NHL rumors: Insider speculates Maple Leafs could poach Panthers exec after controversial hire

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired general manager Brad Treliving amid a dismal 2025-26 season. Many expect them to fire head coach Craig Berube once the season is over. The Maple Leafs have hired agent Neil Glasberg to run the search for a new executive, which has TSN’s Chris Johnston thinking a Florida Panthers executive is a candidate.

Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta is among Neil Glasberg's clients.

Glasberg has been retained by the #leafs to assist with their search for a head of hockey operations

(IG: pbi.sports) pic.twitter.com/7VW1C5xo4r

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 7, 2026

“Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta is among Neil Glasberg’s clients. Glasberg has been retained by the Leafs to assist with their search for a head of hockey operations,” Johnston posted. He attached a photo from PBI Sports’ Instagram, which is Glasberg’s agency.

The hiring of Glasberg has been controversial across the league, according to NHL insider Frank Servalli.

“How could there not be a conflict of interest? This guy has skin in the game on who gets hired where, either directly or indirectly. Let’s say a person gets hired who isn’t a Glasberg client. Will he be pressured at some point to hire one of his guys?” A coach told Seravalli back in 2023 when Glasberg was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Seravalli then relayed a current conversation with an NHL executive about the Maple Leafs situation, “Text message from a current #NHL executive re: Leafs hiring Neil Glasberg to conduct search: ‘1. Get paid to run search. 2. Search hires your client as GM (get paid again) 3. Client hires another client as HC (get paid again). The only question is if Neil can hit a superfecta: search, client as president, client as GM, and client as head coach.'”

The Maple Leafs could be heading into a transition period, with Auston Matthews trade rumors heating up each day. If Glasberg’s hires make the right moves, it will be seen as a great move. But if the conflict of interest lands the wrong management team in Toronto, things will get ugly.

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