New boss will put roster under a microscope
Article content
It’s not just about the core four.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Brad Treliving was sure to make that clear when he was introduced as general manager of the Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Article content
“This is about the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Treliving said. “It’s not about four players, not about two, it’s not about one.
“It’s about the 23 guys that we’re going to have in this organization.”
Article content
Still, the 18th GM in Leafs history has probably narrowed that number down to a specific area where he wants to make improvements.
While Treliving’s initial focus will be on re-signing Auston Matthews and perhaps getting an extension with William Nylander squared away, at some point he will put the defence corps in his sights and decide what changes need to be made.
Keep in mind, as Treliving pointed out in complimenting coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday, that the Leafs and 100 regular-season points often are used in the same sentence. By no means is it a poor Leafs team that Treliving has inherited.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
Still, the Leafs won’t return completely as they were when they lost to Florida. A bolstering of the blue line is possible.
Morgan Rielly, the longest-serving current Leaf, can be the top guy as he heads into the second season of an eight-year contract, but he’s going to have to replicate his impact in the playoffs in an attempt to leave an inconsistent regular season behind. Rielly is capable of doing that.
Of the five other Leafs defencemen under contract, only two — Jake McCabe and Conor Timmins — have security beyond next season.
TJ Brodie and Mark Giordano will be unrestricted next summer, while Timothy Liljegren will be a restricted free agent.
Regarding Giordano, we’re told the veteran has no plans to retire, despite whispers suggesting he might be considering as much. In fact, Giordano, who turns 40 in October, is well into training to prepare for next season.
Advertisement 4
Article content
Brodie has a 10-team no-trade list that goes into effect in July. McCabe has a seven-team no-trade list.
And there remains a chance that Luke Schenn, headed for free agency, could re-sign in Toronto.
While Treliving had a past in Calgary with Brodie and Giordano, he’s really not married to any Leafs defenceman.
Could Liljegren, Timmins or McCabe be traded as part of a package to land something bigger for the blue line? Nothing should be ruled out.
By the time Treliving was done in Calgary, he had built a defence corps that included one Flames draft pick, 2015 second-rounder Rasmus Andersson. The other integral D-men — MacKenzie Weegar, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov — were acquired via trade or signing.
Advertisement 5
Article content
Treliving made headlines at the 2018 draft when he traded star defenceman Dougie Hamilton as part of a package to Carolina that sent Hanifin and forward Elias Lindholm to the Flames.
If Treliving figures a true defence stud is required in Toronto, would he use Nylander as a chip? If Treliving is serious about making that kind of addition, wouldn’t a player of Nylander’s stature have to go the other way?
Treliving will inspect the present Leafs roster to the last detail.
We wouldn’t bet against a change of significance on the blue line.
LOOSE LEAFS
When Kyle Dubas gets around to hiring a GM in Pittsburgh, provided he does as planned and takes the interim tag off himself sometime later in the summer, how much autonomy will that new Penguins GM have? We’re being facetious. The buck will stop with Dubas. Leafs director of amateur scouting Wes Clark, a long-time friend and co-worker of Dubas, could be a fit to work with Dubas again … From an NHL amateur scout (not employed by Toronto) who is on site at the Memorial Cup and watched Leafs prospect Fraser Minten with the Kamloops Blazers before the host team was eliminated by the Peterborough Petes: “I really like him. He’s a smooth two-way guy who probably fits into the middle six one day. The second line would be his ceiling, the third line his floor.” Minten, a second-round pick by the Leafs in 2022, signed a three-year entry-level deal with Toronto last October … A deserved promotion came on Friday for former Leafs forward Alyn McCauley, who had been director of player personnel with the Philadelphia Flyers before he was bumped up to assistant general manager by the club. The 46-year-old McCauley is one of the under-the-radar sharp minds in the game … Leafs prospect and forward Ty Voit of the Sarnia Sting was voted to the Ontario Hockey League’s second all-star team by the league’s GMs … If Dubas wasn’t as honest as he was with media on May 15 in Toronto, is he still the GM of the Leafs?
Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section for news and odds.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2NoYW5nZXMtb24tdGhlLW1hcGxlLWxlYWZzLWJsdWUtbGluZS1hbW9uZy10aGUtcG9zc2liaWxpdGllcy1mb3ItdHJlbGl2aW5n0gGWAWh0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2NoYW5nZXMtb24tdGhlLW1hcGxlLWxlYWZzLWJsdWUtbGluZS1hbW9uZy10aGUtcG9zc2liaWxpdGllcy1mb3ItdHJlbGl2aW5nL3djbS8wMTQ3MTZiMi0xODdlLTQyNWQtOThjYi0xNGEzZTRjZjlhZTYvYW1wLw?oc=5
2023-06-02 21:06:59Z
2063633044
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation