The Toronto Maple Leafs made a major front-office move Monday, parting ways with general manager Brad Treliving. With the club’s season all but over and the team sitting near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, the decision didn’t come as a huge surprise.
Still, the move quickly sparked reaction across the NHL world as Toronto appears to be starting a broader reset.
Major Overhaul Begins for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Treliving joined the Maple Leafs in May 2023, replacing Kyle Dubas. He departs late in his third season after guiding Toronto to playoff appearances in his first two years. Last season, the Leafs advanced to the second round before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.
However, this year’s results told a different story. Toronto sits at 31-30-13 and remains well outside the Wild Card race with only a handful of games left, making a postseason push highly unlikely. The disappointing campaign ultimately sealed Treliving’s fate.
Several of Treliving’s roster decisions were widely debated. One of the most polarizing came on July 1, 2025, when he traded star winger Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. Toronto received Nicolas Roy in a straight swap, a return many felt didn’t match Marner’s value.
Another controversial move came during the 2024-25 season, when Fraser Minten, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick were sent to the Boston Bruins for defenseman Brandon Carlo. Minten developed into a top-six option in Boston, while Carlo struggled to make a consistent impact in Toronto.
At the March 2026 trade deadline, Treliving also dealt fan favorite Bobby McMann to the Seattle Kraken for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2027 second-round pick. McMann found success in Seattle, while Toronto’s depth scoring took a noticeable hit, further fueling criticism.
The decision quickly prompted reactions from analysts and insiders.
NHL analyst JD Bunkis viewed the decision as inevitable and beneficial for both sides, saying, “Leafs need to use all the time and resources they can to find creative and strong hockey minds who can pull this franchise in a direction fans can get behind. No sense in letting Treliving hang in the wind when this was inevitable.”
The Athletic writer Dom Luszczyszyn posted a simple but emphatic reaction: “HALLELUJAHHHHH.” Former Leafs defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo hinted that more changes could be coming, writing, “It’s starting.”
Meanwhile, NHL writer Rachel Kryshak offered a more measured take, saying, “Brad Treliving is a great man. He did not have success in Toronto. Toronto would be wise to do an extensive GM search, perhaps hire a firm to advise the search. We’ve seen agent (Zito, Hughes) have success. That’s probably a route worth exploring.”
Reviewing Brad Treliving’s Trade History With the Maple Leafs
- The Sam Lafferty Swap: Toronto traded Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2024 fifth-round pick.
- The Lyubushkin Re-run: Cost Toronto a 2024 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick, with the Arizona Coyotes receiving a 2024 fourth-round pick, to bring Ilya Lyubushkin back in a three-team deal.
- Rental Defense: Toronto spent a 2024 third-round pick to get Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals (with half his salary retained).
- The First Dewar Move: Sent away Dmitry Ovchinnikov and a 2026 fourth-round pick to land Connor Dewar from the Minnesota Wild.
- The Liljegren Fallout: Traded away Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks for Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
- The Laughton Gamble: Toronto shipped off a 2027 first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin to get Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers.
- The Brandon Carlo Disaster: Toronto gave up Fraser Minten, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick to get Brandon Carlo.
- The Maccelli Acquisition: Toronto acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth for a conditional 2027 third-round pick.
- The Marner Heartbreak: The trade that sent Mitch Marner away in exchange for Nicolas Roy.
- The Thrun Acquisition: Swapped out forward Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks to acquire defenseman Henry Thrun.
- The Joshua Acquisition: Toronto acquired Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2028 fourth-round pick.
For now, the Maple Leafs will finish out the season while beginning their search for a new general manager. The organization’s next move could shape the franchise’s direction as it looks to rebound from a disappointing year and reestablish itself as a contender.
