The Toronto Maple Leafs made some unsurprising news on Monday, firing general manager Brad Treliving. This season has been a disaster in Toronto, and the leadership knows things need to change. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) CEO Keith Pelley spoke a lot about Stanley Cup expectations in his Tuesday press conference.
“I'm comfortable doing anything that gives the Toronto Maple Leafs the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. Period. End of story,” Pelley said, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston.
The Maple Leafs were pushing for a championship at last year's trade deadline, trading a lot of picks and prospects. Their first-round pick in the upcoming draft will be transferred to the Boston Bruins, unless it is in the top five. Pelley was asked if the team would purposely lose to make a pick this June.
“Keith Pelley says he borderline offended to be asked if the [Leafs] should try to lose enough games to get into the bottom-5 this season: ‘We will not tank,'” Johnston reported.
Pelley came back to Canada after a stint running the DP World Tour, a European-based golf tour, in January 2024. He oversees operations for the Raptors, Toronto FC, and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts as well. The Maple Leafs, however, are the biggest asset they have and have fallen on hard times.
The new general manager, whoever that might be, will be asked a question no one saw coming, even a year ago: What is Auston Matthews' future in Toronto? The Maple Leafs captain had a sluggish season, ending with a knee injury in March. He has two years left before hitting free agency, so trading him would be incredibly lucrative in picks and prospects. But dealing the captain does not get them closer to a Stanley Cup.
Will Pelley hire a GM with the best plan for the future? Or hire the one who says what he wants to hear?
