The announcement that Brad Treliving was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs was news that just about every fan of the team was hoping for. With the team officially set to miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade, MLSE President Keith Pelley clearly decided that Treliving’s ‘snot and grit‘ experiment had failed. Now, the focus shifts to who is going to be sitting in that GM chair to lead what looks like a massive retool this summer.
Here are a few names that are already starting to circulate as possible replacements.
Doug Armstrong
The biggest name on their radar has to be Doug Armstrong. He has been the general manager of the St. Louis Blues for a long time and is one of the most respected executives in the league. There have been rumours for weeks that Armstrong might be looking for a new challenge, especially with Alex Steen expected to take over GM duties in St. Louis soon.
Related: Treliving & Berube Aren’t the Right Duo for a Maple Leafs Retool
Armstrong has a Stanley Cup ring and plenty of experience managing big personalities and high-pressure situations. He was also the GM for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, so he knows what it is like to build a roster under a microscope. If Pelley wants someone who can walk in on day one and command respect, Armstrong is the obvious choice
Brandon Pridham
If the team wants some stability during this transition, promoting Brandon Pridham makes a lot of sense. Pridham is currently the primary assistant GM and is widely considered one of the top cap specialists in the NHL. He is the one who navigates the complicated salary cap rules and makes everything work financially.
While he has not been a GM before, he has been a key part of the front office through multiple regimes. Hiring Pridham would suggest that the team does not want to completely tear things down, but rather change who is making the final decisions. If he was the one hired for the job. There is a good chance that a name like Armstrong would be brought on as the President of Hockey Operations to help assist Pridham in the new role.
Mark Hunter
Lastly, if the Maple Leafs want to change the entire culture, they should look no further than Mark Hunter. He’s a name that always comes up especially with the Maple Leafs. Hunter was the assistant GM under Lou Lamoriello and played a major role in drafting several of the team’s current core players.
Related: Maple Leafs Reportedly Ready to Move Players Out This Summer
Since leaving Toronto, he has been running the London Knights in the OHL, which continues to produce NHL talent year after year. Hunter is known as one of the best talent evaluators in hockey. If the Maple Leafs are planning to move on from parts of their roster and get back NHL talent to help the retool, his eye for talent would be a huge asset.
