New Leafs GM Will Reportedly Speak to Two Particular Players to Make Major Decisions

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Evan Doerfler
June 2, 2023 (9:29)

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When you are as experienced a general manager as newly hired Brad Treliving is, it's likely that you run into some familiar faces when joining a new organization.

In the case of Treliving joining the Maple Leafs, he will look to lean heavily on two of his veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano to establish where his new team can go from here.

With the Leafs pushing through to the second round this postseason, improvements have been made but the team is still far from reaching the ultimate goal. Throughout all his media attention today, Trevliving is seeking to build the Leafs into a more difficult team to play against and he believes it starts on the back end.

The long-tenured NHL GM will look no further than Brodie and Giordano. In Calgary, Giordano and Brodie were two leaders who were the backbone of not only the defense for the Flames but for the organization as a whole for numerous years. When Treliving arrived in Calgary back in 2014, the long-tenured defense partners were there as well with open arms.

Giordano was traded for in a package last season with the Seattle Kraken after being drafted in the expansion draft, and Brodie joined the Leafs as a free agent in 2020 ending a 10-year tenure with the Flames. As the trio reunites here in Toronto, he is seeking as much insight as he can in regards to trusting and listening to his players right from the geico.

"Good to see Gio still playing at (age) 75. "I was with them a long time, they're good men, good players, good people, they've got good families."
"I was texting a bit with Gio and it will be good to connect with him" stated Treliving.

The importance of establishing a relationship with the players

As these two relationships should be deemed to be his best, Treliving mentioned in today's introductory press conference how important it is to establish a close relationship with each player on the Leafs roster.

"Getting to know the players, that's the important thing," he said. "I get close to the people I work with. You don't manage from an office. Some may, (but) you've got to know what drives them. You're shoulder to shoulder with them" said Treliving.

With plenty of work to be done this offseason, Treliving will certainly begin to rely on two of the league's veterans and a pair that he's very familiar with throughout his tenure in the NHL to push this team over the edge.

Credit: torontosun.com