The Toronto Maple Leafs were already set to have a busy offseason this summer. After all, the club is enduring its worst season in a decade, and significant roster changes are necessary. Nevertheless, the situation has amped up a notch because team officials fired general manager Brad Treliving on March 30.
While certainly eyebrow-raising, the move to relieve Treliving of his duties certainly makes sense. The Maple Leafs are currently worse off than they were before the now former GM entered the fray in 2023. Treliving may also not be the only major subtraction coming to Toronto. Head coach Craig Berube’s future with the Leafs is precarious as well.
A decision regarding Berube may not come until after management hires a new GM. At the moment, St. Louis Blues president and general manager is widely seen as the frontrunner for the Toronto job. The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke specifically listed Armstrong atop his potential candidate list on March 31. Armstrong does have a fairly impressive résumé, including two Stanley Cup triumphs as an exec.
While Armstrong is the leading candidate, there are other options. One particularly interesting choice could be Chris Pronger. The Hall of Fame defenseman retired from the ice in 2012 and later worked in the Florida Panthers organization as an advisor. TSN’s Darren Dreger recently ran through a list of contenders for the Leafs GM job and claimed that Pronger was “possible.”
Chris Pronger Would be Top Choice if Toronto Maple Leafs Don’t Focus on Experience
GettyChris Pronger previously worked for the NHL Player Safety Department and the Florida Panthers.
Dreger, however, is not the only NHL insider to point towards Pronger. Toronto Sun reporter Terry Koshan also linked the former intimidating defenseman with the Maple Leafs. During a recent appearance on Leafs Morning Take, Koshan claimed that Pronger would be an interesting choice if Toronto does not necessarily focus on experience.
“Pronger, I just think he’s a brilliant mind for the game,” claimed Koshan. “He’s won. And there’s absolutely no nonsense with him. You know, I think he’s a guy that the Maple Leafs would have to consider if you’re going to go the route with someone who doesn’t necessarily have that experience.”
Potentially picking Pronger over a more experienced exec such as Armstrong would be risky. Nevertheless, Armstrong’s track record in recent years has not exactly been stellar. The Blues currently have fewer points than the Leafs, and the team is also heading towards big roster changes. The exec was also at the helm for Team Canada’s recent failure at the Olympics in Italy.
Pronger Would Accept Call From Toronto Management
Interestingly enough, Pronger recently discussed how the new Leafs GM should start the job on Leafs Morning Take. The former defenseman specifically pointed to figuring out if star players with no-move clauses, including Auston Matthews and William Nylander, really want to be there. The hard-nosed blueliner even admitted that he would take a call from Toronto if they were interested in him.
Whichever way Toronto ultimately opts to go, the club should take its time when choosing a new general manager. Rushing into a decision may end up just making the situation worse. Leafs fans also have to show patience as well. No matter who the team selects, things are not exactly going to be completely solved overnight.
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