NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2026
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, William Nylander talks about his future, plus some potential candidates for the Maple Leafs’ vacant GM position.
THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston report William Nylander wants to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs through a roster retool, but not if they’re going to stage a complete rebuild.
“Unless it was a full rebuild and we were going to get rid of everybody, then it’s a different story,” Nylander said. “But just to do a retool or whatever, I don’t even know, but I mean, I still want to be here, yeah.”
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images)
Nylander said he spoke with former Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving before the trade deadline about the club’s direction. He indicated that Treliving wanted to retool. “That sounded fine to me,” Nylander said.
The Maple Leafs fired Treliving on Monday, but Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment president Keith Pelley said the team was inclined to retool in part because of foundational players like Nylander.
Questions have been raised about team captain Auston Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs. Nylander said he’s not ready yet to say whether Matthews’ decision would affect his own.
Nylander is signed through 2031-32 with an average annual value of $11.5 million and a full no-movement clause. He believes the Maple Leafs can bounce back, as the Boston Bruins did this season, after finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Matthews forces a trade this summer or next summer, or departs as a free agent in 2028, Nylander could be eyeing the exit. Retooling the Maple Leafs isn’t possible without their franchise player. But if the Leafs don’t bounce back next season, Matthews could decide his future no longer rests in Toronto. If he goes, Nylander could follow.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau listed five potential candidates to fill the vacant Maple Leafs’ general manager role.
If the Maple Leafs decide to retool the roster, Proteau suggested Chris Pronger and Brandon Pridham, the Leafs’ assistant GM. If they opt to rebuild, he proposed Mark Hunter of the OHL’s London Knights, Steve Yzerman if the Detroit Red Wings fire him as their GM, and Leafs assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser.
RG.ORG: Sergey Demidov reports former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka could be a candidate. Demidov revealed that Chayka interviewed with the Maple Leafs in February.
Chayka was the Coyotes GM from 2016 until 2020, when he abruptly resigned. The league suspended him through 2021 for “conduct detrimental to the league.” He was found to have pursued other opportunities while still under contract and to have been involved in an illegal pre-draft scouting combine.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other candidates proposed by pundits include St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, former Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, and former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis.
Chayka and Gillis have been mentioned because Pelley indicated that he seeks a “data-driven” person for the job. Both were forward-thinking during their time as general managers with their use of analytics.
Speculation about who the Maple Leafs would hire as their next general manager was going to dominate headlines because of who they are and the market they’re in. Pelley’s deadline of the end of May to have a new GM in place will ensure this story continues to percolate in the rumor mill.
I spoke with Chris Pronger’s father last night regarding rumours of his candidacy for Leafs GM.
He just laughed and said no possible way.
I am Chris Prongers dad. It’s possible.
“I am the greatest thing to happen to hockey, and I can save The Toronto Maple Leafs!” Chris Pronger.
I am Chris Pronger’s dad.
Maybe.
Haha!
Made my day Slick62.
I can only see Pronger as a very minor role which his experience should dictate having.
You can’t put someone with zero experience in management or anything in the league for a team/market like Toronto. That’s suicidal.
I spoke to Chris Pronger’s dog. He said “woof”.
Double minor. Lmao!!! You win
I guess by May the draft is June
The retool will depend on who the tool selects as the tool and what pick they land with the lottery May 4 .
Crazier things have happened, maybe they move into the one hole aka Islanders
I find it interesting that some feel Stevie Y would jump into the Toronto fire. He would have to be fired first, of course.
And the Leafs want a GM whose current team has missed the playoffs for 7 years, and counting?
Stevie should be on the very hot seat in Detroit. Is Yzerman a significant upgrade over Brad? His track record with the Wings is very questionable. And he has had zero interference in Detroit. Think he would have as much freedom in Toronto?
Interesting how government wants to get their say in sports. But, I guess when you finance the stadiums, you should have a say….
https://puckprose.com/a-new-congressional-bill-might-affect-the-nhl-s-future-relocation-plans-01kn4zyfkam2?utm_source=RSS
Johnny, agree with the thought that if you finance stadiums you should have a say, at least until the cost is recouped. But that seems like something that should be negotiated into the agreement by the city/state/province that is financing it, vs a law governing it.
