For the Toronto Maple Leafs, it’s déjà vu all over again. Back in the 2023 offseason, the Maple Leafs were coming off a tough second-round loss to the Florida Panthers in the postseason. It was the first time the Leafs got past the first round in the Auston Matthews era, but the five-game loss to the Panthers stung.
Something had to change. Former GM Kyle Dubas became the scapegoat that season. Dubas got the heave-ho, and in came Brad Treliving.
Treliving, who had just been let go in Calgary, was a surprising choice. No one really saw him coming, especially given the celerity with which the Leafs chose Dubas’ successor.
That was the fatal mistake that led to the quandary the organization is in now. As insider Chris Johnston noted, it was rushing the GM search that led to the awful mistake that became the Treliving regime.
“Obviously there were some time pressures there, to get someone in place by the time the draft came about and to be ready for free agency,” said Johnston. “The only people I’m aware the Leafs spoke to at that time were, obviously Brad Treliving, and Marc Bergevin. There may have been another interview or two that I never heard about, but the point was it wasn’t a lengthy process or didn’t include a long list of candidates.”
So, it seems the Maple Leafs interviewed two people and called it a day. Judging from the way things played out last season, that might have been Brendan Shanahan’s call. There’s no evidence to confirm that at this time.
The facts, nonetheless, support that someone in the higher echelons of the organization decided that Treliving was the man. And they did so expeditiously. That was a move that precipitated the route the organization took this time around.
As we speak, various names have emerged as contenders for the GM role. Sunny Mehta has leapt to the forefront. But other names linger in the background. Since we are not privy to the internal discussions, it’s hard to tell where the organization is leaning at this point.
What does seem evident, based on various pundits and insiders, is that the Leafs want to cast a wide net. From there, they’ll be looking to choose the best candidate available. Whether that candidate might ultimately remain unclear.
Leafs tried to get head start on Offseason with Treliving dismissal
It was mildly surprising to see the organization fire Treliving when it did. The expectation was that the club would have done so months ago.
The organization waited too long, but still made the call within a reasonable timeframe. Instead of waiting for the regular season to run out, the club got a head start on the offseason.
However, the organization didn’t give itself much runway. The Leafs just bought themselves a couple of extra weeks compared to the last time they searched for a GM.
While there might be a more structured approach in seeking Treliving’s successor, the fact is that the team started its search way too late.
The organization clung to the false hope that the team could rebound and climb into a playoff spot following the Olympics. That was a complete and utter disaster. The Leafs went 0-6-2 in the eight games following the Milano-Cortina Games.
The Leafs could have easily fired Treliving immediately after the trade deadline and acknowledged the season was over. And it’s that delay that might cost them again this year.
Let’s see what comes about this offseason. The Leafs have two games left on the regular-season docket. After that, the organization’s full attention will turn towards resolving its management issues.