Leafs to introduce Treliving at 11am ET on TSN.ca
Published
The Toronto Maple Leafs will introduce new general manager Brad Treliving on Thursday morning alongside president Brendan Shanahan.
You can watch the news conference LIVE on TSN.ca and the TSN App at 11am ET/8am PT.
Treliving was officially hired on Wednesday, just under two weeks after the Maple Leafs announced Kyle Dubas would not return as general manager ahead of his contract expiring on June 30.
"I'm very pleased to welcome Brad into the Maple Leafs organization," Shanahan said Wednesday. "Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience as a general manager and hockey executive in Calgary, Arizona and beyond. He has earned tremendous respect amongst his peers throughout his years in the NHL and has built excellent relationships at all levels within the game.
"We are confident that Brad's leadership and strategic vision will elevate the Maple Leafs in our continued pursuit of a championship."
According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs also interviewed former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin for the vacancy in the days before a deal with Treliving reached its final stages Tuesday night.
The 53-year-old spent nine seasons as general manager of the Calgary Flames before parting ways with the team in April ahead of his contract expiring June 30.
Treliving oversaw the Flames as the team ended a five-year playoff drought in his first season in 2014-15, with Calgary reaching the postseason five times during his tenure. The Flames, however, won just two playoff rounds over those five appearances.
"I am very excited and honored to join the Toronto Maple Leafs as general manager," Treliving said. "I would like to thank Brendan, MLSE and its Board for their support throughout this process. I'm thrilled to join an Original Six team and recognize how much the Maple Leafs mean to this community. This is a very exciting day for my family and I."
He inherits a long to-do list in Toronto, with Auston Matthews’ name likely at the top of it. Matthews is eligible for an extension as of July 1, the same day his no-trade clause will kick in for the final year of his current contract.
"There's been a fair amount of conjecture about the relationship between Kyle Dubas and Auston Matthews as it pertains to Matthews' future in Toronto. And I think it's actually been a little bit overstated," TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston said Tuesday on Insider Trading. "Shocker, something like that might happen around the Leafs. But in this case, the relationship obviously between those two was good.
"But what I can tell you is that since Dubas was let go earlier this month, the lines of communication have remained open between the Leafs and [Matthews'] camp. Obviously, not really making any progress at this point in time. They’re having firm discussions about a contract he can sign on July 1, but I don't think introducing a new general manager at this point in time is going to derail that. Matthews has wanted to be in Toronto. He's been consistent about that. That's what the organization feels.
"And I think once they have that new general manager in place, those conversations will pick up rather quickly."
Treliving is also likely to have a say in the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe, who helped the Maple Leafs win their first playoff series since 2004 this spring before falling to the Florida Panthers in five games in the second round. Keefe took over as Maple Leafs coach after Mike Babcock was fired during the 2019-20 season.