TORONTO (May 2) — No matter which faces are marched before cameras and microphones, always remember this is Ed the Conqueror’s Toronto Maple Leafs. The only voice that matters in local professional sport — through his Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment adjunct, Keith Pelley — made it known the Leafs will continue to orbit their playoff ballerinas. Which means at least two more years of either not qualifying for the post–season or dropping out early. Sundin, Chayka and whichever coach they choose will toil under the tight framework established by the coroprate, non–hockey people that refuse to step aside. It’s essentially Harold Ballard, 40 years later, with different names playing the same role. Perhaps the coaching decision has also been made for the new management group; MLSE refusing to foot the remaining two years of Craig Berube’s contract without him earning it. Welcome, therefore, to the “brand new” Leafs, even if they look frighteningly familiar to hockey’s longest–suffering fans.
Nothing could be more ominous for followers of the Blue and White. The only path forward is to change the on–ice dynamic, which isn’t possible with Matthews, Nylander and Morgan Rielly in tow. Neither is it the popular move for Leafs Nation. Check around on–line and you’ll quickly notice that Toronto hockey zealots have had their fill of No. 34. They do not wish for the team to move forward with Matthews… and why should they? Even when he pored in 69 goals, he still couldn’t (or wouldn’t) show up when it mattered. Why would anyone expect a fairly broken–down version of Matthews to author a different narrative? Never in the 109–year history of the franchise have the Maple Leafs so–stubbornly retained a playoff outlier. Why MLSE has chosen to extend that losing proposition is anyone’s guess and it clearly points to Pelley’s famous initial words about not being here “to sell jerseys.” Few things matter more to Ed the Conqueror and his corporate limb, Tony Staffieri, than the almighty licensing buck. For the life of me, however, I cannot figure why they believe the public is still clamoring for Maple Leaf uniforms with No. 34 and the letter ‘C’. As mentioned, a majority faction of Toronto shinny followers wants Matthews to play elsewhere. He is no more a “foundational piece” than Calle Jarnkrok once the Stanley Cup tournament begins. And, why would we expect this club — having blatantly quit on another coach — to be back in the playoff hunt anytime soon?
You might be bellowing inside “give Mats and John a chance, Howard.” That would be my overwhelming choice were it not for Pelley, at the end of March, setting the table with all kinds of broken glass and dishwear. As mouthpiece for Ed the Conqueror, Keith flatly determined the path for whichever “yes” men were hired to “manage” the team. You’ll notice the nauseating similarity to managers–in–name (Kyle Dubas, Brad Treliving) relinquishing all of their authority in contract negotiation with the ballerinas. At least we now understand why. The lone remaining hope for the franchise — and it’s extremely faint — is that Sundin refused to come aboard without the boilerplate jurisdiction of a club president. Allowing him to remold the team in the much–overdue absence of the tiny dancers.
We’ll know as soon as Mats opens his mouth at the introductory press gathering, likely slated for Monday. If he echoes Pelley’s remarks about “foundational” components, he, Chayka and all of Leafs Nation are doomed.
The other hope is that Matthews, as he implied during his end–of–season gathering with reporters, has finally grown fed up with his stagnant circumstance and may seek a change of scenery. That would provide Sundin and Chayka their only route to turning around the Maple Leafs. What are the honest chances?
There is, categorically, no path to Stanley Cup success with Matthews, Nylander and Rielly forming the club’s nucleus. That was evident at least half–a–decade ago and has only been reinforced. If Sundin and Chayka have been told it’s “hands off” Matthews for, minimally, the two remaining years of his contract, Leafs fans will watch with envy as the Montreal Canadiens continue to soar… having been miles behind only a couple of years back.
The Leafs are “corporate” from top to bottom. Providing Sundin and Chayka little hope to succeed.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
I get that the Leafs will never hoist the Cup in my lifetime. I’m sure Chayka was eager to get back in the league but surely Sundin is familiar with the bloated, top-heavy dysfunctional lay of Leafs-land. My only hope is that some victory starved billionaire wrestles the team away and runs it to win, not just to be profitable. As an asset in a corporate portfolio, the Leafs are not serious contenders, but they remain a cash cow, and as an asset in a portfolio that’s better than winning. Besides, building a functioning organization takes work. Rearranging the deck chairs and tossing out superlatives every few years is far easier.
