Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Identifies His Primary Trade Target: Critical Deadline Emerges for the Trade to Happen

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Dawson Mckenzie
December 8, 2023 (4:00 PM)

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Toronto is hot on the trade market, and now GM Brad Treliving has his sights set on this target, however, there is a deadline approaching that he needs to hit.

Treliving Hot After Tanev According to Elliotte Friedman

The Toronto Maple Leafs have well-reported interest in Flames defenseman Chris Tanev. With Treliving's history signing him back in Calgary, the Leafs are the front runners to land him, and he remains their number 1 choice as a reinforcement for their hurting blueline.

Friedman had the following to say on his 32Thoughts podcast about Treliving and Tanev.

"The first thing I'd like to say about Toronto is, my prediction is this; as long as there's the opportunity to get [Chris] Tanev, I think he's their #1 choice. Treliving knows him, he signed him [in Calgary], he knows him better than anyone else who's out there and, at the end of the day, if you're going to place a bet, you're always going to give an edge to the person that you know.

Whatever the case is, as long as Tanev is out there... that's the guy. So, everyone else we're talking about with Toronto, I think they're behind him."

The Leafs are reportedly targeting Chris Tanev in a trade. #Flames #LeafsForever

Treliving Facing Key Holiday Deadline if He Wants to Get Deal Done Before Holidays

If Treliving wants to get a deal done soon, he has a deadline he is facing and not the trade deadline in March. The NHL has a holiday trade freeze and this year's runs from December 20th through December 27th. This would mean that Treliving needs to get something done within the next week or so if he wants Tanev in Toronto over the holidays.

As seen on Maple Leafs Daily - "Maple Leafs have identified their #1 trade target, facing an urgent deadline to get a deal done"