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Maple Leafs' Treliving Seeks Bargains Amidst Blockbuster Trades and Rival Team Improvements
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    Maple Leafs’ Treliving Seeks Bargains Amidst Blockbuster Trades and Rival Team Improvements

    MONTREAL — If you go dining at a hamburger joint, it would be foolish to expect to see wagyu steak on the menu.

    Brad Treliving poked around at the possibility of a more roster-jolting trade to boost a skillsy Toronto Maple Leafs core speeding toward its eighth consecutive postseason, but ultimately settled on a series of low-risk, low-excitement fringe improvements instead.

    In his first tour sitting in Toronto’s driver’s seat, the executive drove toward Friday’s deadline in the far-right lane. He was slow and cautious, while many more aggressive competitors for the Cup — Vegas, Winnipeg, Dallas, Colorado, Carolina — went zooming by.

    “We tried to make some moves to address certain areas. But at the end of the day, a lot of the answers are going to come from the guys that are in the room,” said Treliving, who came to the realization that something more earth-shattering was a long shot.

    “I don’t get into the speculation of close. We did what we did.”

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    What the Leafs did was “pick away” at a couple areas of improvement and spend a handful of mid-round draft picks to do so.

    Rentals Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson are both physical, stay-at-home defencemen that will give coach Sheldon Keefe some more experienced and dependable options for his pairings and his subpar penalty kill.

    “We’ve added some size and bite on the back end,” noted Treliving, who has been scouring for that very element since he took the wheel from Kyle Dubas.

    He also added some depth to the bottom six, acquiring defensive forward Connor Dewar from the Minnesota Wild for a fourth-rounder in 2026.

    The 24-year-old Dewar is a pending restricted free agent the Wild was unlikely to re-sign.

    He can play centre or left wing, starts the vast majority of his shifts in the D-zone (69.7 per cent), drives play forward, and has collected a career-high 10 goals for the struggling Wild.

    Dewar should boost Toronto’s PK, which has slipped to 22nd overall and ranks last among Eastern Conference teams in playoff position.

    Since losing reliable killers from 2022-23 such as Alexander Kerfoot, Pierre Engvall, Sam Lafferty, and Noel Acciari, Toronto’s PK hasn’t been quite up to snuff. All three of Treliving’s additions should help this area.

    Again, none of these moves are sexy as they are reasonable.

    That first-round pick Treliving was willing to pay for the right addition will remain in his pocket till the off-season.

    And watching Atlantic Division rivals add some more familiar talent should only put more stress on the Maple Leafs existing group to push through.

    Boston gathered Andrew Peeke and familiar Leafs foe Patrick Maroon.

    Powerhouse Florida deepened its roster with Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo.

    And the Tampa Bay Lightning scooped up feisty Matt Dumba for a fifth-rounder after missing out on Noah Hanifin.

    Treliving did express satisfaction, though, that most of the deadline high-end talent (Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Tyler Toffoli, Tomas Hertl, Elias Lindholm, Sean Walker, Adam Henrique) landed in the other conference.

    Careful not to overhype his own modest acquisitions after 3 p.m. ticked by without headline-grabbing news, Treliving instead refocused the city’s attention on what should be a hardened core and the summer pieces — like Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi — that have played some good hockey in 2024.

    The GM spoke of a driven and hungry group that now understands the final roster and will drill down on what matters.

    “That belief we have,” Treliving said, “we have to turn into getting the job done ahead of us.”

    One-Timers: After colliding with Brad Marchand, Matthew Knies left Thursday’s loss in Boston and did not return for precautionary reasons. Treliving assures the rookie is doing well and should be available Saturday in Montreal…. Treliving said he didn’t so much as think of including his top prospect, London Knights phenom Easton Cowan, is any of the larger deals discussed with rival GMs: “Easton’s had a heckuva year, and he’s a heckuva player.”… With roster limits no longer an issue post-deadline, expect Nick Robertson back up with the Leafs soon…. Boston University defence prospect Cade Weber, snatched from Carolina for a sixth-rounder, is a big body who makes a smart first pass. Treliving says college scout Chris Bourque is high on his ability to defend.

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    As the NHL trade deadline approaches, Toronto Maple Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving is on the lookout for bargain deals amidst a flurry of blockbuster trades and rival team improvements. With the pressure mounting to make a move that will strengthen the team’s chances in the playoffs, Treliving is carefully navigating the trade market to find the best value for his team.

    The Maple Leafs have been one of the top teams in the league this season, but they are facing stiff competition from other contenders who have made significant moves to bolster their rosters. Teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche have made big splashes in the trade market, acquiring top-tier talent to give them an edge in the postseason.

    In response, Treliving is looking for ways to improve the Maple Leafs without breaking the bank. He knows that making a big trade can be risky, especially if it involves giving up valuable assets or taking on a hefty contract. Instead, he is focusing on finding under-the-radar players who can provide depth and versatility to the team.

    One strategy Treliving is employing is targeting players on teams that are out of playoff contention. These players may be available for a lower price since their current team has no use for them in the postseason. By acquiring these players, Treliving can add depth to the Maple Leafs’ lineup without sacrificing too much in return.

    Another approach Treliving is taking is looking for players who are in the final year of their contract. These players may be available for a discount since their current team may be looking to unload them before they become free agents. Treliving can take advantage of this situation by acquiring these players at a reduced cost and potentially re-signing them if they perform well.

    Overall, Treliving is taking a cautious approach to the trade deadline, seeking bargains that will improve the Maple Leafs’ chances of success without jeopardizing the team’s future. With rival teams making big moves to strengthen their rosters, Treliving knows that he must be strategic in his decision-making to give the Maple Leafs the best shot at a deep playoff run.