The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: David Pagnotta on the Latest in Toronto, Canucks GM Search, and more

Episode Date: May 8, 2026

David Pagnotta to break down the latest surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs, including ongoing GM search discussions, front office direction, and what lies ahead for the organization this summer as major decisions loom. The conversation dives into league-wide implications, potential candidates, and how Toronto’s offseason could reshape the franchise’s future.SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼 Ninja: https://www.sharkninja.ca/ninja-crispi-pro-6-in-1-countertop-glass-air-fryer-rose-quartz/AS101CRS.html?utm_source=Meta&utm_medium=Paid+Social&utm_campaign=H1NinjaCrispi&utm_content=NinjaEN&dwvar_AS101CRS_color=cdb9b8Reach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@FNBarnBurner🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoffReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the meantime, I'll just bring Dave Panyoda aboard from the fourth period, DFO Insider. And he's the guy that knows a thing or two about a thing or two. Dave, first of all, thanks so much. It's been a busy week for you. I'm sure. I'm not sure how much Louis Vatal luggage you're carrying around your eyes. But it's weeks like this where you earn the business card, right? Yeah, I know.

Trust me, I got the same. You earn the business card on weeks like this. As we head into the weekend, before we look back at the week that was, what do you think this weekend brings? Like where do you like we're wondering about Vancouver. I think we're still wondering about a few things about New Jersey and when you go through a few things about Toronto and Nashville is the search that will never end.

But anything we should be looking forward to this weekend specifically in your my like what are you most curious about here? Well Vancouver is running to the finish line right now. And I think Evan Gold is in pretty good standing. The AGM in Boston. for their GM role in Vancouver. So I'm looking at that and to see where Vancouver's going. I know that the Maple Leafs are meeting with,

or John Chaka and Matt Sundin are going to be meeting with Craig Burubei over the weekend to map out what their whole plan is together and is it going to be together moving forward. So I'm looking in that direction. Nashville, you said it. There's no plan this. And for some reason, I think, they've got their favorites, but they want to make sure everybody is on the same page there in terms of the decision making and bringing the right person in.

So those are the three that I'm definitely looking at in terms of the off-ice stuff going on right now, where I think the next few days could lead to at least an announcement in Vancouver going into next week, and then some clarity in Toronto with respect to who's going to be behind the bench. And will additional changes be made in both front offices? I think there are going to be a few changes in the front offices in Vancouver and Toronto. Toronto's already started slowly with Shane Dohn. But we'll see kind of what happens in Vancouver as well. I'm expecting a few.

I want to swing to Toronto here, but one quick sort of, and I keep sort of scratching my head about this one. I understand why they're casting a wide net in Nashville. It's a new ownership group, and this is a great way to learn the landscape, for lack of a better term, for Bill Haslam's group there. So I do understand why this is, you know, you know, the night of a thousand dances with the National Predators. But when it comes to Vancouver, like, I'm a simple, I'm a simpleton.

I'm a simple country lawyer here, Dave, Panyoda. Maybe you can straighten me out. You're one of them fancy city guys. What's wrong with Ryan Johnson? Like, at the end of this, I keep saying, like, Ryan Johnson, like, it just, it is hand to glove. It fits. He goes back to the Gillis era of this team. He's seen come.

go win, lose. Like, what am I missing? I was just not Ryan Johnson to the tap in? Yeah, I thought as well. And I think he's, as far as I know, it's Johnson, it's gold and it's box in terms of final three. And I think gold is ahead of the pack a little bit. Look, RJ would be Jim's guy,

