The search for a new star to replace Mitch Marner hasn’t had much success so far in the NHL offseason. While the Toronto Maple Leafs focus on bolstering their depth, they would still like to bring in a new star teammate for Auston Matthews. However, reports indicate that pursuit is being hindered by general manager Brad Treliving’s past with the Calgary Flames.
Who says NHL teams can’t be petty? That seems to be exactly what’s stalling conversations between the Maple Leafs and Flames, as the former show interest in trading for Nazem Kadri. Acquiring the 34-year-old forward was never going to be easy for Matthews’ Leafs. Still, it’s now turning into mission impossible thanks to Treliving’s history with the organization in Stampede City.
The Maple Leafs are seemingly facing trade battles on several fronts, yet, they’re spreading themselves too thin. As the common saying goes: jack of all trades, master of none. And Toronto’s shopping list in the NHL offseason is currently suffering due to it.
Burned
Treliving — who served as GM in Calgary from 2014 to 2023 — has had no luck doing business with his former organization in the past. As the Leafs hope to bring Kadri back to The Six and fill Marner’s void, the lingering bad blood between the two sides might come back to bite Matthews and company once again.
“Brad Treliving has tried numerous times to trade with his old club [Calgary] in the past only to be shut down on Brandon Tanev, Nikita Zadorov and Rasmus Andersson. It may be a stretch for the Leafs to land Kadri,” insider Nick Kypreos reported, per Sportsnet.
Based on this report, there may be more to Treliving’s exit from the Flames, and an ultimatum might have been issued within the organization not to trade with him or the Leafs.
One of his final acts
It’s hard not to think about Treliving’s tenure in Calgary without revisiting the blockbuster trade he completed in the summer of 2022. What initially felt like a fleece from the Flames to the Florida Panthers, completely flipped over after the Cats hoisted back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Treliving traded Matthew Tkachuk — then an RFA who had made it clear he wouldn’t re-sign long-term in Calgary — to Florida. The Flames acquired Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 first-round pick (which turned into Cullen Potter).
When you play with fire…
The consensus around the league was that the Flames had won the trade by a landslide. That was until the NHL season began, and reality turned out to be almost the complete opposite. That was Treliving’s final season in the Sandstone City, as the two sides agreed to part ways after the 2022-23 season.
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Immediately afterwards, Treliving joined the Maple Leafs. While many thought all was forgiven, it appears Calgary’s grudge against him is far from being swept under the rug. Matthews and company might be suffering the consequences for it.