The Toronto Maple Leafs sparked strong reactions after announcing the departure of general manager Brad Treliving. The decision, shared on X by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, after a disappointing season in which they are going to miss the NHL playoffs.
“Throughout the course of this season, there has been deep analysis into both the current state of the Maple Leafs organization and the direction needed to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering a Stanley Cup championship to the city,” MLSE President & CEO Keith Pelley said in the post. “Brad Treliving is a man that we all have deep respect and appreciation for… but it was determined that the club must chart a new course under different leadership.”
Soon, the post quickly drew mixed responses from fans across social media. And many supporters welcomed the move.
One fan wrote, “About time. Not the best candidate after his track record in Calgary. On to the next.”
Another post read, “THANK YOU!!! Now fire Craig Berube once we have guaranteed our bottom five standings so we retain our first-rounder this year!”
“What a wasteful exercise this was. Should’ve kept Dubas.” A fan reacted.
“Good fu****g riddance,” A fan said, simply.
“Look down the road Toronto. Dale Hunter as a GM and Pete DeBoer behind the bench.” One fan responded.
The tone reflected frustration after a disappointing season.
“We are rightfully happy. Here’s the thing — why in the hell did you let him throw away another deadline just to fire him shortly after? Nothings changed significantly in respect to him since then. Like usual we are a mile short and a few weeks too late. Better have one hell of a replacement.” A fan reacted.
“I’m glad they fired him. But that letter that they released won’t admit that this was a failure. Notice how they only mentioned that first round series win and not admitting that the moves Treliving did failed? They’re gaslighting us,” One fan mentioned.
Some fans pointed to inconsistency in results. Others questioned roster decisions, especially after key offseason changes. The departure of Mitch Marner and the team’s struggles this season added to the criticism. A section of the fan base believes the team failed to build on last year’s progress.
Clearly, the dominant mood leaned toward change and a reset in leadership.
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Maple Leafs shift direction after disappointing 2025-26 NHL season
The Leafs confirmed the move on Monday, with CEO Keith Pelley stating the organization needed a new direction to chase a Stanley Cup. He praised Treliving’s professionalism but said leadership change was necessary.
Treliving, 56, joined Toronto in May 2023 after replacing Kyle Dubas. During his tenure, the Leafs posted a 129-82-27 record. They also recorded a playoff series win over the Ottawa Senators but failed to make a deep postseason run.
This season, Toronto sits at 32-30-13, ranking near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Despite roster additions like Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, results declined sharply.
Berube admitted the team underperformed after the Olympic break. “Last year, we were right there. We didn’t succeed, and this year, we obviously dropped off,” he said.
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Captain Auston Matthews is injured and out for the season, and assistant captain John Tavares also expressed disappointment, saying the group failed to deliver despite strong backing from management.
“(He) put us in the best position to have success,” Tavares said. “… so as a team and individually, it’s certainly disappointing that it’s come to this.”
The Leafs now enter a key phase as they search for new leadership.
