According to multiple sources, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now incentivizing talking on the bench. It’s an unprecedented move in the NHL, as Keith Pelley aims to shift team culture after the firing of Brad Treliving.
Player will be offered cash for every conversation caught on camera—meaning the goal is to not only create culture on the bench, but to let everyone know about the shift. Estimates are already predicting up to $50,000 in incentives to be handed out before the season ends.
To be fair to Pelley, it is striking how little chatter happens on the Leafs bench, good or bad. The only notable exchange we’ve seen in years was William Nylander telling Mitch Marner to grow up—a welcome sign at the time.
A new culture
Keith Pelley made it known in his press conference yesterday that his job is not X’s and O’s, but to reset the Maple Leafs structure and culture; something he clearly sees as lacking.
“I am here to create the overall vision, the strategy, put the structure, put the process, put the pillars in place, to develop the right culture for us to have a winning and contending team year after year,” he said.
Not only is this an executive problem, but also a player problem. Auston Matthews is a fantastic player, but he’s not a gung-ho leader, some people want. Yes, Nylander argued with Marner once, but he’s not going to do that every night. John Tavares is basically a statue on the bench.
So, in a weird but interesting move, Pelley has offered a financial incentive for conversations on the bench. Hopefully, this works to start shaping a new, more vocal team culture.
The rest of the season
At least we’ll have something to watch for during the last stretch of games of the season. The Leafs are in a weird spot, where they will probably end up giving the Boston Bruins their pick—if the Leafs don’t finish with a top-five pick after the lottery, it goes to Boston. No one in the organization really knows if they should tank or attempt to win some games.
But now, we can watch the bench closely. Broadcasts will be all over it, highlighting conversations, or the lack of talking, for the last seven games of the season.
Hopefully, this will begin a real shift in the team culture. Hopefully, Keith Pelley is right.
APRIL FOOLS!
