Who Will Be The Leafs New GM 2023?

Toronto Maple Leafs GM candidates 2023 are Brandon Pridham, Ryan Hardi, Darryl Metcalf, Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, and others.

The first four personnel have been serving as the assistant general manager for the team. Except for Pridham, three of them have the responsibility of other departments as well.

For instance, Hardy also handles minor-league operations. Likewise, Darryl Metcalf is in the hockey research and development department.

Let's learn more about the in-house potential contenders who can procure the position in the near future.

Brandon Pridham

In 1999, Brandon Pridham began his NHL career as a coordinator in Central Scouting. He joined the NHL franchise the same year as the former general manager Dubas. He was hired as a special assistant to the GM.

After Kyle became the general manager, he promoted Pridham to assistant general manager on May 23, 2018. He handles matters like salary cap analysis, collective bargaining agreement interpretation for the team, and contract negotiations.

Brandon is the contender with the highest probability, as team president Brendan Shanahan repeatedly mentions his name. He accepted that Pridham is the personnel he will be leaning heavily on at the moment.

Moreover, Shanahan gave a hint stating having an experienced general manager would be an attractive quality.

On a personal front, Pridham lives in Stouffville, Ontario, with his better half, Sue. The couple has two children, Olivia and Jack.

Ryan Hardi

Hardi joined the Toronto-based NHL franchise on June 26, 2021. The Leafs owner announced the new recruitment as the senior director of minor league operations.

Besides, the Madison native was assigned to serve as the general manager of the American Hockey League affiliate of the team, the Toronto Marlies. He previously held the position in Chicago Steel starting from the 2018-2019 season of the USHL.

Moreover, the 37-year-old became the GM of the Year for the league based on votes from his peers. Recently in the 2022-2023 season, the Leafs promoted him to assistant general manager.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser

Apart from holding the potential to be the 18th GM of the team, Hayley Wickenheiser handles the player development department.

Wickenheiser herself is a former ice hockey player. Starting as a minor hockey player in 1993, she became Canada's National Women's Team member at age 15 the following year.

The Canadian player became the first woman to play in professional men's hockey. She played with the HC Salamat in 2003. Over the season, she played 23 games with two goals and ten assists.

In 2017, she announced her retirement from the rink to pursue education in the medical field. Now, she introduces herself as a resident physician.

Speaking about her career in the NHL, the Leafs acquired her as the assistant director of the player development department on August 23, 2018. Later in 2021, she was upgraded to the senior director.

The club's young athletes insist that her strong communication and detailed approach helped them advance their playing careers. That portrays her capability to understand what is better for the Leafs and what people expect from the team.

Shaunavon native became the assistant general manager of the club in July 2022.

The author of "Gold Medal Diary-Inside the World's Greatest Sports Event" resides in Calgary with her adopted son Noah. Both her parents, Tom and Marilyn Wickenheiser, are physical education teachers.

Darryl Metcalf

Another potential contender for the post is Darryl Metcalf. Metcalf has been with the team since 2014.

The Canadian personnel joined the Leafs as an analyst of the hockey and Research development department in September 2014. After a year and eleven months, Metcalf was promoted as the department's director.

It has been around seven years since Darryl has been sincerely handling his responsibility as the director.

Regarding his educational qualifications, Darryl enrolled at Queen's University in 2005. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 2009.

Shortly, he began his professional career as a consultant and sales team leader in the Yfactor company. By the time he left the firm for the Leafs, he was serving as a senior consultant.

Besides the in-house contenders, there are a few more possible aspirants for the post. And they are Brad Treliving, Eric Tulsky, Mathieu Darche, Jamie Pushor, Scoot Nichol, and Mark Hunter.

One of the contenders, Jason Spezza, resigned from his role recently. 

Toronto Maple Leafs trade rumours include the exchange of Drden Hunt for forward Radim Zohorna from the Flames.

The Maple announced the trade on March 4, 2023. Likewise, a few days ago, the club signed goalie Vyacheslav Peksa to a three-year contract with an annual value worth $851,660.

Furthermore, on April 10, 2023, the team signed Matthew Knies via an entry-level contract. On March 1, 2023, the Toronto-based franchise acquired defense Luke Schenn from the Canucks for the third-round selection trade.

The same day, they gained a third-round selection for the 2024 NHL Draft from the Islanders in place of Pierre Engvall. Similarly, the club traded Rasmus Sandin with Erik Gustafsson from the Washington Capitals.

For the NHL Entry Draft 2023, the Toronto Maple gets the 28th overall pick. They will have trade with some other teams like the Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, and others.

Brandon Pridham is the most eligible person to replace Kyle Dubas as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, based on team fans' opinions.

On the other side, Dubas's fans love him. The Athletic surveyed the new general manager of the Maple recently. Among the readers, 74.9% voted to say Kyle should return to the team with his former position.

Only 7.6% of voters denied the offer, while the remaining 17.5% stated he might make notable changes to the personnel.

Former general manager Kyle Dubas joined the Leafs in KUly 2014. In the initial year, he was hired as the assistant general manager. On May 11, 2018, he was promoted as the 17th general manager.

Dubas is the longest-serving employee on the team. During his years with Leafs, he managed the athlete development department, ice skaters personnel, and the research and development department.

He served in the team for nine seasons, including five in the current unoccupied position.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager salary history concludes with an average of $4 million till the 2023 season.

Former general manager Brian Burke used to make roughly 3 million dollars. He handled the management department from November 2008 to January 2013.

Burke signed a six-year contract with the team worth three million per year. With the amount, signing and performance bonuses were added. After signing the deal, he became the first American GM in the Toronto Maples.

NHL GM salary list consists of a range from 52400 dollars to 798061 dollars monthly. 

The latter amount is the highest in the history of the National Hockey League, and 86% of the personnel make it. Likewise, some general managers earn around $250 thousand to $430 thousand.

For instance, Kent Hughes of the Montreal Canadiens made an estimated $4 million annually. He dealt with the team with a salary cap of around $80 million.

Similarly, the former general manager of the Toronto Maples also made around the same amount during his working period with the club. Ken Holland from the Edmonton Oilers is one of the highest-paid general managers of the NHL 2023.

Holland makes around 25 million yearly from the team. He signed a five-year deal worth $25 million with the Oilers.

At the moment, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins don't have a general manager. Penguins fired former general manager Ron Hextall on April 14, 2023, along with executive Brian Burke.