Chris Bourque has been appointed as assistant general manager of the Toronto Marlies, the team announced Wednesday. Bourque will also operate as head of college recruitment for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bourque will report to Maple Leafs AGM Ryan Hardy, who also serves as GM of the Marlies.

“Chris has established himself as an important part of our hockey operations staff, and this role reflects the immediate impact he’s had in identifying talent and supporting our player development efforts,” Hardy said in a release issued by the Marlies. “Combined with Mike’s leadership, experience and commitment to our players and staff, we have an outstanding leadership group in place to strengthen our player development model and position the Marlies for sustained success.”

The 40-year-old played 794 AHL games and was named as the league’s most valuable player for the 2015-16 season, as a forward for the Hershey Bears. He also played in 51 NHL games. Bourque has been with the Maple Leafs’ organization since 2022, and is considered an ascending star within the managerial suite.

Toronto also added Denver Manderson and Greg Moore as assistant coaches. Manderson will also operate as director of minor league development for the Maple Leafs. The 37-year-old last played for the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL during the 2016-17 season. Moore was named as an AHL All-Star in 2008, and played 10 NHL games.

“I’m excited to welcome Denver and Greg to our coaching staff,” Marlies head coach Steve Sullivan said. “They both bring valuable experience, strong hockey knowledge and a commitment to creating an environment where players can grow and succeed. They are excellent additions to our group, and we’re looking forward to the impact they will have on our players and our organization’s continued success.”

It’s been a dynamic offseason for the Marlies, who won the Calder Cup this summer. John Gruden was promoted to Jim Hiller’s staff with the Maple Leafs, while Sullivan took over as Marlies’ head coach. Mark Giordano, Nick Biamonte and Hannu Toivonen round out the rest of the Marlies’ coaching staff.

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