Crawling along

Leafs' search for GM entering second interview phase

By Terry Koshan, SLAM! Sports

The Maple Leafs are getting closer to hiring a new general manager.

Leafs brass -- Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Ltd. president Richard Peddie, MLSEL vice-chairman Ken Dryden and coach/outgoing GM Pat Quinn -- are in the midst of second interviews with candidates. And if he hasn't joined that group already, it's thought MLSEL chairman Larry Tanenbaum will help conduct the sessions.

Sources say a few candidates, including St. Louis Blues director of hockey operations John Ferguson Jr. and former New York Rangers GM Neil Smith, could have the upper hand on their competitors for the job.

A dark horse is Los Angeles Kings assistant GM Kevin Gilmore, who is cut from the same cloth as Ferguson. Both are lawyers, heavily involved in contract negotiations for their respective teams and know the collective bargaining agreement inside and out.

That's not to say others may not still be in the running. Ex-Leaf Lanny McDonald, Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson and Buffalo Sabres assistant to the GM Larry Carriere have been interviewed, sources said.

Quinn and Nicholson grew close when Quinn coached Canada to a gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Quinn is said to have put his support behind Nicholson to be his new boss.

One NHL source is convinced the Leafs plan to hire a up-and-comer is his mid-to-late 30s. Both Ferguson and Gilmore would fall into that category, but Smith does not.

Vancouver Canucks vice president of player personnel Steve Tambellini, who Quinn publicly backed earlier this summer, may not be under as serious consideration as first thought.

Another man whose name had been linked to the job, former San Jose Sharks GM Dean Lombardi, is said to be on the verge of joining the Philadelphia Flyers as a pro scout.

There was some thought in NHL circles Thursday that a formal announcement could be made as soon as Saturday, and it's known some candidates who are no longer being considered by the Leafs have been told as much by the club.

But with secondary interviews continuing, there would be little time to announce a new GM within the next 24 hours.

Peddie refused to say whether a hiring was just around the corner.

"We're just saying there will be a new general manager for the [start of the] season," Peddie said. "I am not going to comment [on speculation surrounding a specific date]."

Neither Ferguson nor Nicholson returned messages left by The Toronto Sun Thursday.

Meanwhile, three Leafs players -- defensemen Bryan McCabe and Karel Pilar and centre Nik Antropov -- remain without contracts for next season. Assistant GM Mike Penny will be in contact with the respective agents for the players before the end of the week.

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