TORONTO — Brad Treliving is feeling extra comfy in 12 months 2 as normal supervisor of the Toronto Maple Leafs — or at the least as comfy as one can ever really feel in some of the pressure-packed jobs in professional sports activities.
His imprints are actually seen all through the storied franchise — his imaginative and prescient for a way he desires his group.
That was clear along with his first Leafs head teaching rent. With every passing day, the 2024-25 Maple Leafs are additional taking up the character of Craig Berube. It’s a metamorphosis.
“I believe so,” Treliving instructed The Athletic on Friday. “I do suppose on the finish of the day, groups do tackle the character of their coach, proper? One of many issues we talked about rather a lot through the summer season is constructing the id of our group. We each suppose that’s actually necessary
“It takes time. There’s some issues we wished to alter and generally altering some habits takes a little bit of time. However … I’ve been actual pleased with how the group is taking part in.”
Treliving shortly added that any transformation didn’t imply an try to “take any offense out of our group.”
“That’s definitely not the case. We’re not making an attempt to say, ‘Don’t rating.’ However we have to have a basis of checking. And we have to have a basis of actually valuing the blue paint on each side and being good round each nets.
“There’s a focus ensuring that our objectives towards is healthier, that we’re limiting possibilities, that we’re checking higher. As a result of finally, that’s profitable hockey.”
Extra bluntly, it’s the formulation for profitable hockey at playoff time. The Florida Panthers final season and the Vegas Golden Knights two years in the past had big-time expertise. However they have been additionally prepared to gouge your eyes out if it meant profitable a puck battle.
Not that he’s getting that far forward of himself.
“We’re not wanting forward in any respect,” Treliving stated. “Whether or not it’s November, or January, or April, Could, June, there’s a method profitable hockey is performed. You may get away with sure issues through the common season, however when issues get necessary, whether or not the ice shrinks, there’s no house, you’ve acquired to have the ability to function in that.”
The Leafs have shrunk at playoff time on so many events that it’s not as a lot a brand new id making an attempt to be instilled as a completely new DNA.
TSN’s Overdrive co-host Bryan Hayes stated it finest this previous week, cautioning that nevertheless properly the Leafs are taking part in proper now (12-6-2, vying for first place within the Atlantic regardless of accidents). Stanley Cups aren’t awarded in November.
Skepticism stays. However what we’re seeing proper now’s a group making an attempt to alter its colours.
“You have a look at Florida, how they got here off their Presidents’ Trophy 12 months, there was a change in how they performed,” Treliving factors out.
Large time. Panthers GM Invoice Zito dropped a grenade on his group after it led the league with 337 objectives in 2021-22, altering coaches and elegance. And out of that got here your 2023 Cup finalists and 2024 Cup champions.
“You’ve acquired to watch out of specializing in who received final 12 months and what they did,” Treliving stated. “The larger image is what’s profitable when it’s necessary hasn’t actually modified (within the NHL) within the final few minutes. And I don’t see it altering transferring ahead.
“Sure, you want talent. Sure, you want expertise. Sure, you want to create offense. A hundred percent. And we imagine in that. However you might have to have the ability to test. If you happen to can’t test … you possibly can’t rating your method out of issues. It simply doesn’t work. And our guys are embracing that.”
Craig Berube desires the Leafs to play extra of a checking recreation. (Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Photographs)
The query, clearly, is whether or not the Leafs have the kind of personnel to make a Panthers-like metamorphosis.
To that finish, no signing final summer season was extra emblematic of what the Leafs are attempting to turn out to be than Chris Tanev.
The person would eat a puck to cease an opposing scoring likelihood. And name it lunch. And he’s acquired the hockey IQ to match that braveness.
Treliving had him in Calgary when he was Flames GM, tried to commerce for him forward of the deadline final winter and eventually acquired him July 1.
And he’s been one of many Leafs’ most spectacular gamers by way of the opening quarter of the season.
“I believe he’s elite,” Treliving stated. “He’s acquired an elite checking recreation. He’s an elite, shutdown defenseman who defends towards prime individuals. Clearly he’s an elite penalty killer. And it’s not simply his checking recreation. He touches loads of elements of the sport. …
“What by no means will get talked about with him, and once more I believe he’s elite at it, is his capacity to get you out of your zone. Generally they’re delicate little puck pays. However his capacity to interrupt you out and stabilize companions that he’s performed with, it’s elite. He’s a kind of guys that simply make you win.”
