Elliotte Friedman reveals the Maple Leafs are moving toward a bold hire
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Daniel Lucente
Apr 29, 2026 (4:04 PM)
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Photo credit: © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Mats Sundin could reshape the Toronto Maple Leafs front office, and John Chayka now sits in the middle of the pressure.
Elliotte Friedman put real weight behind the idea on 32 Thoughts.
His read is that Toronto is negotiating with Sundin for a vice-president of hockey operations role, with Chayka tied to the GM path if it closes.
This is a response to a broken 32-36-14 season, 78 points, and an eighth-place finish in the Atlantic.
Re Mats Sundin/Maple Leafs management: "My theory...should this happen...is he's gonna be the Vice President of Hockey Operations; it took some convincing, but I think they're now actually negotiating with him to do it."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
"I'm under the impression it will be Sundin and Chayka and they just have to close the deal."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Sundin brings something the Leafs badly need, internal weight.
Mats Sundin Forces Toronto Maple Leafs Accountability
The fan mood is split for a reason, because Sundin feels right emotionally, but the job cannot run on memory.
Toronto needs someone who can challenge stars, scouts, coaches, and ownership without blinking.
Sundin has that voice.
Chayka would bring a colder layer, built around data, roster modeling, and decisions that may not please the room right away.
That is where this gets serious.
If Sundin is hired, he cannot be a logo in a suit.
He has to define the hockey standard, while Chayka attacks the roster gaps that left Toronto too loose on the blue line and too exposed between the pipes.
The ripple effect could hit everyone.
A soft reset around Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and the man advantage becomes easier to sell when Sundin is the face of the plan.
The Leafs are not just picking names.
They are deciding whether an old captain can give a tired franchise a sharper edge, starting with the next GM hire.
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