Brad Treliving Discusses The NHL Trade Deadline And The Leafs Playoffs Mentality

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Tyler Ball
March 20, 2024 (11:24)

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Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving recently discussed how things went at the trade deadline. He also looked ahead at the team now going into the playoffs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs made plenty of changes heading into the stretch run of the NHL season. Some of these were outside acquisitions while others were the result of internal development. In an interview with The Athletic, Brad Treliving talked about how he has seen consistent improvement in his group since around December.

If you look at us really from December 1 on, we've been a stingy team, said Treliving. And now in the same period of time in terms of the expected goals, we've been a top-five team. Those things, I don't think it's by accident.

In addition, Treliving has contributed a lot of the team's success to the improvement internally of their goaltending position. In particular the drastic jump in quality in Ilya Samsonov's game.

I just think he's a good goalie. He didn't forget how to play, said Treliving. He was going through a rough patch. It wasn't like you're like, �Oh my God, his game's no good.' You could tell a lot of the stuff was all mental.

Treliving Discusses His Feelings On The Trade Deadline Moves He Made

When it comes to trade deadline acquisitions Brad Treliving targeted the blue line as an area of need within the team. During his time speaking with The Athletic Treliving said that their defense might not have the best high-end talent but believes their depth is unmatched.

We may not have the best top four (on defense), but if you go deep, (we wanted to) make sure seven, eight and nine were better than anybody else's so we don't have that big drop,

This is a sentiment that was recently covered on The Overdrive Show and featured in a Hockey Patrol article following the trade deadline.

My sense is that if anything, it was about trying to get some defensemen with term... and I don't think that was there, said Johnston on Overdrive yesterday. The Leafs explored to see what else might be out there if they were going to trade their first-round pick or Easton Cowan or Fraser Minten.

Maple Leafs Looking To The Future As The Season Winds Down

With the trade deadline coming and gone Brad Treliving says he gets to take more of a back seat. With trades and signings done for the season, he can be a fan just like everyone else on game night. While this is true Treliving confirmed in an article by Maple Leafs Daily he is still putting in plenty of work for the future watching potential NCAA free agents and draft picks.

You're out seeing more games. That last couple of weeks before the deadline you're focused in on the (NHL) team and what you maybe do with the deadline and 'How do I fill this hole a little bit more?' Really, you feel like you're just a cheerleader now.

As the playoffs come and go and the offseason becomes the focus it will be fun to see if Brad Treliving's focus on the future pays off for the Maple Leafs. For now, the focus remains on the new-look defense and the success of the team heading into the playoffs.