When Keith Pelley was named Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO in April, it signaled a philosophical shift in the parent ownership of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the first time in nine years, a CEO with a sports and media background was at the very top of the reporting structure of every property under the portfolio.
But just as he officially stepped into the position, the Leafs had crashed out of another postseason run, losing to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A fanbase asking for change got one at the coaching level with Craig Berube in and Sheldon Keefe out.
Should there have been more? Keith Pelley made his first public comments since taking his new position at the team's season-ending news conference alongside Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and GM Brad Treliving.
It didn't happen.
"He's a champion," Pelley said of Shanahan. "He's a three-time Stanley Cup winner. What I saw in my four weeks with the two gentlemen beside me showed me that the chemistry and unity is being built at the highest levels."
It may have been too early to do something so soon. But Pelley did take action earlier this week with two of his sports properties under his portfolio, the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL and Toronto FC of MLS. Pelley and the president of both clubs, Bill Manning, mutually agreed to part ways.
"As part of the transition, Toronto FC General Manager Jason Hernandez and Toronto Argonauts General Manager Michael Clemons will report directly to Pelley." the release said.
The phrasing is important here. Typically, when positions are set to be replaced, you would see a graph stating that a search for a new president or replacement will begin immediately. None of that was said.
That doesn't mean there won't be a new president for either club between now and then, but the structure could change where Pelley acts as team president for both while the GMs run the day-to-day operations.
And if it works, maybe they keep it.
Could that be the new structure with the Maple Leafs in the future?
It is believed Shanahan is under contract until 2025, although when the Leafs president was asked about the clarification of his contract during his season-ending availability in May, but declined to comment.
It's not out of the question that if the current structure of the Argonauts and Toronto works out it may one day extend to the Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors. It wasn't until 2008 when Brian Burke was hired as boss of the Leafs that a president title was added to the GM's role. Before that, MLSE CEO Richard Peddie operated with GMs of different franchises. Could that structure return?
The Maple Leafs, along with the MLSE are very much in a holding pattern right now. With Pelley at the helm, the parent company is under a massive point of transition where, according to Sportsnet, Bell and Rogers could exercise their right to buy out Larry Tanenbaum's 25 percent stake in the company by July of 2026.
Does it make sense to commit to any new or existing team presidents between now and when that situation resolves itself? Probably not.
Until then, it may be status quo. And while fans of the Leafs may demand a more significant change with the club from personnel to staff, it's evident that any real shift won't occur until after the upcoming season.
