much in hockey that Martin hasn’t done – aside from becoming an NHL general manager. Over the last two decades in the league, he’s worked in just about every facet, from scouting to salary cap, and he’s done it in multiple organizations. He was an assistant GM in Detroit for a decade, the same role that he holds now under Chris Drury with the New York Rangers across the river. He has also been GM of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and the Team USA Men’s National Team (2022 Worlds), and has served as both a player agent and corporate attorney. He is unquestionably qualified.
KEVIN McDONALD
It’s possible that McDonald has the most non-traditional path to this list, even though he might’ve been working in the league longer than anyone on it. He began his career in the New York Rangers’ communications department. In 1994, he transitioned to pro scout, where he remained until 2000. Then he moved to the same role with the St. Louis Blues, eventually being promoted to assistant GM in a run that lasted 22 years and brought the Blues their first Stanley Cup. He’s been Assistant GM in Colorado for the last three seasons. The Massachusetts native is a standout talent evaluator.
BRANDON PRIDHAM
The prevailing thought around the NHL is that the Toronto Maple Leafs have “golden handcuffs” on Pridham, who is believed to be the highest-paid non-GM executive working for a club. He’s been with the Leafs for 11 years now, first joining as Special Assistant to the GM, then promoted to Assistant GM, where he’s truly been a magician with the cap. Brendan Shanahan has heaped praise on Pridham, saying free agency and the trade deadline wouldn’t be possible to navigate without him. Pridham also spent 15 years working for the NHL in Central Registry and Central Scouting. Will the Islanders come calling? Would he be interested?
For coach, I would give DeBoer the job. He's been to the finals twice, and never one it:
MATHIEU DARCHE
It seems like only a matter of ‘where’ and not ‘when’ Darche will get an opportunity to run an NHL club. Julien BriseBois’ understudy in Tampa Bay has been interviewed and advanced as a finalist for at least two or three other openings in recent cycles, putting him squarely on the radar. He’s helped the Lightning to two Stanley Cups and has been trained in just about every facet of the front office. The 48-year-old Quebecois is sharp, knowledgeable and hungry.
EVAN GOLD
With so much turbulence in the Boston Bruins‘ season, Gold may not end up on many public lists, but he’s a name that hockey executives around the league are talking about. The Bruins’ assistant GM, 45, helps GM Don Sweeney in all Boston’s day-to-day operations, from salary cap and contract negotiations to CBA compliance and player acquisition, and Gold manages Boston’s AHL affiliate in Providence. He began with the Bruins in 2015 as Director of Legal Affairs and has earned a stellar reputation as someone to deal with.
RYAN MARTIN
There isn’t much in hockey that Martin hasn’t done – aside from becoming an NHL general manager. Over the last two decades in the league, he’s worked in just about every facet, from scouting to salary cap, and he’s done it in multiple organizations. He was an assistant GM in Detroit for a decade, the same role that he holds now under Chris Drury with the New York Rangers across the river. He has also been GM of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and the Team USA Men’s National Team (2022 Worlds), and has served as both a player agent and corporate attorney. He is unquestionably qualified.
KEVIN McDONALD
It’s possible that McDonald has the most non-traditional path to this list, even though he might’ve been working in the league longer than anyone on it. He began his career in the New York Rangers’ communications department. In 1994, he transitioned to pro scout, where he remained until 2000. Then he moved to the same role with the St. Louis Blues, eventually being promoted to assistant GM in a run that lasted 22 years and brought the Blues their first Stanley Cup. He’s been Assistant GM in Colorado for the last three seasons. The Massachusetts native is a standout talent evaluator.
BRANDON PRIDHAM
The prevailing thought around the NHL is that the Toronto Maple Leafs have “golden handcuffs” on Pridham, who is believed to be the highest-paid non-GM executive working for a club. He’s been with the Leafs for 11 years now, first joining as Special Assistant to the GM, then promoted to Assistant GM, where he’s truly been a magician with the cap. Brendan Shanahan has heaped praise on Pridham, saying free agency and the trade deadline wouldn’t be possible to navigate without him. Pridham also spent 15 years working for the NHL in Central Registry and Central Scouting. Will the Islanders come calling? Would he be interested?
For coach, I would give DeBoer the job. He's been to the finals twice, and never one it:
Peter DeBoer Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com
Statistics and Records of Peter DeBoer, a hockey player and coach from Dunnville, ONT born Jun 13 1968 who was active from 1985 to 1991.
www.hockeydb.com
Bill_Berg
Well-known member
'But slower' in our case.