Maple Leafs firing of Brad Treliving sets hockey world abuzz

Article content

Brad Treliving’s tenure as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager has come to an end and the reaction online from fans was notably harsh.

Article content

The Maple Leafs fired the 56-year-old Penticton, B.C., native on Monday before he could finish his third season with the club and with the Buds cruising toward their first spring – not counting the pandemic-delayed 2019-20 season – without a playoff appearance since 2015-16.

Article content

Article content

Many fans took a scorched-earth approach to the news by lamenting, for instance, the Leafs’ decision to fire former GM Kyle Dubas and replace him with Treliving, and last season’s Brandon Carlo trade that netted the Boston Bruins a first-round pick and rookie forward Fraser Minten.

Data analyst Rachel Kryshak, meanwhile, took a more nuanced approach by praising Treliving as a “great man” who “did not have success in Toronto.”

Article content

Article content

Toronto ‘wise’ to hire advisers for search?

“Toronto would be wise to do an extensive GM search, perhaps hire a firm to advise the search,” said Kryshak, who has worked with NHL teams and contributes to ESPN’s NHL draft coverage.

She added the league has seen former agents like Bill Zito (Florida Panthers) and Kent Hughes (Montreal Canadiens) thrive in NHL front offices, and that could probably be a “route worth exploring.”

The Leafs Nation account on X said while Treliving shouldn’t be blamed for every failure during his tenure, he “sure didn’t do much to solve them either.”

Article content

“Questionable trades,” the post said. “Questionable roster construction. More soft spots in a lineup that already had too many. Same old Leafs when the pressure hit. He wasn’t the entire problem. But he also wasn’t the answer.”

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Walk on the lighter side

Others took a different approach.

680 News sports anchor Alex Seixeiro marvelled at depth forward Calle Jarnkrok outlasting his former GM in Toronto, while ESPN’s senior NHL writer Greg Wyshynski remarked on the whirlwind comings and goings in the NHL over the last couple of days.

Article content

“In the time I’ve been at Disney World for a little family time, Torts (John Tortorella) became the new Vegas coach and Brad Treliving became a former Leafs GM and I met Chip,” he posted on X. “I mean that’s quite a 48 hours.”

Article content