Toronto Maple Leafs: Brad Treliving Must Be a Double Agent

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a Perplexing Bunch. Over the past 19 years the organization has been chasing a playoff series win.

Finally, under the direction of General Manager Kyle Dubas, the franchise punched its ticket to the second round. Instead of rewarding the vision of its architect, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him and replaced him with Brad Treliving.

If Leafs fans were scratching their heads when Dubas was sent packing, they may have no hair left to scratch after the first day of NHL free agency on July 1.

Could Treliving be a double agent still secretly working for the Calgary Flames? While it sound preposterous, it does seem like one of the only explanations to the beginning of his tenure as the Maple Leafs’ new GM.

Toronto Maple Leafs New GM Must Be a Double Agent

Let’s begin with the draft and Toronto’s selection of Easton Cowan. He was ranked as NHL Central Scouting’s 51st best North American skater. Our mock draft had Cowan being selected in the third round. Treliving jumped over players like Ethan Gauthier who scored 30 goals and 39 assists for Sherbrooke Phoenix in the QMJHL. Treliving also had the chance to take a defenseman like Mikhail Gulyayev, but instead made a large reach for Cowan.

At worst, if the Leafs knew they wanted the right-winger from the London Knights, they should have traded down to get him. Toronto could have easily received a pair of second round draft picks in exchange for their first. That would have allowed Treliving to nab Cowan closer to where he was expected and also draft another young talent.

The July 1 NHL bonanza was even worse for the Leafs. While other teams hurriedly picked up high talent players to help their team either score or defend, Treliving did neither. Instead, he added Ryan Reaves, a 36-year-old tough guy who gives the team sandpaper.

Though Reaves is a liability on defense, the Toronto Maple Leafs will find a place for him on their roster. The problem is that this was their first order of business instead of trying to retain a player like Michael Bunting. Reaves is the sort of athlete that a team should sign last to round out the roster, not build one around.

If Treliving is secretly still working for the Flames, he’d absolutely try and make it easier for teams to score on the Leafs. The best way to do that would be to sign a defenseman who struggles to defend. Cue John Klingberg. Treliving signed him to a one-year deal worth $41.15M.

For all the faults that have been made, the Toronto Maple Leafs have taken a step in a positive direction. Treliving signed left-winger Tyler Bertuzzi to $5.5M one-year contract. Perhaps, this is Treliving’s attempt to hide his true allegiances, or alternatively, he’s actually trying his best to help the Leafs win and he’s just gotten off to a poor start.

Time will tell what Treliving’s legacy will bring. Hopefully, he doesn’t trade Auston Matthews away or get caught hiding Flames branded microphones around the Leafs offices.