Brad Treliving to be named Maple Leafs GM

Pierre LeBrun reported earlier this evening that Marc Bergevin had spoken with Brendan Shanahan for many hours, but that Brad Treliving really seemed to be the #1 candidate targeted by the Toronto team’s staff.

This is now about to be confirmed.

Darren Dreger reports that all signs now point to the appointment of Brad Treliving as General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the very near future.

It was mentioned during the Insider Trading segment that time was running out for the Leafs, with the Combine and draft fast approaching. There was talk of a possible nomination towards the end of the week, which could end up coming much sooner.

Treliving and the Flames announced a mutual break-up last month. The Leafs, on the other hand, fired Kyle Dubas only a week and a half ago. Dubas is in the process of being named GM of the Penguins, even though he had initially indicated that it would be “Toronto or nothing” in 2023-2024.

Extension

In office since 2014, Treliving had won only two series in nine years with the Flames, not including the club’s 2020 qualifying-phase victory on the bubble.

He was the man who traded Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers in return for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar, and the man who lost Johnny Gaudreau on the free-agent market. New GM Craig Conroy said he had learned from this situation and would no longer let such a talented player leave Calgary without a return.

Among Treliving’s good moves, however, was the deal that sent Dougie Hamilton to the Hurricanes (among others) in return for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm.

Will Toronto be under enormous pressure to deliver?

One might have expected the Leafs to want to get their hands on a field hockey man who has already won the Stanley Cup, or at least delivered a long playoff run. Treliving doesn’t have that pedigree.

It will be interesting to see the personnel moves in Toronto this summer.