Brad Treliving's Best and Worst Decisions as Toronto Maple Leafs GM

Brad Treliving's Best Moves as Toronto Maple Leafs GM

Re-Signing Auston Matthews

Last off-season, Treliving's top priority was to get Leafs superstar Auston Matthews signed to a contract extension. He did just that by signing Matthews to a four-year contract extension that has a $13.25 million salary cap hit per season. The deal allows the Leafs to continue having one of the NHL's best players through his prime years, and it allows Matthews the chance to earn one more big contract at the age of 30 when this deal is finished.

Addressing Defensive Needs

Replacing Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Joel Edmundson with Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jani Hakanpaa is an upgrade to the Leafs defense. All three of the new additions play well defensively with Ekman-Larsson also adding some offensive upside. Adding them to a defense that already includes Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Timothy Liljegren, Simon Benoit, and Conor Timmins makes the Leafs blueline a fairly solid one.

Re-Signing Joseph Woll

It has been a very long time since the Leafs had a homegrown goaltender in their system that they have been patient with and allowed them to develop and did not trade them away. Joseph Woll was drafted by the Leafs in the 2016 NHL draft with the 62nd overall pick. He signed his entry-level contract (ELC) in 2018 and has been working his way through the system ever since.

Treliving signed Woll to a three-year contract extension that will begin in the 2025-26 season. Woll has the opportunity this season to become a legitimate NHL starter. If he plays up to his potential, Treliving will look like a genius for having him signed until 2028 at $3.67 million a season.

This contract has serious upside and could, at least potentially, give the Leafs a star goalie signed to an extremely team-friendly deal.