Rutherford's guy. That's his decision. That's who he wants. But with Francesco and Dax Aquilini part of this mix and trying to make sure everybody's on the same page, that's kind of where we've gotten to. We're at the finish line now. And it's a matter of who's going to be pulled across by the overall decision. That coupled with, again, additional changes to front office. I think we'll see some changes at the AGM level. And I'm not fully convinced. They're only making one edition yet. I'm not fully convinced of that yet. I could see them going the Toronto route in some respect in regards to bringing in a GM. And in Toronto's case, it was a senior executive advisor, whatever title, maybe VP of hockey ops or something along those lines in Vancouver. And maybe that's what they're trying to decipher. But, yeah, look, Ryan Johnson's the guy that I think Jim Rutherford is pushing. but ownership wants to make sure they're on the same page

along with the business sides that this all kind of works out together. And gold's going to get a job at some point. Is it going to be now in Vancouver or is he going to have to wait? That's what I think they're figuring out over the weekend. Pierre Dorian was the bell of the ball for a hot five minutes. And now, again, like I'm not there and I'm not in the room, but it very much feels like there was a lot of pushback from the fans. and like am I reaching?

Am I stretching here? Or is there something to it? Like is this like a, they may have wanted to lean that direction, but they saw the backlash from the fan base. It definitely could have been. I mean, you know, Pierre was in Montreal before going to Vancouver.

I don't know if he's doing stuff with the Canadians on the scouting side. I don't know if you know that, but when I was there in round one, he was at the games. And with the rest of Montreal, scouting brass. So he's still been involved in the NHL in some capacity, clearly, and then kind of jumped into the mix here with the Canucks. And maybe this is a scenario where, you know, he got to a certain point of this race. And, you know, he's not at the, he's not at the final three.

And I know Jim mentioned final five earlier this week. So maybe he was part of that. But it wouldn't shock me if this is a scenario where as part of the front office, that they make that they bring Pierre in different capacity. Clearly not GM, but is he an AGM? Is he something else in that department? I'm curious to see where that goes, but you're right. The public perception, the public backlash wasn't, I mean, it was backlash. It wasn't positive.

So, you know, maybe the Kinnucks, you know, took a look at that and went, all right, we should probably go in a different direction here. But I don't think that's going to necessarily stop them from the possibility. of adding peer to the front office staff. Let's swing to Toronto here. So you mentioned trying to get everybody on the same page, what's happening with the coach and the conversation with Austin Matthews.

Really, like, as you look back at the week that John Shaker just had with not just the team, but the media, Steve Simmons specifically, winning the lottery the day after, like if you want to talk about like the absolute role roller coaster like yeah it's like i was saying on the morning show i was like a toilet seat at a stag and dough it's just up and down and up and down like non-stop all week long for for john shaker come up for a breath um i don't even know if there's a question here i'm just gonna like Dave what did you

think of what happened this week what happened this week wow thanks man um man yeah The Leafs. Well done. They, look, there's a lot that still needs to happen in Toronto, right? The winning of the lottery was one thing and a big thing, obviously. But, you know, Austin Matthews, for example, isn't going to just sit there and go, okay, cool, now we can draft Gavin McKenna and all as well in Leafland. I agree.

It's not. Yes. I agree. There's a lot. Yeah, there's a lot that still needs to happen. And, you know, Cheika mentioned on a few times during the press conference in the scrums afterwards on Monday that reshaping their defense is a priority. And he said priority specifically. So I'm expecting, you know, that to be kind of where they focus on next in terms of any big potential type of shifts that they do to this roster.

I think there's going to be a conversation with more. Morgan Riley, if that hasn't happened already, but I believe it's supposed to at some point. Just to see where he's at. I know he spoke with the prior regime in training at the end of the last season. They spoke again at camp. His name was out there ahead of the deadline. Obviously, new guys in place now. But I think they're going to have that conversation there.

They've got to rejig their bottom six. They've got to figure out goaltending because with Hildebeek entering the mix full time. And then, yeah, the coaching stuff this weekend. So there's a lot that still needs to happen in Toronto. But with all of the hoopla that was tied to Sunday's news release and then Monday's press conference to the shiny new toy that is the first overall pick that everybody's focused on, they got really lucky in that regard because not only does that mean

you're getting a hell of a player, but it took the attention away from some of the negativity that was tied to the press conference. on Monday and to the overall higher in general, quite frankly. That's a great point. That's a great point. That washed it. Sorry I interrupt, but I just want to pause on that. Yeah, yeah. For everyone watching and listening, that is an excellent point.

