Three issues Leafs GM Brad Treliving must address before training camp
A recent report shed light on three issues in Toronto that must be addressed by general manager Brad Treliving before the start of the Maple Leafs training camp.
As we approach the middle of August, it's time to start looking at what NHL teams could be planning to do at their training camps. With only a few weeks before the end of the offseason, we couldn't help but think about what the Maple Leafs should do before veterans and prospects meet on the ice with the development and coaching staff.
Before knowing who will make the cut to be on the opening night's lineup, there are three things that Treliving should do: make a decision about Mitch Marner; sign Matthew Knies to a long-term contract extension, and make a trade involving Nicholas Robertson.
Both Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies have been eligible to sign extensions since July 1st, but it seems Treliving opted to take his time.
It seems evident for Knies: he will sign a multi-million long-term deal in Toronto. Following a great rookie season, where he tallied 35 points in 80 games, Knies could be on his way to get a massive raise. If Treliving waits until the end of the season, after seeing the young forward perform on the top-six alongside the biggest Leafs stars, the GM could end up paying a lot more than he expected.
It's a bit more complicated in Marner's case. While he repeatedly said that he wanted to remain in Toronto, there has been a lot of trade rumors. If we reach the trade deadline and Marner still hasn't signed a deal, Treliving could be forced to ship him off to another team to avoid losing him for nothing in the 2025 free agency.
Marner will likely start the next season strong. After some struggles in the playoffs, he should be pumped as he'll look to reach the 100-point mark for the first time in his NHL career. Last year, he scored 80 points in 69 games. We can only wonder if he would've reached 100 points if he hadn't been injured for the last month of the season.
As for Robertson, he has no contract yet for the upcoming season. The restricted free agent could be traded before the training camp, as he already revealed his wish to get a fresh start in another organization. The 2023-24 season wasn't easy for him in Toronto. He was often sent down to the AHL to make room for other players, and couldn't really get the chance to show what he can bring to the table in an 82-game season. He scored 14 goals and 13 assists in 56 games, and added 11 points in nine AHL games with the Marlies.
If Treliving wants his players to be in the best possible state going into the next season, he'll address these issues before they turn into distractions, like we saw with William Nylander's contract extension, for example.
Source: NHL
Marner contemplating future with Maple Leafs, staying 'would be a goal'
Source for Nicholas Robertson's statistics: Hockey DB
Nicholas Robertson
Source for Matthew Knies' statistics: Hockey DB
Matthew Knies
Source for Mitch Marner's statistics: Hockey DB
Mitch Marner
| POLL | ||
What do you think should be Brad Treliving's number one priority before the start of the Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp? | ||
| Signing Matthew Knies | 137 | 26.7 % |
| Trading Mitch Marner | 106 | 20.7 % |
| Signing Mitch Marner | 175 | 34.1 % |
| Trading Nicholas Robertson | 95 | 18.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
