'His Name Speaks For Itself': Marlies React To Mats Sundin Returning To Maple Leafs
As the Toronto Marlies were battling it out against a bitter rival in the Laval Rocket during the Calder Cup playoffs on Sunday afternoon, the Toronto Maple Leafs , down the street, announced a string of hires to their front office.
John Chayka will join the organization as general manager, and Maple Leafs legend Mats Sundin will rejoin the hockey club as senior executive advisor, hockey operations.
Following the Marlies' 6-2 win over Laval — giving them a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five series — the players learned of Chayka and Sundin's hiring. You could say they were pretty thrilled to see someone of Sundin's stature return to the team.
"I think he can do a lot [for the mood of an organization]. When I've got to talk to him, obviously, he knows the game very well, and super, super down-to-earth good guy. It'll be nice to see him again," said Cowan , who tallied a goal in Sunday's win.
"It'll be nice to talk to Sundin again and nice to meet Chayka."
Sundin is a big figure in Sweden's hockey scene. No doubt those from the nation — including the Nylander family — are excited to see Sundin return to the NHL, this time in a management role.
"It's great to hear," Alex Nylander said of Sundin's hiring in Toronto . "He's a legend and is hugely important for this city. That's going to be amazing, and we'll see what happens from here on out. That's great for the organization."
Alex has met Sundin "briefly a few times in his life, but notes that his brother, William, has met the hockey legend more times.
"It's really cool to see him stepping in here," Alex continued. "It's going to be awesome, especially with how big he is here in Toronto, and that's huge for Sweden."
\n\n Maple Leafs’ Star Matthew Knies Goes Nuts Following Raptors’ Dramatic Win To Stay Alive In The NBA Playoffs \n When RJ Barrett's miracle three rattled home with 1.2 seconds left, Matthew Knies lost his mind right along with the rest of Toronto. \n
Maple Leafs prospect William Villeneuve also chimed in , saying it's unbelievable for the city and the organization.
"He's been a legend for so many years, and to have someone who's been in Toronto early on, and to come back to Toronto and lead the team, I think it's very positive. I think it's going to bring a lot of excitement for us players, the organization, but also for the fans."
Marlies head coach John Gruden has been in the organization since 2023, and met Sundin during the Swede's guest trip to Toronto's training camp in the fall of 2024. Despite not having much history in this city, Gruden understands what the hiring means.
"We're excited to work with him as a staff, and obviously, his name speaks for itself," said Gruden. "He's a Hall of Famer. He's a great teammate, from what [people say]. But we're really excited moving forward."
Sundin and Chayka are expected to meet with the media on Monday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
