Reviewing Brad Treliving’s First Season as Maple Leafs GM

Treliving’s first order of business was at the 2023 NHL Draft. The Maple Leafs had the 28th pick, which they used to select a gem of a prospect, Easton Cowan from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Many were confused by the pick, but once they got to know what he could bring to the team, they fell in love with him.

This season, Cowan had 24 goals and 62 assists for 96 points, which included a 40-game point streak. This could be the best sleeper pick in 10 years, and when media outlets do a 2023 NHL re-draft, he could move up from 28th to the top 10 or even five. He just needs to do what he is doing at the OHL level and at the NHL level to an extent, and he will be loved even more.

Maple Leafs’ Free-Agent Frenzy

In Treliving’s first free agency with the Maple Leafs, he knocked it out of the park. He kicked off day one by signing Ryan Reaves to a three-year deal worth $4.05 million with an average annual value (AAV) of $1.35 million. He then signed John Klingberg to a one-year deal worth $4.15 million and William Lagesson to a one-year deal worth $775,000.

His first day ended with many questioning why he would sign Reaves for so long and Klingberg at all. But Treliving made it all better. During day two of free agency. The team announced that they had signed the biggest fish on the open market, Tyler Bertuzzi, to a one-year, $5.5 million deal. This had Leafs Nation excited because he was a big-name player who wanted to join the team and play with the stars.

Within minutes of that signing, the team announced the signing of Max Domi, son of fan favourite Tie Domi, to a one-year deal worth $3 million. This had Maple Leafs’ Twitter going wild; within 20 minutes of each signing, the team had become grittier and harder to play against, but also more skilled.

Treliving was just starting to put his fingerprints on the team. The Maple Leafs also announced on July 23, 2023, that they had agreed to a contract with Ilya Samsonov, a restricted free agent (RFA). His deal was a one-year contract with an AAV of $3.55 million, making him and Joseph Woll the goalie tandem for this season.

Simon Benoit to a two-way, one-year deal worth $775,000. Benoit was expected to be an extra physical presence in the lineup. However, he has become a regular alongside Jake McCabe as arguably the Maple Leafs’ best defensive pairing.

Treliving’s Mid-Season Re-Signings

From the time he was hired, Treliving was adamant about getting both Auston Matthews and William Nylander signed long-term. It seemed like his personal goal not to let this wait until the offseason, as what happened with Johnny Gaudreau when he was with the Calgary Flames. There was a lot of speculation that Matthews wasn’t going to re-sign, especially from other fanbases. But everything changed on Aug. 23, 2023, when Matthews tweeted that he was doing everything he could to “get us to the top of the mountain.”

Moments after that, the team and fellow NHL insiders broke the news that he had signed a four-year deal worth $53 million, with an AAV of $13.25 million, making him the highest-paid player in the NHL for the 2024–25 season. Then, on Jan. 8, 2024, the team announced that they had reached an agreement with Nylander. This deal was for eight years with an AVV of $11.5 million, for a total of $92 million.

The last order of tidy business for Treliving came on March 13 when he signed Bobby McMann to a two-year, $2.7 million contract extension with an AVV of $1.35 million. On March 29, management signed fan favourite Benoit to a three-year, $4.05 million contract extension with an AAV of $1.35 million. These two reasonable contracts have a massive upside based on how well both have played for the Maple Leafs this season.

Treliving’s Trade Deadline

The last true test for Treliving was the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. The day was slow, with only one move, and that was to acquire Connor Dewar from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick and forward Dmitry Ovchinnikov. This was a great pick-up because he does the little things right. He is great on the penalty kill (PK) and in a fourth-line role, creating energy for the team’s top players. 

Treliving’s other trades were:

These trades didn’t move the needle – they aren’t huge names, but they will help the team in areas that need it. Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson both bring a physical element to the backend, not by fighting but by playing hard and defending the crease. They both do that well; they break up the cycle and aren’t afraid to throw their bodies around to stop their opponent. This is what playoff teams need, and that is what the Maple Leafs got in these two.

Webber was an unsigned draft pick of the Hurricanes, and the Maple Leafs acquired his rights and signed him to a contract. He fits the Edmondson mould but with Nikita Zadorov’s size. He is 6-foot-7, 209 pounds and loves to play in big games. He blocks shots, hits, and uses his size to his advantage, which is another thing the Maple Leafs haven’t had in years. Leafs Nation should get used to it because their new GM loves big-bodied defensemen.

Overall, the Maple Leafs have improved a lot in the past year. They have shown the rest of the NHL that they won’t get pushed around and will defend each other with a pack mentality. This was a major flaw in the locker room before; players did not stand up for one another, and Treliving saw that and changed it.

Now, some could argue that the Maple Leafs are as tough as the Tampa Bay Lightning or Boston Bruins, and with the additions of Domi, Reaves, Bertuzzi, and Benoit, they are a lot harder to play against. It will all come down to the playoffs; however, most fans will agree that Treliving has done an excellent job changing the dynamic of the team for years to come.