The 2025-26 NHL regular season is winding down. For teams that have had disappointing years or are just in need of a shakeup, change is inevitable. Barry Trotz announced his retirement earlier this season, so the Nashville Predators are likely already far down the road in their general manager search. More recently, the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils made GM changes.
Perhaps there’ll be one or two more GM positions that become available in the next week or two. But between the Predators, Maple Leafs, and Devils, which of these jobs is the most desirable?
Nashville Predators
The Predators appeared to be a team on the rise just a few years ago. They finished the 2023-24 season with 47 wins and 99 points and lost in the first round of the playoffs, but it’s been a couple of steps back since then. They totaled 68 points and missed the playoffs last season, although it appears they may sneak in as the second wild card in the West this season.
Don’t let that second wild-card position fool you, though. Sure, the Predators have been better this season. But they may get into the playoffs because of how weak the bottom of the West is. Much of that falls on Trotz, who made plenty of missteps as the Predators’ GM.
It started with the wild spending spree during the 2024 offseason when Trotz signed Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault to expensive contracts in free agency. Stamkos has turned it around this season, but Marchessault and Skjei have struggled. Skjei has one of the worst contracts in the NHL, while Marchessault has just 31 points in 59 games this season.
That will be the biggest obstacle for whoever the Predators hire as their next GM. Skjei has a cap hit of $7 million through the 2030-31 season, so that contract may be immovable. Meanwhile, Marchessault has a $5.5 million cap hit through the 2028-29 season. Perhaps a GM bites on taking that contract this summer, but he’s a negative asset at this point in his career.
There are positives in Nashville, though. They have a strong farm system, boasted by Brady Martin, Ryker Lee, and Matthew Wood, the latter of whom has made an impact in the NHL this season. They will also have $30 million in cap space this summer. Their cap sheet is pretty clean, despite the contracts mentioned above, as long as their next GM doesn’t splurge on declining UFAs in their mid-30s as Trotz did.
It’s not like the Predators are the Vancouver Canucks or New York Rangers, either. They’re on the cusp of a playoff spot in the West. They’re not an organization that needs a complete teardown, so the next GM will be walking into a relatively good situation.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Canucks and Rangers are among the next wave of organizations that need full rebuilds. The Toronto Maple Leafs are not there yet, but this is a crucial offseason for the Leafs. Auston Matthews will be 29 next season and just two years away from unrestricted free agency. They have to become competitive again next season, or it will be rebuild time in the largest hockey market in North America.
One of the pros of the Maple Leafs’ job is that the next GM will have all the resources he needs at his disposal. MLSE is not afraid to spend money on the organization, and the Maple Leafs will have just over $27.6 million in cap space this summer. Though Matthews and William Nylander are nearing their 30s, you can still build a contender around them. John Tavares is still playing at a high level in his mid-30s as well.
On the flip side, Brad Treliving did leave a mess. The Morgan Rielly contract wasn’t his doing, but the Maple Leafs have a decision to make there. His play has fallen off, but he’s under contract through the 2029-30 season at a cap hit of $7.5 million. Their blue line, in general, needs a bit of a makeover. Getting out of the final year of Brandon Carlo’s contract would help, and they need more puck-moving ability on their back end.
Related: Penguins Emerging as Destination for Matthews or Nylander
Up front, Treliving loaded up on grit, and it’s made the Maple Leafs a less potent offensive team. They need to get out of contracts such as Dakota Joshua’s and even Max Domi’s, so there’s work to be done in Toronto. They also have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, so that’s another task at hand for the next front office.
The Maple Leafs’ GM job may come with plenty of pressure, but I’m sure it’ll be highly coveted. The Maple Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967. It’s not on the same level as the Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox’s World Series droughts, but Theo Epstein is a legend in both markets for ending their curses. There’s a certain lure about that, and that’s part of why this job will have interest, even though the Maple Leafs are tilting toward being in a precarious situation.
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils won 52 games during the 2022-23 season, but they just haven’t been able to put it together since then. They’re not a lost cause by any stretch, but the next GM will have some decisions to make.
Among the positives in New Jersey is that they have a good core to build around. Jack Hughes has one of the best contracts in the NHL, as does Jesper Bratt. There’s some uncertainty about Nico Hischier’s future, as he’s about to enter the final year of his contract. But I’m sure that will be a priority for whoever their next GM is. As of now, there’s talent to work with.
However, there are still concerns with the Devils’ roster. They lack bottom-six depth, and their blue line is saddled with no-trade and no-move clauses and a lack of puck-moving ability. Jacob Markstrom’s play is a significant concern, and he isn’t getting any younger. The Devils also have a weakening prospect pool, though there are a couple of intriguing prospects in Anton Silayev, Seamus Casey, and Lenni Hämeenaho.
There are a couple of contracts the next Devils GM will need to get out of, one of those being Markström’s. But there are other options to move. The Devils have just under $15 million in cap space, so they will have to shed salary to make the improvements they want. They’re not in rebuild mode by any stretch, and that Hughes, Bratt, and Hischier core will likely make this a desirable job.
Whose Opening Is the Most Desirable?
If we’re ranking which of these jobs is most desirable, the Predators would take the No. 1 slot. One reason is that it’s just easier to be a playoff contender in the West at the moment. But the Predators have a clean cap sheet and a strong prospect pool to work with. They need some retooling, but there are pieces in place to make it a relatively quick turnaround.
The Devils are in a similar position. They’ll likely finish with 40+ wins this season, and it won’t take much to help turn the team around for next season. The Maple Leafs need the most work, and it needs to come in quick order. They have a timeline with Matthews’ contract, and he could opt to leave if they aren’t competitive next season. It’s a desirable job, but it certainly comes with the most pressure. It’ll be interesting to see who these teams hire in the coming weeks.
