A lame-duck Brad Treliving is the biggest threat to the Maple Leafs rebuild
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
A report from James Mirtle has given credence to what Maple Leafs fans already had an inkling of - a coaching change is coming and Brad Treliving may not survive the summer either.
There's no denying that the Toronto Maple Leafs need a coaching change. Craig Berube isn't cutting it anymore with his slow, north-south style of play and the roster is nowhere near built to play in the modern game.
A coaching change isn't the only thing the team needs to improve on, but it would certainly help give a new voice in the locker room and perhaps get Auston Matthews back to the offensive level he was once at and not just a defensive centre.
What the Mirtle report tells us about Brad Treliving's future in Toronto
That change is happening though, according to James Mirtle on the latest Leaf Report. Mirtle explained that Toronto does indeed intend on making a coaching change, but that Brad Treliving's job is also going to be heavily evaluated:
I think if fans stop coming, or show up and chant 'fire whoever' I think that will make an impact. It happened with Ron Wilson in 2012.
I don't think Treliving will be back but I can't say that with certainty because we aren't getting direct answers even off the record. It feels like they are avoiding any transparency; if I was a fan that would make me nervous. - James Mirtle; Leaf Report (03/11/2026)
I don't think Treliving will be back but I can't say that with certainty because we aren't getting direct answers even off the record. It feels like they are avoiding any transparency; if I was a fan that would make me nervous. - James Mirtle; Leaf Report (03/11/2026)
Well if that wasn't a shot in the leg for fans, it's hard to know what will. If the club isn't straightforward with their fans and they continue to free-fall, it's only so long before those questions have to be answered.
It's worth noting that TSN's Darren Dreger noted that Treliving was not in extreme danger of losing his job, though MLSE's silence speaks volumes about their urgency.
The moves Treliving has made that the next GM will inherit
Whoever comes in to replace Brad Treliving is going to have a lot of work to do. These are the following priorities for the Maple Leafs that need attention:
- Auston Matthews' future
- Morgan Rielly's contract
- Free agency
- Developing the future pipeline
- Morgan Rielly's contract
- Free agency
- Developing the future pipeline
Treliving has set the next person up not necessarily for failure, but a much harder clean-up job. Matthews has only two years left which may not be enough time to turn things around for Toronto enough to keep him around.
Then you still have Morgan Rielly's albatross of a deal. Trying to sell a team on a declining defenceman worth $7.5-million for the next few years is a hard one at best, and it's going to take a lot of persuasion to get him traded.
Free agency is a whole different beast, as there's a chance Toronto can land some serious free agents like Alex Tuch and Rasmus Andersson. Bobby McMann wants a reunion it sounds like too, so there's that caveat thrown in.
Not to mention restricted free agent decisions like Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli so Toronto needs to use the rest of the season to see what they have and whether they fit into the plans.
Why lame-duck GMs are the most dangerous decision-makers in hockey
'The greatest danger to our future is apathy.' That quote could sum up what it's like to have a GM who knows he is on the outs and isn't exactly motivated to give the team a gift as they leave.
If Treliving knows that Keith Pelley and MLSE are going to let him go (and he's well aware of future evaluations), then he may hold some resentment for not being given enough time and instead of helping the team, decide to forgo any big moves.
For instance, if Toronto were to keep Treliving past the NHL draft, there's no guarantee that he is going to use his assets wisely. It's not like he has anything to lose if he's already getting fired.
The organization needs to come to a decision before the end of the season, and in the days following have to be up front with the fans and say 'We are changing directions, with new voices.'
Whether that be an established GM like Doug Armstrong or Jim Nill, or re-establishing a presidential role and hiring a name like Chris Pronger to oversee hockey operations - it has to be polar opposite to the disaster they currently have.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Auston Matthews has full veto power over any trade and these are the only teams he'd realistically waive for
Auston Matthews has full veto power over any trade and these are the only teams he'd realistically waive for
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 12|900 ANSWERS A lame-duck Brad Treliving is the biggest threat to the Maple Leafs rebuild What should the Maple Leafs do with Brad Treliving this offseason? | ||
| Fire him immediately before the draft | 575 | 63.9 % |
| Give him one more summer to fix it | 34 | 3.8 % |
| Keep him but hire a president like Pronger | 105 | 11.7 % |
| Full rebuild! Fire everyone and start fresh! | 186 | 20.7 % |
| List of polls | ||