Published Apr 01, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 4\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 6 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n The faster Keith Pelley hires a proven hockey operations boss, the better.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n It would spare us another news conference that underlined his inexperience in real life, real time NHL issues, a state of the union address that left many in a state of confusion.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n In a noble attempt to cover all bases of a newsy Tuesday; firing his general manager \u2014 answering for a non-playoff season after his second full year at the helm \u2014 the CEO made a formal address, took general questions, then took on a scrum of beat writers.<\/p>\n But the exchange raised more questions than answers,\u00a0more incongruities than insight.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s\u00a0look at a\u00a0few:<\/p>\n PELLEY ON WHAT WENT WRONG THIS SEASON<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I had the right leadership in place. A lot of factors went into this. Without getting into specifics, we didn\u2019t have the alignment, the culture and the structure. You could find a number of issues (such as) injuries. We need to be better and need to adapt quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT: Pelley set up that alignment by firing president Brendan Shanahan<\/a> (as he did with Masai Ujiri of the Raptors<\/a>), taking some of Shanny\u2019s administrative duties, and giving more hockey clout to GM Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube, who weren\u2019t on the same page as various crises arose.<\/p>\n All teams have injuries, but not all have the negative dynamics befalling the Leafs. All three men could not arrest passive efforts, system failures, prolonged losing streaks, stubborn lineup decisions, and a leadership void, capped by an underwhelming trade deadline haul.<\/p>\n ON DROPPING TO THE\u00a0BOTTOM\u00a0OF\u00a0THE\u00a0ATLANTIC\u00a0DIVISION<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u00a0definitely\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0see the train coming, which was the Buffalo\u00a0Sabres\u00a0and the Montreal Canadiens, how\u00a0strong those teams are,\u00a0along with the likes of Detroit,\u00a0Ottawa\u00a0and Boston, the re-tooling\u00a0with\u00a0Florida and\u00a0Tampa\u00a0Bay.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cBuffalo and Montreal have shown what a young, energetic team they\u2019re going to be for a long time with the prospects they have.\u201d<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT:\u00a0\u2018You\u2019d think one of Toronto\u2019s SIX ASSISTANT GMs might have said something,\u201d\u00a0zinged\u00a0old friend Mark Spector of Sportsnet\u00a0via \u2018X\u2019\u00a0about the train analogy.<\/p>\n Not that local media haven\u2019t sounded that warning in recent years as the Maple Leafs foundered in the playoffs. Berube acknowledged the same as most of the aforementioned teams beat the Leafs early in the schedule.<\/p>\n Now those other clubs\u2019 draft picks keep coming of age, while the Leafs pay for trading four of the past seven first-rounders. They also moved on from Mitch Marner<\/a> as the first of what could be a couple of exits of their vaunted \u2018foundational\u2019 players. Oh, and there\u2019s no first-round selections in the cupboard, for at least two of the next three drafts.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play VideoON GOING\u00a0DATA-SAVVY WITH THE NEXT HIRE<\/p>\n \u201cThey have to be data-centric., really understand the importance of data, and where that\u2019s moving. We have just completed a review of Toronto FC, all its data, combined with cultural checks.<\/p>\n \u201cI strongly believe we\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0use data as well as we need to. That would change.\u00a0The\u00a0whole\u00a0thing with\u00a0data\u00a0is\u00a0everyone has access to it and AI (artificial intelligence).\u00a0AI is\u00a0massive,\u00a0it is changing our business.\u00a0\u00a0It really comes down to how smart you are\u00a0and\u00a0how\u00a0you use it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery single decision we make will be evidence-based. They\u2019re never wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT:\u00a0The Leafs had someone on the crest of the analytics wave in assistant and later full-time GM Kyle Dubas. It wasn\u2019t number-crunching that specifically led to his departure, but Dubas\u2019 Leaf legacy is a large research wing headed\u00a0\u00a0by Darryl Metcalf, one of those holding an assistant GM title.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Pelley overlooked that, while giving lavish praise to Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky, recognized as the league\u2019s highest qualified data exec at the moment. But not only is Tulsky settled with the Canes, he was an available candidate when Shanahan had to replace Dubas in haste with Treliving.<\/p>\n ON WHAT THE LEAFS STILL HAVE TO BUILD WITH<\/p>\n \u201cWe have generational, foundational pieces in 34 (Auston Matthews<\/a>), 88 (William Nylander), 23\u00a0(Matthew Knies)\u00a0and 91\u00a0(John Tavares) and\u00a0strong goaltending. A lot\u00a0of\u00a0positives. We\u00a0now\u00a0just\u00a0have to\u00a0surround those with better\u00a0pieces and that will the task of the new director.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0pin (past\u00a0faulures) on the foundational people. To be successful, you need a\u00a0fully-rounded\u00a0team. Florida and Tampa Bay are perfect examples. You\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0have one or two superstars and expect to win\u00a0a Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 7<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT:\u00a0The\u00a0Leafs\u00a0in fact had a Core Four,\u00a0a once-elite\u00a0Morgan\u00a0Rielly on\u00a0defence\u00a0and a\u00a0younger\u00a0Knies.