Aug 12, 2026 · 1 hr 24 min · 11 segments
In a dog-days-of-summer edition of the MLHS Podcast, Nick Ashbourne and Anthony Petrielli discuss the Maple Leafs' continued overhaul of their front office, their forward and defense mix, excitement…
Anthony PetrielliHost
Nick AshbourneHost
A few things we're going to get to today, but one I'd like to start with is perhaps One of the things we'll have the hardest time knowing the true effect of, at least right now, but something that will have an impact on the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that's the staffing changes with this front office.
And it's been a little bit of a slow drip since we last spoke, but we have a variety of guys in and we have some people out too.
We have Brad Rawson to be the VP of research and development, a former agent, a director of analytics, essentially.
JP Perpich, director of US Amateur Scouting, another Minnesota import Andy O'Brien might be a little bit more of a familiar name to some people.
Sidney Crosby's trainer, famously, a high-performance consultant with the Florida Panthers in 2024-2025, director of sports science with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
And then Patrick O'Sullivan, promoted from developmental coach to director of NHL development.
Anthony, when you hear that kind of cohort of people coming in, or at least in O'Sullivan's case is being promoted, what strikes you first?
So one of the funny things I've kind of been grappling with for the off season as John Chayka seemingly being lauded for all the moves the Leafs are making.
And I'm not here to throw cold water on that per se, but I do think there's a little bit of, you know shiny new toy syndrome plus like cheerleader effect just because of all of the moves it it's easier to look at it on the whole but the thing i haven't really been able to shake is this sort of idea that what if brad tree living basically made all of the player moves that chica made and i say that in part because we already know that he was interested in darren radish that is certified, confirmed Elliot Friedman had been on that train for four or five months pre-Tree Living getting fired.
He basically said something to the extent of, they already had a book on me from the previous regime.
And so you're basically looking and saying, and he would have drafted McKenna.
A few things we're going to get to today, but one I'd like to start with is perhaps One of the things we'll have the hardest time knowing the true effect of, at least right now, but something that will have an impact on the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that's the staffing changes with this front office.
And it's been a little bit of a slow drip since we last spoke, but we have a variety of guys in and we have some people out too.
We have Brad Rawson to be the VP of research and development, a former agent, a director of analytics, essentially.
JP Perpich, director of US Amateur Scouting, another Minnesota import Andy O'Brien might be a little bit more of a familiar name to some people.
Sidney Crosby's trainer, famously, a high-performance consultant with the Florida Panthers in 2024-2025, director of sports science with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
And then Patrick O'Sullivan, promoted from developmental coach to director of NHL development.
Anthony, when you hear that kind of cohort of people coming in, or at least in O'Sullivan's case is being promoted, what strikes you first?
So one of the funny things I've kind of been grappling with for the off season as John Chayka seemingly being lauded for all the moves the Leafs are making.
And I'm not here to throw cold water on that per se, but I do think there's a little bit of, you know shiny new toy syndrome plus like cheerleader effect just because of all of the moves it it's easier to look at it on the whole but the thing i haven't really been able to shake is this sort of idea that what if brad tree living basically made all of the player moves that chica made and i say that in part because we already know that he was interested in darren radish that is certified, confirmed Elliot Friedman had been on that train for four or five months pre-Tree Living getting fired.
He basically said something to the extent of, they already had a book on me from the previous regime.
And so you're basically looking and saying, and he would have drafted McKenna.
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