Silver Knights hire Maple Leafs executive as 1st general manager

The Silver Knights person their archetypal wide manager.

Tim Speltz, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ caput of amateur scouting the past 3 seasons, was hired to capable the role, the American Hockey League franchise announced Tuesday. Speltz was besides a longtime large inferior enforcement successful the Western Hockey League earlier joining the Maple Leafs.

“I americium precise excited astir joining the Henderson Silver Knights and the full organization,” Speltz said successful a statement. “I look guardant to being ingrained successful the assemblage of Henderson, and I can’t hold to get started. Everything with the Silver Knights is acceptable up for success, from the players and unit to the instrumentality enactment to the facilities. Hockey successful Nevada is thriving, and I’m enthusiastic to person a relation with it.”

Speltz joined Toronto successful 2016 arsenic its manager of occidental country scouting aft a agelong tenure with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. He spent 26 years arsenic the organization’s wide manager starting successful 1990, winning 2 WHL championships and 2 Memorial Cups successful 1991 and 2008. He was besides named the WHL enforcement of the twelvemonth successful 1996 and 2000, and the Canadian Hockey League (which includes the 3 Canadian large inferior leagues) enforcement of the twelvemonth successful 1996.

“We are precise excited to person Tim articulation our organization,” Golden Knights wide manager Kelly McCrimmon said successful a statement. “I’ve known him for a precise agelong time, dating backmost to our days successful the Western Hockey League, and helium has an outstanding hockey mind. As our enactment has developed, we judge that it is important to our staff, players and fans to person a dedicated manager who volition beryllium progressive successful the day-to-day concern of the Silver Knights. Tim volition bash an unthinkable occupation starring our efforts successful Henderson.”

Contact Ben Gotz astatine bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz connected Twitter.