Toronto is chasing one of the most in-demand executives in hockey
Elliotte Friedman reports the Maple Leafs want to bring Bryan McCabe back to Toronto, with Mats Sundin pushing for the reunion from the front office.
The pull is personal. McCabe spent seven years of his playing career as a Maple Leaf, much of it skating beside Sundin himself.
Sundin is now serving as senior executive advisor of hockey operations.
Old teammate calls old teammate. That pitch lands differently than a generic offer.
Toronto isn't doing this for sentiment. The Maple Leafs finished 32-36-14 with 78 points, 28th overall, riding a seven-game losing streak into the offseason.
A 2-7-1 record over the final 10 told the story. The 14-21-6 road mark told the rest. This is a roster that needs structural help, not a paint job.
McCabe currently runs Florida's player personnel department under Bill Zito.
He has been part of the staff that built one of the most consistent contenders in hockey.
The Devils are also in the room.
Friedman reports Sunny Mehta could try to pull McCabe and director of hockey operations Braden Birch toward New Jersey.
Sundin's voice is exactly why this hire matters in Toronto
Toronto's front office has been quiet through the spring. The Sundin advisor role was designed for moments like this.
A Hall of Fame name on the recruitment call changes the calculus.
McCabe knows the building. He knows the market. He understands what Saturday night in Toronto demands of a player and a staffer.
The defensive evaluation track record matters most. Florida's blue line wasn't an accident.
Toronto gave up 299 goals against this season and needs that same evaluation eye on the back end.
Craig Berube spent year one trying to install structure. The bench boss did what he could. The roster around him couldn't hold it.
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Adding a respected pro scout with Cup-tested instincts changes the rebuild conversation.
The Leafs aren't bidding against just New Jersey. They're bidding against staying in Florida, where Bill Zito retains staff with creative roles and the strongest culture in the East.
The Sundin pitch is the differentiator.
Money the Devils can match. The chance to walk back into a building where you once played and help fix it is harder to manufacture.
Whether the call lands is the question that defines the next 30 days. Toronto hasn't pulled off a meaningful front-office hire in years. This one might be the first real test of the new structure.
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MAY 9, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Jackson Blake | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Kirill Kaprizov | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Taylor Hall | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Brock Faber | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Quinn Hughes | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mats Zuccarello | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Alex Bump | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Tyson Foerster | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ryan Hartman | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nathan MacKinnon | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Christian Dvorak | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nazem Kadri | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Travis Konecny | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Gabriel Landeskog | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Porter Martone | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Michael McCarron | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||