The revamped blue line additionally features a better-than-advertised Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Treliving knew him from his time in Arizona as AGM. And general, the group is deeper and larger than it’s been. All by design.
Throw within the intelligent signing of goalie Anthony Stolarz, and it seems like fairly the offseason for Treliving.
“Brad knew what they have been on the lookout for and he adopted the sport plan to a T,” two-time reigning GM of the 12 months Jim Nill stated Saturday. “His expertise and connections within the league got here up massive. And the gamers he picked up, he had nice connections with. So he knew what he was getting.”
The goaltending is vastly improved from a 12 months in the past.
The late bloomer Stolarz, 30, has a .927 save share and 5.7 objectives saved above anticipated, through MoneyPuck. And Joseph Woll is approaching with a .922 save share, shaking off an early-season damage.
“We expect he’s acquired all of the makings to be a very good goalie,” Treliving stated of Woll, 26. “The one field he hasn’t checked is expertise and, sure, he’s had points with accidents. However generally that occurs. However we would have liked one other goaltender.”
A variety of groups have been trying to steal Stolarz away from the Panthers, who wanted to open up a spot for Spencer Knight this season.
“Our goaltending division this summer season, the man they felt actually strongly about was Anthony,” Treliving stated. “Not solely him as a goaltender however placing them each collectively. What you’re going to get is the combination.”
Neither goalie has ever performed a starter’s workload within the NHL. However the hope was that collectively it might work.
“We felt there was an opportunity that combo could possibly be good,” Treliving stated. “Knock on wooden.”
The Leafs GM additionally pointed to Dennis Hildeby, Matt Murray and Artur Akhtyamov within the group.
“There’s some depth there within the group proper now,” he stated.
Which brings us to the ahead group. All issues being equal, it seems like heart depth is what Treliving will look to handle forward of the March 7 commerce deadline.
He didn’t dispute that however did say the precedence in the summertime was the blue line and goaltending and that there’s solely a lot room underneath the cap to get all of it completed.
“You additionally must see what you might have,” Treliving stated. “You by no means need to see accidents like we’ve got now, however a part of what it does is that it allows you to see what you might have as group depth.”
Fraser Minten scored towards Vegas this previous Wednesday. Nikita Grebenkin acquired his first recreation in with the massive membership.
GO DEEPER
The Nikita Grebenkin experience is underway for the Maple Leafs
“We need to see what these guys can do. As we get our bodies again, we’ll proceed to observe it,” Treliving stated. “I don’t suppose it’s loopy speak to say that’s an space (heart depth) that we’ll attempt to deal with.
“Looking for the proper match, looking for the proper participant, after which is it higher than what you might have proper now?”
Winger Nick Robertson has one purpose in 17 video games this season, which makes you marvel the place he matches long-term. However the Leafs GM sees positives within the 23-year-old’s recreation regardless of the offensive woes.
“You may say he’s struggling as a result of there’s (no) manufacturing — the puck hasn’t gone in — but when his recreation was precisely the identical because it was however a couple of extra pucks had gone in, individuals would say Nick’s taking part in properly. Nick has taken huge steps in his general recreation — his checking recreation, his play away from the puck.
“What we’re speaking to him about is, yeah, we would like manufacturing, we would like all people to attain, however be sure you’ve acquired a backup recreation in order that if it’s not moving into for a time period, what else are you bringing? You continue to acquired to contribute. I’ve been impressed. He works like a canine.”
Within the meantime, as I stated to Treliving, the Leafs are clearly a greater group with out Auston Matthews within the lineup (6-1-0 with out him).
That acquired a superb chortle from the Leafs GM.
No. 34’s absence for an damage the group received’t publicly disclose has been a serious storyline, punctuated this previous week by a visit to Germany to see a physician he’s seen earlier than.
Treliving, who declined to reveal the character of the damage, insists he’s not involved.
“It’s bugged him for a bit,” he stated. “With time, it’ll get behind him. We seemed on the schedule. We had like three video games over two and a half weeks, so we felt right here’s a time the place there’s not a quantity of video games, let’s take the time right here.