I’d go further and say no chance. For those who have not read the NY Times Athletic April 15 article “Inside the stunning fall of the Maple Leafs: Chaos, dysfunction and AI’, I highly recommend you do (easy to access behind the paywall if you have the wherewithal). Near the end of the piece, it was revealed that there is a tail wagging the dog at MLSE, namely Humza Teherany the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. He has not one but both ears of Keith Pelley. It appears Pelley is in infatuated with Humza and his technological knowledge and expertise. Before proceeding, I do not in any way speak negatively about Humza, I have in fact worked with him in the past and he is a brilliant and wonderful person. However, the underlying current in the Athletic article is he is pulling the strings behind the scene and Pelley has bought in hook line and sinker with his creation of the MLSE AG agentic V one lab. This lab is his version of an AI database whereby ideas are inserted by one or more contributors to deliver outcomes and recommendations to help make decisions involving many facets of the MLSE organization including the Leafs, Raptors et al. This is how strategy and decisions are now routinely being being made at MLSE in Pelley’s data centric universe. There are so many useful applications for this technology however I posit that using it in the construction of a winning professional sports team is not one of them. Now they’ve gone and hired John Chayka (who speaks the exact sales-ey lingo Pelley does). He’s a guy with only four years NHL GM experience and who “managed” (no pun intended) to be suspended by the NHL for Breach of Obligation and Conduct Detrimental to the League. Impeccable track record there. And then there’s Mats Sundin. A guy with ZERO years as a front office NHL executive and a demeanor eerily similar to the current captain – he’s the lipstick on the pig. MLSE has but yet again made a sucker out of every fan. What is about to take place in Leaf land (insert Benny Hill theme music) is a comedy of epic proportions sure to leave even the most stoic in stitches.
Pelley is a typical and common corporate boardroom fixture. It doesn’t matter if it’s a communications company, golf league or a manufacturer. His contributions and inputs will always be the same in both substance and nature.
He has neither appropriate experience nor skills for sports (team) management, yet GM Chayka will report to him. Like many boardroom types, he isn’t interested in hiring someone who might challenge his authority nor position now or in the future. He’s hiring “lesser” executives to protect his power and influence for as long as possible.
The leafs are a consistent revenue generator and are competitively doomed because of it. Rogers is a behemoth in a government protected industry, they don’t have any experience with a culture capable of succeeding or even surviving when faced with actual competition and Pelley is an offspring of that culture.
Rogers either doesn’t understand or (more likely) just doesn’t care that sports teams represent a sense of pride for people, national or local. Their ownership is disastrous for fans. I’ve read that Ed Rogers isn’t even slightly interested in hockey, and the fact he’s willing to have a separate president for the jays with a direct line to him seems to support that.
The leafs are going nowhere more than continued mediocrity (or worse) along with reliable, consistent and budgeted-for revenue generation. THAT is the ONLY goal Pelley has been charged with meeting. An appearance in the finals, or even a conference final will be more by accident than by design, but neither will happen with this leadership/ownership.
After 50 years of being a fan, ranging from hopeful/optimistic to resigned to mildly interested to sceptical/frustrated, I have reached the end and now HATE this version of the team. I hope they lose every game and play to an empty arena. They (ownership and leadership) deserve it.
It’s a big challenge for Sundin and Chayka to turn things around for the Leafs. One wonders how well they know the present team, and how long it will take to get to know this losing roster. Who stays and who goes? Do they make the right moves or not? First order of business, buyouts
They must buy out Rielly Domi and Tavares. No question. And no improvement until those three overrated bums are gone. Leaders that provide no leadership, players that play badly. So bad. Maccelli, hit the road. Don’t qualify or resign him. Go get some good free agents. Players that perform well defensively as well as offensively.
Keith Pelley did not come here to sell sweaters, instead he sold us a bill of goods….MLSE has resurrected the corpse of Harold E. Ballard and surprise, surprise it stinks!…a decade just wasted and another decade before the Leafs make the post season again…
Not sure why they waste their time & everyone else’s with this endless charade of pretending to hire people with the intention of extending them any scope of authority whatsoever.
Pelley should just appoint himself President, GM, Assistant GM, and any other title he likes; and, while he’s at it, make himself Coach & sign himself to a contract to be Rielly’s D partner. It would be a lot more efficient.
How curious that Elliott Friedman just announced that Sundin will be the Special Advisor to Hockey Operations. Who will he be advising, the new GM, John Chayka or Keith Pelley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment?
100% true Howard – if this team is going to move forward they must deal Mathews- Nylander – Reilly and MORE –
When, a few years back, I realized I was getting older and made a wish to relive the 1980’s all over again I REALLY Jwish I had been a little more specific. My bad LeafNaton….
Your FB posting on the speculation that a Sundin-Chayka duo will be hired by MLSE is interesting that you placed quotation marks around that they are to be hired to
“…run…” TML.
You nailed it Howard – Chayka-Sundin will NOT be permitted to “run” the hockey operations without interference from the Rogers-MLSE Corporate Boardroom….59 years to the day since May 02 1967…