If it doesn’t make sense financially, don’t do it. And if the Mayor or whoever does it and it’s a bad deal, vote em out.
Plus this is being proposed by the US Congress. I assume the US is similar to Canada where the feds don’t finance stadium deals. Cities/Provinces have kicked in some money up here on occasion. Just the city did in Edmonton and the city and province for the new one being built in Calgary, because they’re special in a short bus kind of way.
I prefer the conservative approach, or what used to be considered conservative, to these matters; that decision should be left the government closest to the people effected.
Ray: The Canadian federal government does not fund arenas or stadiums for professional sports teams.
Not sure if your correcting or confirming Lyle, but its what I said, if you misread it.
The only GM that comes to mind for me during my time being a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs is Cliff Fletcher .
It went from bad to worst with Dubas and than Treliving …
Maybe Pridham can be mentored – I really don’t know anymore ..
I find it overwhelming to be a Leaf fan
Dubas is working wonders in Pen’s burgh!
He will have nearly $46M in cap space next season to sign 6!!!!! This younger team is really turning heads! A buyout for Graves would open up a spot for a premier LD or complimentary guys like Olesiak or Ferraro in FA. Find another goalie, center depth.
He has the Midas touch lately!
Johnny z
He made a really good trade with Edmonton , swapping out goalies .. Skinner has been outstanding …
As per Dubas ..They say if you have not made mistakes in life, you might as well of not lived at all …
He was green in Toronto .. Maybe he grown in Pittsburgh
Edmonton choosing Stan Bowman was not a wise choice either
Dubas is President of Hockey Ops and GM in Pittsburgh.
In Toronto he had to run everything by Shanahan. It is rumoured that Shanahan vetoed a few trades Dubas wanted to make.
Yes, please hire Chiraelli Toronto. That way he can trade Nylander for a Ryan Spooner when he gets desperate like he did in Edmonton haha….
Joking aside, the only good thing Chiraelli did in Edmonton was that he was great at drafting. Look at McDavid draft year for example. 4 out of 6 of his picks had became regular NHLer.
Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones, John Marino and of course McDavid
But don’t expect him to win you a Stanley cup or guarantee a playoff spot.
For potential Leaf’s president of hockey operations what about Ed Olczyk, Brian Lawton or Neil Smith.
Are those three people you’d like to run your team moving forward?
Hard pass, right?
Lawton should be the choice. Drafted two future hall of famers in the 2 Drafts he was in charge for with Tampa. Built analytics department in Tampa that is the model for all NHL teams and is reason for their continued success. Didn’t get a fair chance or time with Tampa do to ownership being so a mess.
Who hangs up … Bruins .. give Geekie.. Lohrei..Bruins own 1st rd draft pick ( not Toronto) Leafs give ..Matthews
Toronto should be forbidden not to deal with Boston
1. Tuuku Rask
2. Fraser Minten and a top 10 pick going to Boston for Carlo
OMG … Just wait until the stock matures …
The trade will be talked about for many years to come
And I think the Tyler Seguin pick was a pick from the leafs as well.
Agreed. There are other teams to deal with. Go out west and find a trading partner.
Yes Jeff Seguin was part of the Phil Kessel trade.
2 1st’s and a 2nd, which turned into Seguin, and the following year Dougie Hamilton, the 2nd was Jared Knight.
B’s then lost the Seguin trade to Dallas, and the Hamilton trade to Calgary.
Leafs don’t do it and Matthews won’t wave for bruins. Will want to go west closer to his roots. IMHO
Shane Doan will get a look. Pridham will get a look. Pronger would more likely be a President than a GM, and I think they would prefer more experience for President of the team.
Dumping Shanahan was a mistake, given the instant respect he carried.
I think the President of the team is the more important role to right this ship and help a new GM…and insulate Pelly from hockey decisions.
Pelly alone is setting up for a repeat of this season.
Nylander to Seattle for shane wright and Seattle’s 2026 1st round pick.
Now that I have completed my arm chair GM trades.
Leafs have Misa, Graf, Wright and San Jose and Seattle,s 2026 1st round picks. With those picks you happen you can get a good RH D. Combine that with Knies and Cowan you have a pretty young team to build around. Taveres and leafs D will provide veteran leadership. That’s a lot more interesting then what is probably going to happen.