The 5 Biggest Positives From Brad Treliving’s Era in Toronto
The Brad Treliving Era in Toronto has mercifully come to a conclusion. What started as a positive ultimately ended up as a significant waste of time. Treliving tore through Toronto in what can only be described as tornadic fashion; it was loud, chaotic, and left a ton of damage in its wake. Following his termination on March 30th, the feedback surrounding the franchise was almost entirely negative, and deservedly so.
The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs under Treliving for the first time in 10 years. They shipped out multiple first-round picks and top prospect Fraser Minten, who, to add insult to injury, has already made a successful jump to the NHL. Almost every major move Treliving made has blown up in his face, including the Trade Deadline, which was butchered, even by the standards of MLSE CEO Keith Pelley. Somehow, Treliving left a franchise that hasn’t won a Championship since 1967 with more questions than answers.
Now, a month and a half removed from Treliving’s termination, and with emotions no longer running high, if we take an objective look at the organization, it’s clear that not everything was as bad as it seemed. In actual fact, if we take a quick look, the cupboards no longer seem nearly as bare as they once were. While his pro scouting and veteran acquisition track record remains highly polarizing, the amateur scouting record under Treliving actually has some positives to report.
While those players were far from enough to save Treliving’s job, building a sustainable winner in the modern NHL requires a deep prospect pool and finding value in the deeper rounds. If we take an objective look at Treliving’s recent history, there just might be a solid foundation for the future. Let’s take a look at the five biggest positives from Treliving’s Era in Toronto.
The 2025 Draft Class (Koblar, Hopkins, and Co.)
It usually takes three to five years to properly grade an NHL Draft Class, but less than one year removed from the 2025 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs may have already managed to find significant value. One of the focuses of last year’s draft class was securing players with high floors who could translate to the NHL, but the Leafs may have found two players who have a higher ceiling than initially thought when drafted. Enter Tinus-Luc Koblar (2nd Round, 64th overall) and Tyler Hopkins (3rd Round, 86th overall).
Koblar is a 6-foot-3 right-shot center and is already holding his own against professionals as an 18-year-old in the SHL with Leksands IF. It is clear that Koblar has the raw physical tools, imposing size, and an advanced two-way game that make him a coveted asset in a league that requires strength down the middle.
Hopkins is a highly competitive, 200-foot center who put together a great year with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs before being traded to the Guelph Storm. Hopkins won gold for Canada at both the U18s and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Hopkins now projects as a reliable, middle-six forward with the ability to drive possession and play tough minutes against the opposing team’s best players.
When you toss in a couple of promising mid-round picks from the draft in Will Belle and Harry Nansi, Toronto may have helped restock the Leafs' forward pipeline with a single draft class.
Miroslav Holinka (The 2024 Late-Round Steal)
When the Maple Leafs selected Miroslav Holinka 151st overall in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, it seemed like a longshot for the Czech-born forward to ever make the NHL. However, when you fast forward just two years, Holinka is one of the fastest-rising players in the Maple Leafs’ system. Holinka took a bit of time to transition to the North American game, but last year, something finally clicked.
In the 2025-26 season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, Holinka exploded for 80 points, 37 of those being goals, all of this in just 59 games. Holinka didn’t slow down when the games got tough either; in seven playoff games, he added seven more goals and four assists.
At 6-foot-2 and weighing just under 200 pounds, Holinka has a lot of tools that may help him transition into an NHL role. He possesses high-end playmaking vision and a high-end release that makes him a threat to score. Holinka joined the AHL’s Toronto Marlies for a single regular-season game, where he scored his first professional point, before returning home for the summer to begin his offseason workouts.
If Holinka continues to build on this, finding this sort of offensive upside in the fifth round could provide the Maple Leafs with significant value, something the team hasn’t found late in drafts.
Ben Danford (2024 First-Round Pick)
The Maple Leafs organization spent nearly two decades searching for right-handed defensemen to complement their left-handed defenders. Now, for the first time in what seems like forever, the Leafs have a legitimate right-handed defender under contract with top-four potential.
Back at the 2024 NHL Draft, after the Canadiens drafted Michael Hage, the team made the decision to trade the 23rd overall pick to Anaheim in exchange for the 31st overall pick and an additional second-rounder. With that 31st pick, the Maple Leafs went somewhat off the board and selected Ben Danford.
After being drafted, Danford returned for two years of junior hockey in the OHL, developing as one of the best defensive defensemen in the league while also learning to better manage the puck. Danford possesses an incredibly reliable 200-foot game. While he doesn’t possess off-the-charts offensive talent, he makes a crisp first pass and transitions well out of trouble. Danford’s hockey IQ might be one of his strongest assets, allowing him to get himself out of trouble with either his feet or his stick. While the pick felt like a stretch at the time, the development of Danford has been one of the major organizational bright spots.
Easton Cowan (2023 First-Round Pick)
When the Toronto Maple Leafs, led by Brad Treliving, approached the podium in Nashville for the 2023 NHL Draft, there was some surprise when the Leafs selected Easton Cowan 28th overall. Heading into the draft, many considered Cowan a longshot to be drafted in the first round, with most mock drafts having him selected late in the second round. At the time, the discourse and confusion among the fan base was merited; however, ever since being selected, Cowan has shown exactly why the Leafs made the decision they did.
Cowan made his NHL debut this year, burning the first year on his entry-level contract, playing 66 games with the Maple Leafs. At times, however, it felt as if Cowan’s development had been stunted by Craig Berube and his coaching style. Since the Leafs’ season ended, Cowan has joined the Toronto Marlies for their playoff push, where he’s finally started to show flashes of his full potential. After putting up 29 points in the NHL this season, Cowan has seven points, including three goals, in 10 playoff games.
Most importantly, Cowan brings with him a compete level that can’t be taught, a high-level hockey IQ, and a knack for producing in high-stakes situations. Cowan has proven at every level just how talented he is, and with a new head coach en route to Toronto, I expect Cowan to take a major step forward next season. Cowan is no longer just a prospect; he is one of the few pieces of this team that the Leafs can comfortably build around for the future.
The 2026 First Overall Pick
Sometimes, the absolute best move a general manager can make is purely by fluke, and that’s exactly what Treliving’s best move will be in Toronto. The Leafs became sellers at the deadline and moved both Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann, creating a path towards the bottom of the standings. Despite his attempts to shore up the defense with Brandon Carlo, Treliving inadvertently sent the Leafs spiraling toward the bottom of the standings. The team sat at the Draft Lottery with just an 8.5% chance to win first overall, but the ping-pong balls bounced in Toronto’s favor, landing the Leafs the first overall pick and a chance to draft Gavin McKenna.
This pick is without a doubt the crown jewel of the organization and a major positive towards the team’s future. The pick helps Toronto bring in an elite talent regardless of which direction they go with the pick, providing Auston Matthews and William Nylander with additional support that this lineup so desperately needs.
So, while Brad Treliving luckily won’t be around to make the pick, his fingerprints are all over the future of this team, for better or for worse.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
After a disastrous tenure, it is incredibly easy to focus on the negatives surrounding the team, of which there are many. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, despite his shortcomings, Treliving and his staff may have left the Leafs with at least a few pieces to be excited about. The foundation for the future of the Maple Leafs might be in a better spot than many understand.