The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly won’t allow GM Brad Treliving to enter the 2026-27 season without a concrete decision on his future, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
“ Brad Treliving has one more year left on his contract. I cannot see the Maple Leaf allowing him to go into next year without some clarity. I don’t see it,”
he said on Friday’s edition of 32 Thoughts The Podcast. “ They did it with [Kyle] Dubas; look at the craziness it caused. They did it with [Brendan] Shanahan; look at all the uncertainty it caused. I just don’t see them doing that. I think one way or the other, we’re gonna get some finality here.”
Treliving and head coach Craig Berube have faced a lot of criticism amidst a season where the Leafs have taken a steep dropoff after the previous year saw them win the Atlantic Division and reach Game 7 of the second round. Calls for them to be relieved of their duties have dated back to late November when the team was struggling early on, and calls for a seismic change have only grown louder as the campaign has progressed.
Friedman is the latest to report on Treliving’s uncertain future beyond this season and where things stand for him. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported on Wednesday on DFO Rundown that the Leafs are leaning towards a coaching change, while a change at GM is currently unclear. TSN’s Chris Johnston reported on Thursday on Insider Trading that the team is not expected to make any major changes to either the coaching staff or management team before the end of the regular season. If the losses continue to pile up, there will almost certainly be more noise surrounding Treliving and Berube’s long-term status with the team.
Given how chaotic things were in the final year of Dubas and Shanahan’s respective contracts as Friedman mentioned, it makes sense why the Leafs would want to instead make a firm decision on what to do with Treliving. Having something hanging in the balance for months is not a good way to conduct business, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to finalize plans early so there are no doubts later.
The Leafs are currently last in the Atlantic Division and have the eighth-worst record in the NHL at the time of filing. They are set to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, even after beating the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday to snap an eight-game losing streak. All they have left to hope for is that they can retain their first-round pick and make a selection in the top five of the 2026 NHL Draft.
In the meantime, the Leafs have a back-to-back this weekend as they face the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
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