Because as miserable as that press conference was and uncomfortable as that press conference was, the next day, washed it all the way. And you talk about like changing the news cycle and changing the story, ball number 12 did it. Yeah, the vibe in the city went from doom and gloom, what the hell are we doing? this organization is a joke and whatever other headline this and that to holy crap first overall pick the team is saved we're in an amazing

position we've got McKenna presumably that's who they're getting people already have they already have McKenna jerseys running around town I was saying I was saying exactly like the next morning my kid was skating here in Stoville at an 8 to 9 skate and 9 o'clock to 65 plus

beer leaguers were popping out and there's one guy who's got like the dark blue Maple Leafs jersey and white tape he's got McKenner written on the name bar. Like the next, the next morning. You know, we're then this is this is what's interesting to me for this for this situation now. Aside from the additional changes that have to happen and the eventual conversation, um, I think after Broubae next week, I believe Cheka is going and maybe Sundin as well is going to Scott'sdale to meet up with Austin, Matthews to have that, that conversation in person. Um,

but with. all of the hype around McKenna already, he's not even a leaf yet. Yep. With the way that they're going to look at this and analyze and is it him, is it Stenberg, is it whatever, from a marketing perspective, do they almost have to already go with Gavin McKenna? Like, I'm curious how much, if any, because Keith Pelley said he's hands off, okay, if you are.

Oh, excuse me, he's clear on my throat. Are you influencing? Yeah. I know, right. Are you going to influence the decision because of the business side of it and the marketing side of it afterwards? Yeah. I wouldn't be shocked.

Hang on. Because I think, again, like, that's another really good point that we should pause on. The changing of the mood in Toronto, the changing of the conversation in Toronto, You always want your fan base to be in a good mood when they're thinking about ticket renewals. That's just the reality. And right now the Maple Leafs, you know, you can sell wins. You can sell hope. Right now you're selling hope for this team.

And I really do wonder, like if Vancouver comes to them with a package for the first overall pick, they want the West Coast, they want the guy from the West. Maybe the Maple Leafs are looking at Caleb. Alhotra could drop down to third, kids still get them, premium position, center iceman, not a winger. But then I flip back to what you're talking about. And that is, there is, you know, the greater good of the company, which isn't just always a hockey decision.

It's also a marketing decision. And right now, the good news story is Gavin McKenna and first overall pick. but if it makes more sense to pick up assets and trade down and pick up a Caleb Malhotra at number three and flip with Vancouver, who makes that decision? Yeah. And how does that decision then affect the captain's perception of their next, at least the next two years? there are a lot of other there are a lot of factors that are going to come into play here a lot more balls are going to drop or bounce or whatever they shut up to to to this whole overall equation it's not it it should be pretty simple but it's not and all of these decisions are going to have a bit of a domino effect you know, presumably you're going to see the first overall pick join their NHL club. So in this case, the least, not a guarantee, but, you know, there's the sell factor there from the marketability of it.

There's the self factor to your captain that this is probably who you're going to play with to the rest of the team. It's going to affect the draft will affect how they approach any trades that they make, free agency, all of that. So it's all roses right now that have covered up the soil, the manure that was put on it. So it looks good. It is the spring. But does it smell good yet? Yeah, right. I don't know.

And everything tied to Austin Matthews. Like, Austin has not told them, and I know there's reports out there. I think some of the reporting has been a little misconstrued by the public. I think the perception of the reporting has been kind of twisted a little bit publicly. I could tell you with all certainty that, you know, Austin wants to win in Toronto, wants to be here. But if this team isn't primed in position, is it just like Evanton, if they're not primed in position to do that now, why are we wasting everybody's time?

