Mike Gillis tells the story of a Toronto Maple Leafs fit that never came together, Brad Treliving opens up after being fired, Phillip Danault’s post-reacquisition surge in Montreal continues, and Quinn Hughes’ leverage in a new contract conversation with the M
Mike Gillis walked into a door that Toronto Maple Leafs management never opened. In a compelling interview this week on Sekeres & Price—his first since interviewing for a job with the Leafs—Gillis said it sounded like the direction was headed toward a presidential role. Instead, the Maple Leafs decided not to elect one.
Gillis, 67, is 12 years removed from his most recent NHL gig, and he believes there is still a viable role for him in a front office. But he also made his boundaries clear: he no longer wants to be a general manager. “Guys my age shouldn’t be on the front lines on a daily basis,” Gillis said.
The NHL has moved toward younger general managers. with John Chayka in Toronto at 36. Ryan Johnson in Vancouver at 49. and Sunny Mehta in New Jersey at 48. Even so, Gillis argued his path wouldn’t be on the day-to-day front lines. He presented the Maple Leafs a specific structure for where he would fit. including roles he wanted to fill. and he said his plan would require “short-term pain” in the form of firings—something that has already begun in Toronto.
His stance on alignment has been consistent since at least 2021, when he interviewed for a Penguins vacancy. “If I don’t think there’s alignment on how you view the organization and how it’s going to evolve and grow. it’s not really a place for me. ” Gillis said then. explaining he would be best suited to guide younger managers. particularly in markets where external pressure can cloud judgment.
Gillis tied that logic directly to Toronto. “The Toronto Maple Leafs weren’t going to fill that role. It became apparent. So, it wasn’t the right fit.”
He also said he would “most definitely” have welcomed Mats Sundin into his Toronto office and spoke highly of the empathy retired stars bring to current players. On Vancouver’s recent restructuring. Gillis believes it has worked because of the structure around it: Johnson under the leadership of co-presidents Henrik and Daniel Sedin. two leaders Gillis described as having great integrity. “These guys understand the landscape better than anybody else,” he said.
Brad Treliving. meanwhile. is dealing with the aftermath of his own Toronto chapter—one that ended with a firing in March. This week, Treliving spoke publicly for the first time since getting dismissed by the Maple Leafs. He told TSN’s OverDrive that while he has been busy selecting and running the national squad. he has spent time reflecting on his nearly three years with the Leafs.
Treliving didn’t go into the details of his disappointment, but he characterized the team’s 30-point drop-off as a death of a thousand cuts. He said the roster he passed off to John Chayka is better than its 28th-place finish would suggest.
Then came the most damning line in the whole review: “We didn’t have the buy-in.” Several Leafs players we spoke to echoed that same sentiment. and the product on the ice backed it up. Whoever coaches Toronto next season will have to solve that exact problem—how to turn a roster that looks capable on paper into a team that buys in when the pressure actually lands.
The league’s other story of adjustment is playing out in Montreal. Phillip Danault did not score a goal in 30 games with the L.A. Kings this season. After being reacquired mid-season by the Canadiens. he found his footing on the checking side of the game—picking up six goals in the regular season for Montreal. then adding two more in these playoffs. With six assists, he has already tied his career high in post-season points at eight.
The production came even with limits in usage: Danault saw career lows in average ice time at 15:59 and offensive-zone starts at 30.3 per cent. Martin St. Louis offered the simplest explanation for how that still works: “It took him a little while to get acclimated (with) how we play. ” St. Louis told reporters. “But he’s fitting in nicely.”.
Danault is signed through 2026-27 at $4.25 million in real dollars. which means Montreal should get another post-season run out of a veteran face-off presence described as a shutdown player. For what is expected to be a very late second-round pick. the deal is already being framed as a strong win for Kent Hughes.
And even beyond the Canadiens, the NHL’s coaching frustrations have been unmistakably blunt. Rod Brind’Amour. Carolina Hurricanes coach. reacted after losing Game 1 to the Montreal Canadiens by saying. “We weren’t ready to play playoff hockey.” The wrinkle?. Carolina had 11 days off to get ready to play playoff hockey.
In Minnesota, the conversation has shifted to what happens next—specifically, what it might cost to keep Quinn Hughes. The Norris-winning. gold-medal-winning defenseman. firmly in his prime. led his new team to its longest playoff run in 12 years and is now entering contract leverage territory that few players can match.
Hughes’ negotiations with the Minnesota Wild are fascinating not just because of his production and importance. but because of the leverage he holds. Bill Guerin gave up a “decent package of futures” to acquire Vancouver’s MVP. and the Wild GM is aiming for more than two runs at a Cup. Just as important. Guerin—and owner Craig Leipold—has already shown willingness to push hard on internal cap management to retain talent.
The Wild are also looking at a financial playing field that is more favorable for Hughes than it was for other stars. Kirill Kaprizov, 29, required the richest contract in NHL history—eight years times $17 million—to stay in Minnesota. Hughes is 26 and more important in the moment, and his next deal could come with different economics.
There are also hard structural limits: the maximum AAV one NHL player can make is 20 per cent of his team’s cap. That would come to $20.8 million in 2026-27 and $22.7 million against the projected ceiling of 2027-28, when Hughes’ next contract begins.
Hughes tied for the team lead in points at 15 in these playoffs, and he was the only Wild skater with two game-winners. He also logged seven more minutes per game than Kaprizov.
In his season-ending press conference, Hughes made clear he is open to staying. “I would definitely be open to re-signing,” Hughes said. “I really like it here. I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Being in that locker room, it’s a special group. I would definitely be open to re-signing here, with the guys that we have. There’s a lot of trust with Billy as well.
“I think it’s a great spot, great situation for me.”
Now, the only question left is how close the Wild can get to what that leverage demands.
Between Gillis’s belief that alignment and roles matter. Treliving’s blunt summary of a team that lacked buy-in. Danault’s late re-fit under Martin St. Louis. and Hughes’ contract leverage built on value in the playoffs. the week’s NHL stories have converged on the same point without anyone saying it directly: the decisions teams make off the ice shape everything that happens once the puck drops.
Mike Gillis Toronto Maple Leafs Brad Treliving Phillip Danault Montreal Canadiens Quinn Hughes Minnesota Wild contract leverage NHL playoffs John Chayka Ryan Johnson Henrik Sedin Daniel Sedin