The Toronto Maple Leafs made a major decision regarding the future of the organization on Monday, when they fired their general manager, Brad Treliving, just a few hours before puck drop against the Anaheim Ducks. The timing of the decision came as a surprise to many players, fans, and reporters. This kind of decision sent shockwaves throughout the team; however, it did not seem to affect them once the puck dropped.
John Tavares thoughts on the Brad Treliving firing
Veteran forward John Tavares spoke on the Treliving firing, taking accountability for how the season unfolded.
"A real tough one, because Brad brought us all in here, tremendous belief in us, and we just didn't deliver. And it falls on us, starting with myself, in just not playing consistent enough and doing what we need to do to be a better hockey team," he told Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
Tavares recognizes how disappointing this season has been, just one year after winning the Atlantic Division, they find themselves at the bottom of the NHL. Tavares also understands that they have underperformed and haven't been able to find consistency throughout the season, and truly have let the organization down, which forces them to make this kind of decision.
Matthew Knies comments on moving forward
Matthew Knies later spoke to the media following the firing and explained how surprising it was to the players, especially the timing.
"A little shocking, to be honest. Pretty abrupt. Not much of a notice right before the game ... now it's starting to set in. I wish him the best of luck. An unbelievable person. He got to know me really well & I cherish that relationship we had," Knies told TSN's Mark Masters.
What comes next for the organization
Everyone who has met Brad Treliving and has worked with him mentions how nice and great a person he is. Unfortunately for Treliving, this is a results-based industry, especially if you are the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Knies touches on how he will cherish their relationship and how difficult the personal side of these decisions is. Decisions like these can often carry heavy emotions throughout the locker room, particularly for the players he has gotten to know best over his three-year tenure.
The Maple Leafs players must keep their focus as they close out the season. They need to begin thinking of the future and trusting MLSE CEO Keith Pelley on who the next general manager is. The reason they are in this position is because of them, so the only thing that can be done in this scenario is to move forward and learn from this. The reactions from inside the room show a group that understands what went wrong; all we can do is see how they respond.