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Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli is reporting that the NHL Player’s Association is looking at former Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas’s relationship with the Orr-Wasserman Group, who not only represents him but Leafs center Auston Matthews.
Matthews has been represented by Judd Moldaver (who joined Orr-Wasserman in 2018) since being selected first overall by the Leafs in 2016. Dubas was represented in the recent negotiations with MLSE and Brendan Shanahan by Chris Armstrong, who primarily represents professional golfers.
According to the report, NHLPA-certified agent regulations prohibit agents representing players from also representing NHL club officials, but Armstrong is not certified. Matthews is eligible for a contract extension as of July 1.
It is unclear if after a review of the situation whether the Maple Leafs would face any penalty for a potential conflict or whether that would pertain specifically to Dubas, who is in the mix for the Pittsburgh Penguins GM position.
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Further to the reports of the Leafs GM search this week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated on the 32 Thought podcast that former Calgary GM Brad Treliving likely has already been interviewed for the job, but that there are other candidates in the mix that have yet to be spoken to.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong seems to be a longshot because he is under contract with St. Louis for another three seasons, but Friedman hinted that the Leafs interested in him. Former Montreal Canadiens Asst. GM Scott Mellanby, currently a special advisor to Armstrong with the Blues, is rumored to be in the mix. Mellanby was reportedly a finalist in the search for Team President of the Philadelphia Flyers before Keith Jones was hired.
Another name mentioned by Friedman is former Vancouver GM Mike Gillis. Gillis replaced former Leafs GM Dave Nonis with the Canucks in 2008 and led them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, but had a notably dicey relationship with the Vancouver media until being fired in 2014. Gillis has not been in a significant hockey position since.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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