The pressure on Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving continues to grow as the team struggles to find consistency. The Maple Leafs sit at 10-11-3 and remain one of the most inconsistent teams this season. Their offense has been great, but they allow 3.63 goals on average, which hurts their chances each night.
NHL insider David Pagnotta spoke on Daily Faceoff about the pressure and the possibility of a major move.
“They’re going to have to make moves – like I think the pressure is more from the fan base right now than anything,” Pagnotta said. “Max Domi is available. Brandon Carlo is available. There are other pieces on this team that are available,
“Like even [Matias] Maccelli, by the way, who was brought in to be kind of a second-line kind of guy. Let’s see if you can get the 50-60 points. He has a level of a certain level of energy that he brings to his game. We haven’t even seen that consistently all season, either.”
Pagnotta said that if the Leafs want a true shake-up, Morgan Rielly could be the player involved.
“There’s the one guy… I started to hear his name over the last week, and it might just simply be like nothing out of this one, because he has a full no move,” Pagnotta said. “But Morgan Riley, if you’re going to make an impact move,”
David Pagnotta explained that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not likely to move their core forwards. He listed Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies as players who will stay. That leaves Rielly as the only major trade chip if the team wants a big return. Rielly has a full no-move clause, so any trade would need his approval.
“So where’s that big piece?” Pagnotta asked.
Toronto will have to decide on available players if they look to retool.
Morgan Rielly’s impact on the Maple Leafs’ performance
Morgan Rielly is in the second year of an eight-year, $60 million contract with a cap hit of $7.5 million. His deal expires after the 2029-30 season. He has 18 points in 23 games and continues to play heavy minutes. He is still Toronto’s best puck-moving defenseman and helps lead their transition game. His minus-six rating shows the defensive struggles that continue to affect the entire team.
Their power play is at 15 percent and has not looked sharp for long stretches. They need better structure, cleaner breakouts, and more solid goaltending. These issues increase the pressure on the front office as the season moves forward.
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Edited by Ankit Kumar