If by July 15th, they have McKenna, they've rejigged the blue line, they're more mobile, they've found a legitimate 3C, the fourth line's been fixed, they understand where their goaltending is, they feel they can be a team that can compete in the playoffs, in the Atlantic, then everything is fine with Austin. But if none of those boxes get checked beyond the first overall pick, then that's a different discussion. Can I be blunt? Yep, please. I don't know how you do that in 15 days. Well, it's two months. Really, it's now. It's, you got the first overall pick, so now you got to,

because I don't think, and you're right, I agree, you're 100% right, which is why I'm saying you've got to make these moves, you've got to start mapping these moves out now. You can't afford to go to the draft and not have, not be ready to. to execute on some of your plan, not be able to check off some of those additional boxes. Because whatever Toronto does, it's not going to be July 1 exclusively. You have to make transactions to, and by that I mean trades.

That's going to lead up to all that. And that's what, and it's fair. It's the same thing in Edmonton. I know everyone's pinpointing Austin Matthews right now, but if the oilers don't make any moves and don't improve going into next season, going into the middle of July, well, Conner's going to sit there and go, what the hell are we doing? What did I sign for two more years? I thought we were moving forward. I thought we were becoming Stanley Cup contenders. And again, getting back to it and hopefully winning one. It's same, same, but a little different

because Edmonton, if that's going to happen, then that's going to push them to contender status for a cup. For Toronto next season, it's get back in the playoffs. I really do wonder, I think we all do what's happening behind the scenes in Edmondson right now. I don't think that Connor McDavid and Leon Drysidal say what they said and I don't think

that that would have fallen on deaf ears to one person specifically Darrell Cates the owner of the team and that's why I firmly believe that like I'm not saying that they're going to go and trade Connor I'm not saying they're going to go and trade to Leon like I'm not saying that

but it does very much feel like the owner's not amused and that's being generous. And so is it safe to say that everything's on the table? In the grand scheme, yes. I've said this for weeks. I've said it on the show. This is going to be the most important offseason in recent Oilers history. Because this is going to define not just the next two years.

Since the Gretzky trade, since the Gretzky trade. Since the Gradsky trade. Yeah, that's just what it is. If they're going to go out and they're going to get Binnington or whomever in that, they're going to get a new goalie, they're going to move nurse, they're going to bring in two other defensemen, they're going to get a top six winger that I believe they're trying to get, and then all the other things that I've said.

And they're going to remold their bottom six. If they make all of those changes, you're convincing the captain, yeah, we're going for a cup, hands down this year. You're convincing Leanna the same thing. they don't do that again same question in Toronto the hell are we doing this for and I think the owner in Edmonton is a little bit more hands-on emotionally than the corporate structure in Toronto I'm trying to word this as best I can yeah threading a very fine needle here and I respect it I respect it I respected, but like, yeah, Daryl's hot.

He wants to, he's hot about this. He's pissed off. Yeah. He wants to win. He wants this to happen. And yeah. Go do it. And if you're not going to do it, then what the hell? We're like, that's my captain. Not when we're, we're treating the team like this. Now we have no choice but to move in a different direction. And that's not what the owner wants. The thing is too, and I think we're all looking at the, and putting on our Conner McDavid, Leontreisadled Dakota rings. When they were saying what they were saying, does, is it, Were they talking about composition or coaching or were they talking about both?

I think both. I don't disagree. I don't disagree at all. I'm serious. That's why I say, like, is everything on the table here? I agree with you. Yeah, I agree. I think so.

And we've talked about this before. If you're making a coaching change, you're paying Chris Knoblock to sit on the sidelines for three years. Cost of doing business. If that's what, exactly, if you're doing that and then you're bringing in, let's say for argument's sake, it's Bruce Cassidy. First of all, Bruce is going to want to come and make sure all of those other holes are filled too. But let's say for argument's sake, that happens. I mean, Daryl's going to do it. If that's the decision, if this was what's going to put us over the top, let's do it.

That's going to be the message. Because, yeah, yeah, like you said, he's pest, he's frustrated. He wants this team to win as much as anybody. and I again, I fully anticipate this being a very, very active summer for the Oilers, more so than in Toronto, because again, the mindset is Stanley Cup now in Edmonton. In Toronto, it's back in the playoffs, then let's get to a cup. But we got to take those steps. Edmonton is, it's Cup or bust.

