The Toronto Maple Leafs are considering Sunny Mehta for their open general manager position
The Toronto Maple Leafs fired GM Brad Treliving on March 30, and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Keith Pelley subsequently stated that the club favors a “data-centric” GM to lead the franchise going forward. Among the candidates who have emerged, one stands out for an unconventional background. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Maple Leafs have received permission from the Florida Panthers to interview their assistant general manager, Sunny Mehta, who holds a Master’s Degree in data science from the City University of New York and co-authored a book on Texas Hold’em poker in 2009.
Mehta worked in various roles for at least three professional hockey teams, including the New Jersey Devils, before landing the job with the Panthers in 2020, and with Mehta handling analytics for Florida, the team emerged as a powerhouse, collecting back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2024 and 2025.
His track record makes him one of the most sought-after hockey operations minds in the league. Mehta is currently a client of Neil Glasberg, founder and president of The Coaches Agency, a sports consulting firm recently hired by the Maple Leafs to assist their GM search. This is a connection that could give Toronto an edge in potentially landing him.
LeBrun also reported that the New Jersey Devils have received permission from the Panthers to speak with Mehta, as New Jersey previously hired him to lead their analytics department in 2014, and Mehta grew up a Devils fan and is credited with finding star forward Jesper Bratt in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL draft.
The bidding for his services represents one of the more unusual front-office pursuits in recent NHL history, with a former poker player’s analytical mind now sitting at the center of a competition between two Original Six and conference rival franchises.
