It’s been 12 days since Kyle Dubas was fired. As the dust continues to settle, the Leafs are getting closer to finding their next GM. As the search continued, I sifted through all the names that were rumored to be in the works, and found my top five.
Some of the names on this list may not be currently achievable, but these are the five that I believe are best suited for success (and they are fairly realistic). One name in particular seems poised to take over, and it’s currently the favored bet.
# 5. Eric Tolsky
Tulsky’s days as assistant general manager appear to be limited. It’s been widely reported that he’s interviewed for other general manager vacancies, and I suspect he’ll be hired somewhere sooner rather than later. Tulsky’s background is certainly unique. He’s been with the Carolina Hurricanes for nine years, but before that, he was an expert in inorganic chemistry. He holds BAs in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard University, and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Tulsky was an outstanding individual contributor but also managed teams that enabled unique nanotechnologies to solve complex problems in multiple fields. Yes…
Since moving to hockey with Carolina, he has risen through the ranks to be an ALB. Previous roles at Canes include Vice President of Hockey Management and Strategy and Director of Hockey Analytics. If you couldn’t guess, Tulsky is extremely data-oriented and analytically-oriented. Of all the candidates on this list, Tulsky probably “feels” the most stylistically similar to Dupas. Carolina is consistently one of the best running teams in the NHL and year after year they are very competitive. Tulsky is a big part of that, and whoever hired him would be hiring an impressively progressive mind.
The Hurricanes are the 28th most valuable team in the NHL, worth $640M, with an operating income of $19M.
The Leafs are the 2nd most valuable team in the NHL, worth $2B, with an operating income of $116M.
Just imagine what Eric Tulsky can do with the Leafs' resources.
— Willyston Riellander (@nylanderthews) May 24, 2023
#4. Brandon Bridham
It’s clearly a familiar name, and while I felt it was important to include an insider candidate, Pridham certainly deserves strong consideration for the role. He has been with the organization since 2014 and has been an associate member of the Leafs since 2018. He is perhaps best known as Kyle Dubas’ hat-trick and right-hand man. in the past Dubas has spoken publicly about how integral Pridham’s contributions are.
In addition to being an expert on the salary cap and numbers, Pridham’s past includes a stint with the NHL. He has acted as a point of contact for all general managers and executives for any salary cap or CBA questions or issues. Pridham was also instrumental in streamlining the scouting process and at one point was the point of contact for every NHL scouting director. He’s a well-connected guy with a lot of solid connections. Pridham is currently the interim general manager, but he will no doubt get the chance to be a full-time general manager soon enough either in Toronto or elsewhere.
# 3. Brad Triliving
I have a feeling there will be a lot of articles about this candidate. The current odds on favorites deserve their place on the list. Like any other general manager, Treliving has had a lot of wins and losses. There are a lot of reasons why treliving is considered big, and experience is the key factor. Shanahan stated in his infamous press conference that the experiment would be inevitable, and Treliving has it in spades. Not only is he an experienced GM, but he’s done it in a Canadian market, where every step is highly scrutinized. That experience is invaluable.
What else makes Treliving such a strong candidate? Well, let’s rate the maple leaf for a second. Are important decisions looming around the star players? Yes, of course. Does he have experience in dealing with difficult situations with the stars? Again, a resounding yes. Treliving and his team rolled the dice with Johnny Gaudreau and ended up losing it in the 11th hour to free agency. There’s no chance Treliving would let another star player get away with anything, and his experience trading star players bodes well, too. At the time, Treleving was receiving huge plaudits for his take on Matthew Tkachuk. He received a first-round pick, a prospect, Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Wigar. All told, his drafting history is somewhat hit or miss, but look who recruited him for Calgary in 2016; Tkachuk in the first round, Dillon Dobie late in the second round, Adam Fox in the third round, and Matthew Phillips late in the sixth round.
#2. Jason Bottrell
While there aren’t very many reports associating Botterill with Toronto, and certainly not as many as Treliving, I’m glad there are any at all. Botterill has been an important part of Stanley Cup winning teams and has seen many organizations within the NHL. He is currently a member of the General Assembly of the Seattle Kraken, a team that was built very differently from the Maple Leafs. They’re also a team that overachieved and pushed Dallas to Game 7 in the second round this year.
Prior to joining Seattle, Botterill served as the general manager at Buffalo for three seasons. It was widely reported that he did not see eye to eye with Buffalo’s polarizing owners, and the management of his resources was called into question. Botterill had some great wins and losses at the helm, and while his time wasn’t overly successful, he replaced Tage Thompson and drafted several players who would feature prominently in Buffalo next season and beyond.
Prior to Buffalo, Botterill had been part of the Penguins organization for the better part of a decade. When Pittsburgh won the Cup on 08/09, Bottrell was Director of Hockey Operations. When the Pens won again in 15/16 and 16/17, Botterill was the assistant general manager. He has his fingerprints on all the cup winning teams and definitely knows how to get over the hump. He’s played just under 100 games in the NHL, and his overall experience makes him a very interesting candidate for the Maple Leafs.
# 1. Doug Armstrong
Doug Armstrong has three years left on his contract with the St. Louis Blues. It’s certainly unlikely he’ll leave St. Louis, but could the general manager’s vacancy be too much for the Ontario-born Armstrong? He certainly accomplished everything one could do in St. Louis, and would probably make it his favorite experience if he felt strongly about leaving the Midwest.
Armstrong has been a major league executive since the mid-1990s. He won a cup with Dallas in 98/99 as the AGM, and most recently again with St. Louis in 18/19 as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. That’s the other wrinkle… since he’s already the head of hockey operations, does he even want his so-called demotion?
Armstrong has helped put together multiple winning Canadian Olympic and World Champion teams and is one of the most experienced executives in hockey. A pipe dream, but still a dream nonetheless, Doug Armstrong if he’s really available is my favorite.
There still seems to be a good amount of speculation swirling around the possibility of Doug Armstrong as a GM candidate in Toronto. High ranking source close to the Blues says, “all of this talk seems to be fabricated”.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 23, 2023
Summary / Prediction
While both Eric Tolsky and Brandon Pridham possess top technical minds, their lack of experience would ultimately deter Shanahan from their services. Botterill has won trophies and has a solid combination of experience and pedigree. It would be my #1 realistic choice when I see Doug Armstrong likely to stay in St. Louis, unfortunately. Brad Treleving seems likely to be appointed as the next general manager, and he’s sure to cut his work immediately. While I prefer the others, I believe there are worse Treliving alternatives that are rumored to be getting interest from Toronto and other organizations. There should be some concrete news here soon enough as we continue to embark on the biggest leaf season in recent history.