Insider Names 2 ‘Finalists’ For Maple Leafs GM Job

It sounds like things are getting closer for the Toronto Maple Leafs to land on a new general manager. After reporting that something could happen by the end of this week, insider Frank Seravalli is now listing the names of two of the 'Finalists' for the open GM job.

Sources say two of the 'finalists' advancing in the Maple Leafs GM search this week are #NHLBruins assistant GM Evan Gold and #NYR assistant GM Ryan Martin.

There is likely a third (or more?) candidate to meet with the team for a second in-person interview this week.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) April 20, 2026

Sources tell Seravalli that Boston Bruins assistant GM Evan Gold and New York Rangers assistant GM Ryan Martin are the two who have advanced to 'finalist' status, while he opines that at least a third candidate (and perhaps more) will meet with the team for a second in-person interview this week.

This would likely conflict with the report from last week from insider Elliotte Friedman that Toronto's first choice would be to have one person hold down the fort for the entire front office — i.e. a President of Hockey Operations/GM. But these names are more likely to indicate that a GM will be named separately, as it seems unlikely at this point that Gold or Martin, who have not held full-time GM roles as yet in the NHL would advance directly to a POHO position.

Gold is Toronto-born, but does not have the analytics/'data-centric' experience that MLSE CEO Keith Pelley said he desired.

The more likely scenario is that an overseeing president of hockey ops, such as supposed frontrunner Mike Gillis, would be brought in along with one of the first-time GMs.

It feels like something could happen on these fronts within the week.

And then there's the Mats Sundin situation. The Leafs legend will, by all accounts, be brought on board in some type of advisory capacity in the front office.