Eleven days after the Toronto Maple Leafs were embarrassed 6–1 in Game 7 by the Florida Panthers, the fallout continues — and the message from the top of the organization is clear: status quo is not an option. What changes will GM Brad Treliving make?
Maple Leafs Walked Brendan Shanahan, What’s Next?
The first major move was the dismissal of Brendan Shanahan as team president. But according to MLSE CEO Keith Pelley, that’s just the beginning. “We have a responsibility to our fans, and that responsibility is winning championships,” he said. “We will not stop until we reach that goal.”
With both general manager Brad Treliving and new head coach Craig Berube retained, all signs point to roster changes being next. Treliving was blunt in his season-ending press conference, saying the team’s “DNA has to change” and promising that planning is already underway for 2025–26.
For Treliving, Is the Core Four the DNA?
What exactly does that mean? The so-called “Core Four” of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares remains under the microscope. Matthews and Nylander are locked in for three more years at premium rates, and neither is expected to move. But Marner, entering the final year of his contract, appears far more likely to test the market. Speculation suggests he might already be preparing for an exit. Treliving’s repeated comments that “it’s up to Marner” only fuel that fire.
Tavares could stay. However, he’d have to return on a drastically reduced salary after his $11 million cap hit expires. That happens this summer. But even beyond the stars, Treliving’s warning suggests that key depth players like Max Domi, David Kämpf, and Jake McCabe could be on the bubble.
Is Treliving Saying No More Tweaks Around the Edges?
The Maple Leafs aren’t just tweaking around the edges. If Treliving follows through on his “DNA change” promise, we may see the most dramatic roster shift since the Shanaplan era began. That will be revealed as the off-season continues after July 1. But Maple Leafs fans should expect something more drastic than they’re used to.
