Gord Stellick was happy with the way things were.The 30-year-old was in his first season as general manager of the American Hockey Leagues Newmarket Saints after working his way through the Toronto Maple Leafs front office as a high school and university student.With Stellick overseeing the roster, Newmarket produced a 33-win season in 1987-88, finishing outside the Calder Cup playoff picture;but with a new three-year contract in his back pocket, the Toronto native was happy to grow in his new role.I was thrilled for that. I was thrilled, and I looked forward to those three years running the team that way, recalled Stellick in a recent interview withSporting News.I knew the landscape, Alex Avila Jersey and in our case the landscape was a particularly unusual ownership situation: an 86-year-old guy named Harold Ballard, but I kind of figured out how to survive and thrive working for him.MORE: Stanley Cup Final 2018 -- Mamma Lucia's fuels Alex Ovechkin, Capitals' fans before Game 3With 31-year-old from Lou Lamoriello as the Maple Leafs 17th general manager last month, the organizations eighth GM, sees many parallels to when he became the NHLs youngest general manager on April 28, 1988.Stellick, now an analyst at Sportsnet, got his foot into the door with the Maple Leafs as a result of the clubs public relations director living in his neighborhood, coupled with the fact he was able to type 70 words per minute. He started in an administrative role while still in high school, moved into the public relations department and handled the teams travel before being named the clubs a sistant general manager a role he held for parts of three years all while working on his busine s degree at the University of Toronto.I got a fortunate connection to get in, the public relations director lived in my neighborhood so that got me in. Kyle had a connection to Sault Ste. Marie to get started at an early age and scouting and all (that), Stellick said.MORE: NHL free agency 2018: Top 10 UFA defensemenFollowing the 1987-88 Curt Schilling Jersey season where the Leafs went 21-49-10 firing general manager Gerry McNamara mid-season, Stellick decided to put together a package for Ballard a 15-page document outlining where he felt the club needed to improve.Id been there for a long time and just decided, Screw it. We have no general manager at this point, the season, the way it ended, was a joke and theres a lot of things, that if done properly, and constructively, we could get in the right direction, said Stellick, who likens his written plan to the nine-hour initial meeting Brendan Shanahan had with Dubas prior to his hiring in July 2014.I went over every player, I went over our scouting system, I went over our minor league system, I went over our conditioning - things that werent really front-end for us back then. I wasnt asking him to spend billions of dollars because thats something he wouldnt want to do. Just more a sense about changing the culture and getting back on track.Stellick admits Caleb Joseph Jersey his plan was to help Ballard find a suitable candidate who he could continue to work under citing the David Poile-Cliff Fletcher tandem in the Flames organization.The year before, once I got the Newmarket Saints job, I really aspired to be general manager down the road, and felt there was going to be a really good chance, said Stellick. But I didnt think it was 10 months later, and thats not why I put (the package) together.MORE: Top 15 NHL stars without a Stanley CupI did it because I felt it was the right thing for the organization for (me) to speak up at that point.Stellick found out about his appointment as McNamaras replacement as every Leafs fan did reading Milt Dunnells piece in the Toronto Star on April 24, 1988.Newspapers were everything back then and so you see the paper on a Sunday, cause the Sunday paper was especially special, and boom. I knew, and the whole world knew, that I was the guy, said Stellick. Harold Ballard had some friends in the media.When Milt said something just like later on, I knew I was in trouble when Milt said stuff.Though unexpected, Stellick recalled being on cloud nine when the club formally made the announcement on the Thursday of that week.It ends up being like this magical day, he said.MORE: NHL rumor roundup -- Lou Lamoriello hire looms large in John Tavares' future with IslandersIts like a wedding, a coronation, its beyond what you probably dreamed as a kid so the actual day, and the fact that its the Toronto Maple Leafs, Madison Bumgarner Jersey at whatever age it is, but particularly to be fortunate to be young and do it, is almost magical.For the players, including a then 22-year-old Jeff Reese, the promotion of a young executive didnt seem out of the ordinary.I was pretty young back then so I didnt give it much thought, Reese said. He was a great guy, he was terrific, easy to talk to, easy to get along with and it really, as a player, doesnt change your job. You still have to go out and stop pucks and you still had to go out and score goals and defend - do what you needed to do. It doesnt really change anything.Reese, who was up and down between the Leafs and the AHL club at the time, was one of many on the NHL club roster with a prior relationship with Stellick.Now the goaltending coach of the Dallas Stars, Reese admitted knowing Stellick as the GM of the AHL club made the jump to the Leafs smoother.I think it made it easier, of course, because the transition for me was right around the same time, said Reese. I gue s it makes it a little bit easier for the guys (currently) on the Marlies coming up - itll make it a lot more comfortable when they do get up. I think it made a little bit of a difference.MORE: NHL Draft 2018 -- Combine showcases strong and deep draft cla sFollowing his promotion, as Dubas is currently going through the proce s of doing, Stellick tweaked the Leafs front office staff.You couldnt do a lot in that structure, but two things I was really pleased with, I brought a guy named Dan Marr in as my scout and then of all the things, I got the OK to hire a second a sistant coach, and I hired Mike Kitchen.I really tried to bring Darryl Sittler back, and he did come back with Cliff Fletcher, so I was working on things.Stellick was limited partially due to the deteriorating health of Ballard and complications stemming from the owners personal life.After helping guide the Leafs to a 28-46-6 record a 10-point improvement on the previous year --Stellick left the organization in August 1989 to take an a sistant GM role with the New York Rangers.His tenure as Leafs GM is often mired by Robbie Ray Jersey the trade of Ru s Courtnall to the Montreal Canadiens in