Entering his second season at the helm as Toronto Maple Leafs GM, Brad Treliving has put his stamp on the team. Whether or not it is enough to drastically alter the team’s fate is another question. The bloodlust that follows the immediate aftermath is often dramatic, as it was this past spring when Treliving proclaimed that “everything was on the table” to improve the roster. Whether or not he backed up his words might well be up for interpretation.
Still, there are significant changes, and signs of a new mentality with the coaching and captaincy changes. Naturally, as the one responsible for the architecture, Treliving is spinning a positive outlook for this group when discussing his team in a pre-season interview with Darren Dreger. Let’s take a look at some of the messaging that Treliving has used to frame the expectations of the season. Or rather, let’s read into some of Tre’s Leafs tea leaves.
Personality shift
While the effects of the coaching and captaincy changes should not be understated, they can be much harder to quantify. Treliving shed some light on his rationale for the changes, outlining some hopeful outcomes. At the end of the day the players make the difference, and Treliving clearly feels that Auston Matthews will thrive with his new distinction.
Referencing his captain’s respectfulness towards his teammates, Treliving hopes that giving Matthews the room to lead without overstepping boundaries is key to his evolution as a leader. Matthews is in a class of his own amongst his teammates, and perhaps one day amongst all Leafs alumni. The time is now for the next chapter of his coming of age.
The coaching change has an impact here, already with the practice atmosphere changing. Treliving was quick to mention that Sheldon Keefe is a good coach, but thought that it was time for a fresh voice. Craig Berube is that new face, in some sense allowing Matthews to begin his captaincy with a cleaner slate. Neither Keefe nor Berube are one dimensional coaches, but Berube’s stylistic preferences tend to lean a bit more old school. Physicality and defence will be the pillars upon which the Leafs forge their identity.
Deeper blue
Much more tangible changes come in the form of depth. The Leafs have upgraded their blueline at the NHL level, albeit with older players, but they have built up a wealth of capable players underneath that as well. Some might still feel that the best six defencemen the Leafs can dress are a bit short of the league’s elite, but there will be ample competition for any call-ups or injury replacements. At the very least, Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson bring strong transition skills that should help the Leafs control play more often.
Most notably, the Leafs stocked up on penalty killing defencemen who thrive during in-zone defensive situations. Of course, adding a top-flight option in Tanev eases the burden across the board. In a vacuum, the injured Jani Hakanpaa or Philippe Myers might not be as talented as the likes of Timothy Liljegren or Conor Timmins, but their fit within the Leafs lineup might prove to be more functional.
Even in the blue of the crease, the Leafs are in a good spot, with a wealth of depth. Joseph Woll enters as the starter, though Anthony Stolarz is ready to take on the biggest role of his career. Opportunity has been hard to come by for Stolarz, but he has consistently impressed, bouncing from team to team. Given that it would not be too bold to play Matt Murray or Dennis Hildeby in an NHL game this season, the Leafs have as ideal a goaltending situation as ever during the Matthews era.
Nothing is perfect, but Treliving has routinely acknowledged the Leafs depth leading up to the 2024–25 season. The group still has to live up to it on the ice, but on paper, it is hard to disagree. Analyzing the long term cost of the operation is another question, but the Leafs are better equipped to handle more styles of play and survive attrition.
Building a team
There is a new analogy finding its way into media availability of coaches and general managers. Narratively speaking it is an oversimplification to call it a counter-argument to analytics, but Treliving referred to the idea of being more than a collection of good players, but instead a good team. Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis was poetic in describing this idea as building a house versus building a home.
In more practical terms, Treliving mentions that he and Berube are aligned in this. From a coaching standpoint, this means finding pairings and lines that bring different and complementary skills to the ice. From a GM’s standpoint, this means a depth chart with enough quality and quantity of options.
Though Tyler Bertuzzi left in free agency, the expected addition of Max Pacioretty will be much better value. Joining Matthew Knies, a year older and wiser, and yearly overachiever Bobby McMann, the Leafs do have some quality muscle up front. Given Berube’s style is often described as simple, intentional, and direct, we should expect a playoff style of play from the Leafs.
Current items
The news of the preseason has been Nicholas Robertson’s strong play. Treliving echoed Berube’s comments from earlier this week that on top of the goal scoring, Robertson’s off puck game has improved. Since being drafted, Robertson’s prospect profile has been on a rollercoaster, but it seems he has finally arrived. It might yet be a short lived tenure, but the Leafs stumbled into enough patience to see a second round pick blossom into an impactful regular contributor. There is ample competition, but Robertson might well be the Leafs fifth highest scoring forward this season.
Longer term is the pending UFA status of Mitch Marner. Over the years as emotions across Leaf Nation have flared there have become factions of different fans with takes on what should be done. For his part, Treliving seemed to use the same language as he did during the extensions for Matthews and Nylander last season. Though careful with his words, it is clear that the Leafs are hoping to sign Marner. For those keeping track, an extension does fit Treliving’s modus operandi.
Finally, Treliving has spoken about the Atlantic being the toughest division. While we should not expect anything else, it is true that there are not exactly any easy opponents among the Leafs division rivals. Through the early days of the season, emotions will run high, the standings changing quickly. The Leafs will have to earn their new identity into the spring. It will be interesting to see how the team comes together, and a key area to watch is the penalty kill.
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