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MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley spoke after removing Brad Treliving as GM.
There was a massive shakeup in the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs in recent weeks, as the organization parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving after several years on the job.
Treliving had assumed the general manager responsibilities for the Maple Leafs in the 2023 offseason after the club moved on from Kyle Dubas, who had been in the role for several seasons himself.
However, the Maple Leafs hope to have the official successor to Treliving in time for the NHL Draft, which will take place near the end of June. And while there have been several prominent names linked to the Maple Leafs, one Hall of Fame defenseman has taken his hat out of the ring – and even refuted reports that he had interviewed for the job.
Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger, who was rumored to have interviewed for the position, emphatically denied any such interview taking place.
“There’s a lot of rumours out there. I’m in the media like you guys. I’m interested to see how this all plays out, too,” he said. “There’s some vicious rumours out there that said I interviewed for the GM job. I did not interview for that role.”
However, Pronger emphasized that he’s excited for the next chapter in his life and, at the same time as promoting his new book, said that he’s open to opportunities.
“I’m excited for this next chapter. As I’ve said numerous times, I’m open to having a conversation and seeing what an opportunity might look like,” he said. “Whether it’s a fit for me, whether it’s a fit for the other side. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t, sometimes the timing is not right, and sometimes the opportunity doesn’t fit what you’re looking for at any given time.”
During his NHL career, Pronger played in 1,167 career games with the Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers.
He scored 157 goals and 541 assists, and also won the Stanley Cup 19 years ago as a member of the Ducks, just one season after he helped lead the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
As previously reported on Heavy, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman noted on his Wednesday edition of the “32 Thoughts” podcast that it could only be a matter of days before the Maple Leafs officially reveal Treliving’s successor as GM of the Maple Leafs.
“I said that I think we’re close and we’ll know in the next 24 to 48 hours. Somebody called me…they said, as it stands now, we’re probably not looking at this week.”
However, Treliving also noted that he’s gotten some pushback from those in the organization who feel that the actual timeline is somewhat longer.
The Maple Leafs missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season for the first time since 2016, and looked far different up front without the presence of Mitch Marner, who is now with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Michael Whitaker Michael Whitaker is a sports journalist based in metro Detroit with nearly a full decade of experience with publications like Clutch Points and The Hockey News. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University. More about Michael Whitaker
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