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The Toronto Maple Leafs are accelerating their search not only for a new general manager but also for a president of hockey operations, according to reports.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President Keith Pelley is focused on Mike Gillis, who appears to be a strong candidate to become the new president of hockey operations with the Toronto franchise.
"The talk about Mike Gillis is real. The Leafs have interest in him. I believe there's already been a conversation between Gillis and Pelley. I think there's another one that's coming up here," Johnston revealed.
Gillis on friendly terms with Maple Leafs CEO Pelley and intrigued by the opportunity
To that information, The Athletic's James Mirtle added his own insight, confirming that Gillis is on friendly terms with Pelley and has some interest in the possibility of taking a role with the Maple Leafs.
"According to league sources and those who know Gillis well, however, he is on friendly terms with Pelley and is intrigued by the opportunity that attempting to retool the Leafs would present," Mirtle wrote.
Gillis spent six seasons as general manager and president of the Vancouver Canucks between 2008 and 2014. He was one of the key figures behind the Canucks winning the Presidents' Trophy in back-to-back seasons in 2010-11 and 2011-12, as well as five consecutive division titles.
A couple of weeks after the dismissal of Brad Treliving from his role as general manager, weeks of speculation still lie ahead -- but ideally, the Toronto franchise would put its organizational chart in order as soon as possible, heading into the offseason and after having already been eliminated from playoff contention.
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