“As a lot because it was to go over there to get therapy for what he was coping with, it was additionally such as you take the automotive in generally as a result of you want to get the oil modified. However while you’re getting the oil modified, let’s rotate the tires, let’s test the brakes, let’s do every little thing. That’s actually what this was. It’s a man that he’s used prior to now. He’s been over there earlier than. We all know the person. We think about it.”
There’s gentle on the finish of the tunnel.
“We’re his return on the Florida journey (this upcoming week),” Treliving stated. “He’ll want a couple of days on the ice and we’ll see the place he’s at.”
With Matthews out, Mitch Marner particularly has been lights out, carrying the group. Treliving and Marner’s camp, led by Darren Ferris, made a pact earlier than the season that they wouldn’t speak publicly about any negotiations regarding the pending unrestricted free agent. And there certainly has not been a gong present thus far.
However you realize, I needed to strive.
The place’s that file at?
“Yeah, no change, we’re not going to touch upon it,” stated Treliving with a chuckle. “Aside from to say, I can’t say sufficient good issues about Mitch Marner. I don’t suppose Mitch will get sufficient credit score for a way good he’s. Like, all of us see Mitch as an offensive participant — and he’s elite along with his mind, his talent, his capacity to drive play. With Auston out, to me he’s put the group on his again slightly bit right here.”
Treliving identified Marner’s additional time purpose from final Saturday. The half that was much more spectacular was on the different finish, the place he broke up the Oilers’ try to finish the sport.
“He’s going towards McDavid and Draisaitl on a two-on-one,” Treliving stated. “Mitch is a good participant. He acknowledges — particularly on this state of affairs, the place we’re going by way of accidents with loads of offensive gamers out — he’s acquired to tackle extra.
“He’s performed sound defensively. He’s made different gamers higher. He’s pushed our group. And folks don’t see behind the scenes how he brings within the younger guys.”
Yeah, however what in regards to the contract?
“I’m not going to touch upon that,” Treliving stated with a chuckle once more, having fun with the hassle at the least. “All people is aware of what I consider Mitch. These issues will get handled on the proper time. However he’s taking part in in addition to anybody within the league proper now, for my part.”
Brad Treliving isn’t able to touch upon contracts. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Photographs)
John Tavares additionally wants a brand new contract. And once more, Treliving wouldn’t touch upon that. We all know there’s been ongoing dialogue with the previous captain.
“He’s had a terrific begin to the 12 months,” Treliving stated. “He’s dealt with every little thing so properly. I do know rather a lot was fabricated from the captaincy stuff. He’s dealt with it precisely the best way I believed he would. He hasn’t modified. I stated to him on the time that I believed this may be a superb factor for him, as a result of it wasn’t going to alter who he’s. He’s an enormous a part of our management group. He’s an enormous a part of not solely what we do on the ice however how we put together.
“All people talks in regards to the buy-in, the coach can provide the message however it’s the way it will get obtained. John’s an enormous a part of that, ensuring when the coaches are out of the room that the message is sinking in. After which simply his play has been terrific. On the contract facet, we’ll go away that to be dealt with quietly and on the applicable time.”
And eventually, 18 months after he was named Leafs GM, I requested Treliving what he knew now that possibly he didn’t respect the day he took the job.
“Oooh, that’s a superb query,” Treliving stated. “I’ve completed the (GM) job for some time, however this can be a totally different animal. I felt final 12 months like I used to be on the treadmill. I’ve stated it earlier than, once I got here in there was only a lot occurring, proper?
“It simply feels extra now such as you’re extra comfy with the individuals right here. We’ve been ready so as to add some individuals to fill out our group. You’re simply extra comfy within the rhythm of the job.”
So far as the market right here itself?
“I had expectations of what it could be. It’s most likely surpassed that,” Treliving stated. “There’s nothing prefer it. It’s the eagerness that the market brings, the strain, the expectations; all that stuff, you like it.
“It’s a particular place. There’s an depth daily that you simply really feel. That’s why you’re within the enterprise. It’s been every little thing I believed it could be and extra.”
(Prime picture: Steph Chambers / Getty Photographs)