And it's Cup or Bust, it's Cup slash Connor or Bust for the Oilers. for the next season. You want to, there's always, there's always rooms that you want to be in when conversations are had. Like for the longest time,

Brian Burke would always say, and this is when, you know, this is before MLSC looked like what it looks like now. This is back in the Lary Tannenbaum days. Berkey would always tell me, he said,

because we'd always bring up like a second team in Toronto. And Berkey would always say, Jeff, I just want to be in the room. I just want to be in the room. I just want to be in the room to see Larry Tannenbaum's face when they say, we're bringing another team to Toronto after writing millions and millions of revenue sharing checks for all these years that I want to be in the room. Just to see Larry Tannenbaum.

I don't know if this name has come up at all, but I would love to be in the room. Because in the spirit of, because you have to do this as an exercise when you have a season like the oil. You have to talk about everything. You have to talk about all of it. Dave, I want to be in the room to see if anybody brings up one name. Jay Woodcroft. Jay Woodcroft. That would be ballsy, but considering what we've just seen.

And I know like the Vegas series and all that, but like considering what we've just seen, Dave, like, would that, that would have you just seen, Dave. like would that that would have to be a conversation wouldn't it if you're making if you're convinced you're going to make that change then I guess he's a name you'd have to check your your wild story that yeah that'd be more than a lot a man if it like you want to be in the room too just to hear the reaction someone brings up the name I don't even need to be in there just put a camera because I want to see reactions if I'm out that's fine but I want to see face and that happens. I think it might be similar to some of the reactions when it was suggested that Paul

Coffey needed to return, needed to return behind the bench. I don't know if it would be that extreme. It would cross, but yeah, there was a lot of question marks about that one too. Absolutely, there was. Like, I, the thing about the oldest coaching right now, I keep, coming back to this idea. Like if they wanted Bruce Cassidy, it could be done by now. Why come it's not done? Again, I agree the only thing that I, and I don't know this with certainty, I'm just guessing, but if I'm, if I'm Bruce, I'm going, well, I need to see what

this is happening. I need to see what, sorry, I need to see what's going on. I can't just, you know, similar to Connor and similar to Austin and Toronto, I know your intentions are good, but I want to see action. And that's where I could see, if there is. hesitancy from Cassidy, I could see it being because of that. Fill up this roster, then I'm in. Show me you're going to do this. Then I'm in. Because I don't want to commit, and then we can't be half pregnant here.

You need to have all of it. And then I'm in. I could see that being a scenario there. Really quickly, I've got Corey Lavalette stopping by here in a couple of seconds. But I did want to get a quick thought from you on Sunny Meda and the New Jersey Devils, Sonny now starting to round out his staff. Yeah.

We know they made a couple of changes. McKinnon and Fletcher out within the organization. They're looking at adding at least one AGM, I believe, to the mix there. And then roster decisions. The one thing I can tell you, Anton Saleh, if there is a deal in place for his ELC. Just forever doesn't know.

That's like the six foot one million. guy, the guy, the giant on the back end. That guy's huge. Yes, first roundback. Sorry. 10th overall, I think. Yeah, he was a high first roundback. Yeah, I think it was ninth. Yeah, something like that. Anton Salaia. A couple years ago. Massive. Yeah. And he's in, he's in the K-HL. He was sent down in the K to their HL equivalent. And there are just a couple hoops that need to be hurtled over or through or whatever, but expect him to come over. So that's a little bit of business there that they've gotten presumably done. It will be done, but it's there.

So that's good news. But then they also have to firm up a few other things. But in the front office, I believe it's, and I don't know who yet or where they're looking, but I believe it's at least one AGM that they're going to bring on board there in Jersey to firm up that front office staff. Makes sense. Dave is always great stuff. Glad you enjoyed the idea of Jay Woodcroft going back to the Edmonton-Oilers.

Wow. I'm going to send some messages and see what kind of reactions I get there. See, again. From others around the league. I just want to be in the room. I just want to be in the room. I just want to be in the room. You're the best, pal.

Have a great weekend. We'll talk next week. You got it. You too, buddy. See you.