Things seem to be trending to Mats Sundin being named as the VP of Hockey Operations, and maybe John Chayka as GM if Sundin wants this role
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman, on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Staving Season episode – on the Toronto Maple Leafs and what role Mats Sundin could fill within the Leafs front office. Sundin has pride in being a Maple Leafs player, something they feel has slipped in recent years. Friedman thinks it’s for the Vice President of Hockey Operations.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“As I’ve said a couple of times now, I believe there was a lot of misdirection about what the Maple Leafs were asking Mats Sundin to consider.
And if you look at Sundin, it’s very clear he’s proud to be a Maple Leaf. He loves the team. He loves the organization. He’s come back several times and spoken up in defense of the players and, and just talked about how much of a privilege it is to wear that jersey and represent the organization. And it’s clear this year that the organization itself felt that, that slipped. That the pride in wearing the Jersey had fallen.
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And in addition to restoring their fortunes on the ice, I think they wanted, they felt the pride had slipped, and they wanted to find someone at the top who would live and breathe that. And I’m sure at some point in time when this is all over, we’ll get a full description of how they got to Sundin and how they pitched him.
But they, they pitched him on and I, my theory is his title, should this happen. And they’re trying to make it happen is, he’s going to be the vice president of hockey operations. That’s my theory.
And it took some time, and it took some convincing, but I think they’re now actually negotiating with him to do it. And you know, we’ll see what it all means. We’ll see how it all works.
But as I said, Kyle, I believe for some time now, they were talking about a larger role than they were letting on, and I just had to figure out a way to prove it, and that’s, that’s what I believe is going on right now.
Someone said to me on Tuesday that I think some of the people who were interviewed, because Sundin was not through the search firm, that was a completely different thing. He was not through this hockey operation search. But I think some of the people who were interviewed kind of knew about it. That they were, I think some of them were informed, or it was, it was discussed with them that Sundin was going to take this position, or was going to was being pitched on this. I shouldn’t say take, but was being pitched on this position and they were potentially going to work together. I’ve heard there were a couple of people who were kind of asked about it.
And so the other individual, I believe, is going to be the GM. And, you know, as we’ve reported, and other people have reported, Nick’s (Kypreos) been on it, too. I think that’s come down to John Chayka and Scott White. And if Sundin does take the job, I think it’s going to be Chayka.
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Now, if something happens here and it doesn’t occur, I don’t know where this is all going to go. I don’t know what the backup plan is. But as it stands right now, I’m under the impression it’s going to be Sundin and Chayka and they just have to close the deal. Nothing is done until it’s done. But that’s what I believe is, is going on.
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