TORONTO (July 1) — Don’t be angry with Brad Treliving.

Even if his “big” Canada Day signing was a player that erupted for zero points in 25 games with Montreal last season. There really wasn’t a lot more the general manager of the Maple Leafs could accomplish in free agency this summer. Not after being roped and tied by those who preceded him in making decisions for the hockey club.

In fact, you and I had as much control over the events of the past 36 hours.

Any hockey observer with open eyes and a willingness to acknowledge the misguided administration of Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas could see this train wreck coming for the past half–decade; since at least the 2021 playoff debacle against the Canadiens. Perhaps even beforehand, when the club failed to qualify for the COVID Stanley Cup tournament by losing to Columbus — one year after Shanahan and Dubas accorded Mitch Marner the most–absurd contract of any team in the salary cap era. This was mismanagement of the highest order, yet the apocalypse kept building with nary a chirp from the “neutral” observers entrusted to critique the hockey club.

A prime example occurred on Feb. 13 of this year when Terry Koshan, the veteran hockey scribe at the Toronto Sun, wrote “we’ll keep believing that Marner will re–sign with the Leafs until there is ironclad proof that either he or the Leafs have lost interest in continuing the relationship. So far, there has been nothing to indicate that on either side.” Really? Marner could have signed an eight–year extension with the Maple Leafs beginning July 1, 2024. Seven months and 12 days later, Koshan wrote there was “nothing to indicate” a split in the decade–long marriage between team and player. This is what happens when emotion overcomes journalism, as is sadly common among those who act as conduits to the fan base (most of whom are literally paid by the Maple Leafs; Koshan* not among them and he’s far from alone). When there is no push–back from the media in a delirious hockey market, indifference prevails. It allowed Shanahan, productive in other ways, to keep his work boots stashed and continue telling the masses — with not a shred of validation — that his perennial playoff chokers would get it right.
*Terry has been an excellent reporter for many years. His Marner observation was an outlier.

Neither was Marner the only problem. In fact, he paled in comparison to Auston Matthews. William Nylander fit somewhere in between. As a troika, there was no chance of guiding the Leafs to a Stanley Cup challenge. Demonstrably none after the 2021 first–round embarrassment. Two years prior to collapsing against Montreal, and after consecutive playoff beatdowns by Boston in Game 7, Matthews inked a five–year extension with a cap hit of $11,640,250. Marner followed with a six–year gift that gobbled up $10,903,000 of cap room… and, somehow, complete control over his pact in the final two years. For what? The same as Matthews: illusory and hollow achievement during the regular schedule. Which, clearly, is all that mattered to Shanahan, Dubas and those at the top of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. As such, management had free hand to play a losing hand. Over and over. Within a hockey media market that undeniably became the softest in Canada and, by many lengths, the easiest environment in which to founder. Why, then, should there be any wonderment or consternation over Treliving capping the annual free agent frenzy with forward Michael Pezzetta and his zero points for the Habs last season?

When a team cannot trade its only marketable assets — and is unable to build after casually dumping first–round draft choices for that “quick fix” at the trade deadline — what is left? Precisely what we have today: Another future Hall–of–Fame player walking virtually for free, after Zach Hyman fled to the Oilers three years ago. Complicated by the calamitous offloading of Nazem Kadri because he didn’t “behave” against the Bruins in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs. The fact Kadri was the lone Leaf to show any jam against a Division rival, while the overpaid marshmallows higher up on the roster withered and crumbled, didn’t matter. He got frustrated and was twice suspended.

Shanahan, one of the dirtiest players in National Hockey League history, couldn’t allow for such blasphemy.

I’ll say it again: At no time in the modern history of the Leafs has the club been so carelessly administered.

A bold, efficient hockey man would have dealt one of the M&M boys amid the odor of the Columbus and Montreal playoff disasters. Marner, lavishly extended after the team twice fell apart against the Bruins, had no contract protection until 2024. He should have been traded before his no–movement clause took effect. Instead, Shanahan and Dubas offered full management and control of the team to its twin playoff nomads. With predictable results.

Speaking of which, don’t you wonder what the captain is thinking? His set–up man is gone, replaced on the roster by comparative no–names. With all the potential “DNA changers” smartly avoiding this mosh pit, any such quest by Treliving will be achieved through subtraction. Marner has left. A hard–boiled hockey executive would have allowed John Tavares to walk at age 35, though it’s understandable why Treliving made an exception. Still, the current GM isn’t faultless (he also traded a first–rounder to Philly for Scott Laughton). How long can it be before Captain America realizes there’s not much left for him in the Big Smoke? Limited cachet. And, without question, no anticipated playoff glory. It is hardly difficult to envision Matthews texting Marner with “you lucky prick” after the latter fled to the bright lights of Vegas, where the Stanley Cup is not a foreign concept. If Auston had a sudden rush of competitive fury, he’d be in Treliving’s office by the end of the week. “Get me outta here and give Johnny back the ‘C’,” would be his uncluttered appeal. Matthews has no less the requirement for change than Marner.

The most–glaring misadventure of the week was completely overlooked by the media. A 25–year–old, right–shot defenseman that accrued 70 points two years ago was available for trade. The Leafs haven’t possessed such a figure since Borje Salming, nearly 50 years ago. They will never contend for the Stanley Cup in the absence of a Norris Trophy type. I’m not suggesting Noah Dobson is on his way to the Hockey Hall of Fame, but Treliving could not even bid on him. There were simply no moveable assets to offer the New York Islanders. Instead, Dobson went to Montreal and became the cornerstone of an improving team and historic rival. Wonderful, huh?

Ten years later, that “pain” alluded to by Mike Babcock is likely to come. Full bore.

FROM THE VAULT…

Not to rub it in, but here are pages from the 1966–67 preview issue of The Hockey News, with the Maple Leafs about to win their most–recent Stanley Cup. An upset over the Canadiens. The Oct. 15, 1966 edition was also the weekly newspaper’s 20th anniversary.

 


 

IT WAS BOBBY ORR’S ROOKIE SEASON… AND THE FINAL YEAR OF THE SIX–TEAM NHL.

 
 
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