Sunny Mehta is a two-time Cup winner and former poker pro and the Maple Leafs are coming for him
Photo credit: Richard Perry - New York Times
Sunny Mehta built two Stanley Cup winners in Florida using data and poker instincts. Poaching him would be the Maple Leafs' smartest move in years.
Keith Pelley said a lot of things during his press conference to address the Maple Leafs' future however he never strayed away from the fact that he wants the team to move into a more data-drive, analytics-based system where results drive decisions.
There are several names on the market who have been brought up like Mike Gillis, Dean Lombardi, John Chayka, and even current Assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser — everyone is an option.
But one who would make perfect sense and be a massive coup not only for the front office but for morale purposes is Florida Panthers Assistant GM Sunny Mehta.
From poker tables to the Panthers: Mehta's meteoric rise with Florida is exactly who Pelley wants running Toronto
He's gotten a lot of attention recently and his ability to work the numbers is well-known. Building the first full-time analytics department for the Devils, his deep dive into specific facets of the game has led to a lot of success in his young career.
Plus, as one of the architects behind the Florida Panthers' dominance as of late, what a victory it would be for the Maple Leafs as a whole to poach someone who directly made their life absolutely miserable with his shrewd mentality.
Also, as a former professional poker player, Mehta is someone who is so calculated and ahead of the curve when it comes to reading the future — he's almost clairvoyant. It's reading cards at the table; but the cards themselves are worth millions.
He has two Stanley Cups in three years, built a dominant force in the East with a combination of pure grit and analytical philosophy, and is waiting for a chance to run the show. Good thing Toronto needs a new director.
School's out for the old: Why moving into an advanced stats age could elevate Toronto
Toronto had their analytics guru in Kyle Dubas but let him go in favour of a more hard-nosed and gritty style with Brad Treliving.
He loves big, powerful players and that in turn led to a new vision — Passion, Heart, Grit. Well, that went horribly this season and the realization of the archaic 'old-school' mentality passing them by, the team had to make a change.
Shifting gears, they need someone like Mehta who can help guide them with hard numbers.
It's no coincidence that he was brought in and made signings like Carter Verhaeghe. He's a player who had fantastic advanced numbers in his first NHL season, and Mehta snatched him up and he's been invaluable ever since.
He also found guys like Gus Forsling, Niko Mikkola, Erik Haula, and Eetu Luostarinen through trades, waivers, and free agency; all these guys were integral to the Panthers at some point and especially now.
That type of foresight and extra attention to detail is what Toronto needs to become successful. With them having minimal cap and some weird contracts, it's going to take Mehta's brain to find the pieces who fit best and perhaps go after them instead of your typical Treliving-type.
They've gambled on everything else in the past and come up empty-handed. Maybe they need to go all-in on Mehta and hope they turn their Dead Man's Hand into a Royal Flush.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Hayley Wickenheiser is set for a significant promotion to help lead the Maple Leafs front office
Hayley Wickenheiser is set for a significant promotion to help lead the Maple Leafs front office
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 5|897 ANSWERS Sunny Mehta is a two-time Cup winner and former poker pro and the Maple Leafs are coming for him Do you think Toronto should hire Sunny Mehta? | ||
| Yes | 427 | 47.6 % |
| No | 470 | 52.4 % |
| List of polls | ||