The Toronto Maple Leafs have once again failed to make it past the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Maple Leafs lost in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers, but were blown out in Games 5 and 7. With Toronto having another early playoff exit, the team could look much different next season.
Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan’s contract ended, while Mitch Marner and John Tavares are pending free agents. However, NHL insider Luke Fox of Sportsnet reveals Toronto may also fire general manager Brad Treliving.
“Are we 100 percent sure Treliving is coming back? They haven’t set a date for the management press conference. Which will be the last one we go to,” Fox said on Real Kyper & Bourne. “From what I’m hearing, they are still making decisions. There could be changes way up top… I absolutely believe (Brad Treliving) deserves another chance, but the sense I’m getting is there could be a lot of changes. Maybe it’s not him, maybe it’s an assistant GM, but it might go beyond just (Brendan) Shanahan.”
Fox believes that with a new ownership, they may want to make some significant changes to the front office, and Treliving could be part of that.
Treliving had just finished his second year as the general manager of the Maple Leafs, and him being fired would be a surprise. Yet, if Toronto truly wants to turn the page on this core, Treliving could also be shown the door.
Maple Leafs Likely to Part Ways With Brendan Shanahan
Shanahan has been the Maple Leafs’ president since 2014, but under his watch, the team has failed to have playoff success.
This was the final year of his deal, and Maple Leafs insider Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun believes Toronto will likely remove Shanahan from his role, but who makes the decision is uncertain.
“But is it (Keith) Pelley’s (CEO MLSE) call now on Shanahan? Or does that belong to Rogers Nobody is saying. There are already rumblings that the New York Islanders may have interest in Shanahan should he be let go by the Leafs. But they have yet to ask for any kind of permission to talk to him,” Simmons wrote. “There are also thoughts that the Leafs could eliminate the position of team president. Let Shanahan go, have Pelley or one of his upper associates in charge of the team.”
Ultimately, until the Maple Leafs announce who is speaking for the executives at their year-end press conference, there will be questions about Shanahan and Treliving’s future.
Maple Leafs Coach Sends Message to Team
Toronto had another early playoff exit, and it likely signalled the end of this current core.
After the playoff exit, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube sent a message to his team to remember this pain and use it for fuel next season.
“For me the takeaway is yeah, it hurts right now. It hurts. So remember that this summer. Because it hurts and it takes a lot to win in this league from what we talked about with injuries and how hard you got to play and all that,” Berube said. “So for me, you know, a big takeaway is if you go home in the summer, you become tougher because you’re going to need it for next year.”
Under the current Core Four era, Toronto has made it to the second round twice since 2018.
Insider Reveals Drastic Change Maple Leafs May Make After Playoff Exit