Maple Leafs Rumors: 2 Frontrunners Named for GM, & 2 More Strike Out

The Toronto Maple Leafs' front office search is getting down to the final straws. The latest report, on Friday morning, from Elliotte Friedman, is that we can scratch two more names off the list, and two have risen to the short list of frontrunners.

"I'm told that Ryan Martin from the Rangers was told, even though we had a couple of great interviews, that he wasn't advancing further," said Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast. "He did nothing to hurt himself, they just ultimately moved on."

Friedman also said that Boston Bruins assistant GM Evan Gold is out of the running.

That leaves two frontrunners, according to the insider: John Chayka and Dallas Stars AGM Scott White.

"The thing that's most interesting about that," he continued, "is that they are very different candidates, almost polar opposites. Age, background, experience, almost everything about them is different. I don't know if you could find two more different people if you've tried."

Chayka & White are the frontrunners for Leafs' hockey boss job

He then goes on to name the one who seems to be out front by a nose at this point:

"I do believe the organization is leaning (Chayka's) way at this time. And it is possible I think that Chayka gets it, but we are far from done."

The advantage he would seem to have is the fact that Chayka is 'data-centric', which, of course, is what MLSE CEO Keith Pelley said he was looking for. Chayka founded a hockey data and analytics company.

He became the youngest GM in league history back in 2016 at the age of 26. He did, however, leave the Arizona Coyotes under a cloud in 2020. "He has kept a relatively low profile in hockey since," writes Luke Fox of Sportsnet. "(He has been) running a dozen Wendy’s franchises alongside wife Kathryn, but appears intrigued by a return."

White, on the other hand, is a hockey lifer, now 58, and is currently the director of hockey operations for the Dallas Stars, helping to build that perennial contender.

A bit more due diligence to come still from the Leafs, but we just might have our two finalists. The job, it appears, will be known as 'Head of Hockey Operations'.