Every spring, we go in with hope. And every year, the ending is the same. Goaltending, depth scoring, injuries, or just not having that extra gear—whatever the reason, it hasn’t been enough. But this year? It feels different. Because it is different.
And a huge reason for that is Brad Treliving.
This is his team now. It wasn’t last spring. He was hired late and inherited a roster and staff with limited time to make any real change. This year is different. This season is where Treliving’s fingerprints are finally visible—on the ice, behind the bench, and throughout the lineup. The results? A division title. A deeper, more complete roster. And belief that’s grounded in substance, not just hope.
Here’s why this Leafs team might be the one—and why Treliving deserves credit for making it possible.
1. He Reset the Culture: Berube, Matthews, and a New Identity
One of Treliving’s first big moves was hiring Craig Berube—and it already looks like a turning point. Berube has brought accountability, structure, and edge. He’s built a system that works in the playoffs, and the players have responded with buy-in and belief. The team set a goal to win the division. And did.
Treliving also oversaw the smoothest captaincy transition the Leafs have ever seen. Matthews took on the “C” with quiet leadership. Tavares embraced a new role with grace. The room got tighter, the noise faded, and the team looked focused all season. That kind of culture reset doesn’t happen on its own.
And look at the results. A 13-2-1 finish to close out the season and lock up first place. A power play that adapted. A team that played meaningful, playoff-style hockey down the stretch. That’s not just the coach. That’s the GM putting the right people in place—and empowering them to lead.
2. He Built a Legitimate Blue Line
This is no longer a patchwork defence. It’s a legitimate playoff group—and it wasn’t built by luck.
Treliving acquired three key pieces on the back end this season: Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. All have elevated the play of their partners and stabilized the group as a whole.
Tanev transformed McCabe’s game. Carlo seems to have unlocked Rielly. OEL looks comfortable in a third-pair role next to Benoit—who, by the way, was re-signed by Treliving after earning his spot last season. This group is harder to play against, better structured, and way more balanced than last spring.
Last year, Benoit was playing 20+ minutes in Game 1. Now he’s in the right role, and the team’s top 10 in goals against. Liljegren was playing big minutes for us in the playoffs last year, not to mention Edmundson and Lyubushkin. That’s what happens when you go out and fix what’s broken.
3. He Fixed the Goaltending—Completely
The Leafs were 26th in save percentage last year. Treliving inherited that mess. Then he cleaned it up.
He signed Anthony Stolarz, who now leads the league in save percentage and ranks top five in both goals-against average and goals saved above expected. Calm, consistent, playoff-tested—everything this team lacked in net.
And he re-signed Joseph Woll, locking in a young, trusted 1B with real upside. Woll is healthy, confident, and sitting top 15 in every meaningful stat.
This is now one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL. And it didn’t happen by accident. Treliving didn’t just hope Samsonov would bounce back—he upgraded the position entirely.
4. He Delivered Real Depth and Size
This is the biggest team in the league now. That matters in the playoffs—and it’s another deliberate change Treliving made.
He added Scott Laughton, who's starting to show his grit and versatility to the middle six. He found Steve Lorentz, who somehow scored six game-winning goals this season. He kept Max Domi, who brings skill and edge. He held onto Nick Robertson, who now pushes for a scoring role, and gave Pontus Holmberg a real chance to prove his worth.
And up front, Treliving re-signed Bobby McMann, who hit 20 goals and plays heavy. He brought back Benoit on D and locked up Woll in net. All smart, under-the-radar moves that built out the roster the right way.
Even Matthew Knies, while not his pick, has blossomed under a team environment built to let him thrive. He’s become the power forward this group lacked—producing like Brady Tkachuk, playing on both special teams, and driving play in big games.
Depth used to be a Leafs myth. Now, it’s a strength.
5. He Put the Core in a Prove-It Position
Treliving extended Matthews and Nylander long term—locking in the two most consistent playoff performers on the team. That gave the Leafs long-term clarity and avoided another season of distractions.
But he didn’t hand out deals just for loyalty’s sake. Marner and Tavares enter the playoffs in contract years. Their future isn’t guaranteed—and that’s a good thing. Both have something to prove. And that urgency might be exactly what this group needs.
Treliving gave the stars what they earned—but stopped short of rewarding underperformance. That kind of internal accountability mirrors what Berube is doing behind the bench. It’s the kind of alignment this team has lacked for years.
This Is Brad Treliving’s Team Now
He hired the right coach. Supported the right captain. Locked up the right stars. Upgraded the goaltending. Built a tougher, deeper, smarter blue line. Added real forward depth. Balanced the roster. Quieted the noise.
And he did it all while building the biggest, most playoff-appropriate version of the Leafs we’ve seen in the entire Shanahan era.
Now it’s time to see if it all pays off. But one thing’s already clear: this is a different team—and it’s because Brad Treliving made it different.
