The firing of Brad Treliving was the result of a “disappointing” season, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president Keith Pelley said on Tuesday.
“I thought we had the right leadership in place. There are a number of factors that played into it this season. I honestly believe we didn’t have the alignment, we didn’t have the culture, we didn’t have the structure we needed to be successful,” Pelley said in a press conference Tuesday.
Treliving was fired Monday night, just hours before the Maple Leafs dropped the puck on a 5-4 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Pelley said the search for a new head of hockey operations will begin immediately.
For now, assistant GMs Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy will “work together” to manage team through end of season and into the off-season, Pelley said.
He said the search is “wide open,” but that the team is looking for someone who is “data-centric.”
“Every single decision we make will be evidence-based. Evidence-based decisions are never wrong,” Pelley said.
Meanwhile, he said the fate of head coach Craig Berube will be up to whoever is next in charge.
“I think Craig Berube is the head coach and that is determined by the … head of hockey operations. That’s not determined by myself,” Pelley said.
This season, the Maple Leafs (31-30-13) sit well outside the playoff picture with 75 points through 74 games.
Pelley said it will be partially up to Treliving’s successor whether the team will undergo a retool or a full rebuild.
However, he said he was leaning toward the former.
“We have the foundational pieces in place, which gives you the confidence that we can contend very quickly. And if we put the right person in place with the right structure and hockey ops, then I’m convinced we can do it,” Pelley said.
Among the biggest questions facing Pelley and Leafs management is the future of Auston Matthews, who has two years left on his contract at $13.25 million per season.
Pelley said he texted with Matthews Tuesday morning.
Treliving was hired as general manager of the Maple Leafs on May 31, 2023, replacing Kyle Dubas.
He oversaw a 139-92-27 record with the Leafs, including a 10-10 playoff mark and a first-round series win over the Ottawa Senators.
If the Maple Leafs’ first-round draft pick lands outside the top five, they will fork it over to the Boston Bruins as a result of a 2025 deadline-day deal for Brandon Carlo. Otherwise, the pick will be owed in 2027.
All told, the choice for the next Maple Leafs head of hockey ops is a critical one.
“At the end of the day, this is likely the most important decision I will make in my tenure at the helm of MLSE,” Pelley said.
Toronto has eight games remaining in the regular season. It returns to action Thursday as it continues a California road trip against the San Jose Sharks.
The Maple Leafs’ next home game isn’t until April 8 against the Washington Capitals.
–with files from The Canadian Press
