The Toronto Maple Leafs are quickly filling front office positions as they hired Laurence Gilman as an assistant general manager. The team announced the move on Thursday after the team promoted Brandon Pridham to the role of an assistant general manager on Wednesday.
#Leafs name Laurence Gilman as assistant general manager. He will be taking over as GM of the #Marlies starting next season, and well as being involved with #Leafs player personnel, and managing the team’s player development department and farm system.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) May 24, 2018
Leafs Hire Laurence Gilman
The 53-year-old spent the last three years working for the NHL. He helped make the expansion draft rules for the Vegas Golden Knights. Gilman previously worked in the Vancouver Canucks organization from 2008-15. He was vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager.
The Winnipeg native started his 20-plus year career in hockey with the original Winnipeg Jets and Arizona Coyotes. He was also a candidate for ECHL commissioner.
Gilman will be the Toronto Marlies general manager starting next season and help with player development and the farm system. He’ll also have a hand with player personnel decisions.
The team has been making many front office moves. Kyle Dubas got promoted to general manager and both Lou Lamoriello and Mark Hunter have left the organization this week. Lamoriello has gone on to run hockey operations for the New York Islanders and Hunter has yet to make a move. The Leafs have quickly hired Pridham and Gilman.
“Laurence provides terrific experience to our management team,” Dubas said in a statement. “His 20-plus years in the NHL have seen him manage nearly every type of department in professional hockey and have success doing so.”
What This Means For The Future
Gilman’s use of analytics is drawing praise from hockey experts. He has strong ties to the league office as well.
He has previous experience running AHL teams as he helped the Utica Comets reach the Calder Cup final. Gilman developed the Canucks top farm club into a winner and the Marlies are already one of the better teams in the league.
Toronto is building a forward-thinking front office that will use modern tools in roster decisions.
Main Photo via Getty Images
