Maple Leafs look to Mats Sundin to bring back ‘pride’ in Toronto, per Friedman

The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to reconnect with their identity, and Mats Sundin could be central to that plan, according to NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman.

Speaking on the “32 Thoughts” podcast, Friedman said the organization believes something deeper than results slipped in the 2025-26 season. He noted that “the pride in wearing the jersey had fallen,” and the team now wants someone who “would live and breathe that” at the top level.

Sundin, a former captain and franchise icon, fits that vision. Friedman pointed out that Sundin has always shown a strong attachment to the club.

“If you look at Sundin, it’s very clear he’s proud to be a Maple Leaf,” Friedman said. “He loves the team. He loves the organization. He’s come back several times and spoken up in defense of the players and just talked about how much of a privilege it is to wear that jersey and represent the organization.”

MORE: Chris Pronger clears air on Maple Leafs’ GM speculation

The Leafs’ interest appears more serious than initially believed. Friedman admitted there was “a lot of misdirection” about the role being discussed. He suggested the club is targeting a major front-office position, possibly vice president of hockey operations, rather than a limited advisory role.

“We’ll get a full describing of how they got to Sundin and how they pitched him, but they pitched him on, and my theory is his title, should this happen, and they’re trying to make it happen, is he’s gonna be the vice president of hockey operations, that’s my theory…

“We’ll see how it all works, but … I believe for some time now they were talking about a larger role than they were letting on, and I just had to figure out a way to prove it. That’s what I believe is going on right now.”

Negotiations are now believed to be ongoing. Friedman said “it took some time and some convincing,” but talks have reached a stage where both sides are working toward a deal.