<\/p>\n But they\u00a0already bid farewell to\u00a0malcontent\u00a0Marner\u00a0after\u00a0going through\u00a0three coaches, two\u00a0GMs\u00a0and every\u00a0attempt\u00a0make\u00a0him happy on ice and richly\u00a0rewarded\u00a0off of\u00a0it.\u00a0Those in charge of personnel never found those \u2018better pieces\u2019\u00a0with any of the Core Four\u00a0and after a decade\u00a0there\u2019s doubt\u00a0no one ever\u00a0will.<\/p>\n One day, Marner\u2019s 100 points, Matthews\u2019 Hart Trophy and his Leaf-leading goal records along with whatever Nylander pads his regular season stats could go down as the franchise\u2019s biggest waste of combined talent.<\/p>\n ON\u00a0WHAT\u00a0WASN\u2019T\u00a0WORKING WITH\u00a0THE\u00a0\u2018ALIGNMENT\u2019\u00a0AND\u00a0\u2018CULTURE\u2019\u00a0OF\u00a0THE LEAFS:<\/p>\n \u201cAn excellent question \u2014 that I\u2019m not going to answer. We didn\u2019t have alignment through all aspects of our business.<\/p>\n Advertisement 8<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cIf you look at all teams,\u00a0they have certain verticals and\u00a0(Toronto\u2019s)\u00a0verticals\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0horizontally integrated as they needed to be. You\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0then have the right culture.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not sure how many wins\u00a0and losses culture\u00a0represents, but\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0seen it first-hand with the Raptors and first-hand in the\u00a0dressing\u00a0room two weeks ago with TFC\u00a0(when its MLS season began). It matters.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u00a0have to\u00a0have a culture in\u00a0place\u00a0where you can have\u00a0courageous\u00a0conversations with everybody in the organization and the first reaction is not defensive. How\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0seen it now, the culture of the other two teams is a little bit different than the\u00a0Leafs\u00a0and something we\u00a0have to\u00a0address holistically.\u201d<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT:\u00a0Remember when TV controls\u00a0had\u00a0a vertical\u00a0and horizontal?<\/p>\n Advertisement 9<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n That\u00a0made reception\u00a0hard to co-ordinate and so is this.\u00a0These were\u00a0among\u00a0a few\u00a0comparisons\u00a0Pelley\u00a0optimistically\u00a0made\u00a0about\u00a0the hockey team\u00a0emulating\u00a0MLSE\u2019s other\u00a0franchises. But\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0apples-to-oranges;\u00a0the\u00a0Leafs\u00a0too far\u00a0down their own\u00a0road\u00a0in a\u00a0much more secular\u00a0sport and\u00a0salary cap\u00a0economic model.<\/p>\n Their \u2018DNA\u2019 \u2014 a term Treliving popularized \u2014 never seemed conducive to the style of hockey required for a long playoff run, especially in clinching game scenarios which he and Berube tried to change.\u00a0\u00a0That will be someone else\u2019s problem, one not easily fixed by clever metaphors.<\/p>\n WHAT IS BERUBE\u2019S STATUS?<\/p>\n \u201cCraig is coach, as determined by the GM or head of hockey operations. His role doesn\u2019t change, other than he will work closer with (interim GMs) Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy. Maybe we have a new head of hockey, but something as big as Craig would go all the way to ownership.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 10<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT:\u00a0This could be moot, because Berube is considered toast already after April 15. But if the new person in charge will have full autonomy on hiring and firing, why would the corporate suits have final say on him or any future coach?<\/p>\n WHAT FORM\/TIMELINE WILL\u00a0THE SEARCH FOR\u00a0A HOCKEY HONCHO TAKE?<\/p>\n \u201cThe No. 1 thing is for us to move as\u00a0quick\u00a0as we can into an\u00a0exhaustive\u00a0search. You need the right people in place.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0wide open. Nothing is\u00a0determined. We currently have six assistant\u00a0GMs. Is that the right structure? What is the right structure?<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough I\u2019ll be methodical, we have to expedite the process as well. In a perfect world, it\u2019s done by (the NHL draft combine in late May), but certainly as earlier as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 11<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n COUNTERPOINT:\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0give Pelley some wiggle room here\u00a0as\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0speculated\u00a0the decision to cash out Treliving\u00a0before the season ended\u00a0was to\u00a0make fast\u00a0overtures\u00a0on the top execs being pursued by other teams.<\/p>\n A search firm is to be consulted, but it\u2019s often an over-rated exercise. If, for example, Doug Armstrong<\/a> was freed from his St. Louis contract and actually was interested in the Leafs, he would move up a very short list.<\/p>\n The great unknown is whether\u00a0a big name shakes\u00a0loose at the end of the regular season,\u00a0after\u00a0a quick playoff exit or looks for\u00a0a\u00a0new challenge\u00a0after winning the Cup.<\/p>\n lhornby@postmedia.com<\/p>\n X: @sunhornby<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Keith Pelley talks of huge interest for Maple Leafs post, but won’t rush it<\/p>\n![\"Keith](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0402pelleycropsmall-scaled-e1775089385655.jpg\")
Keith Pelley, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, addresses media at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on March 31, 2026, following the firing of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk \/Toronto SunArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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