Exactly one month after the NHL trade deadline came and went, fallout for a Toronto Maple Leafs botched deal continues to emerge.
In particular, the purported trade involving Matthew Knies continues to generate plenty of speculation. The ongoing chatter suggests that the Leafs were willing to move Knies. However, the deal just didn’t make it across the finish line in time.
The talk suggests that the Maple Leafs asking price was too high for other clubs’ liking. While that may be true, there could have been another reason for the lack of movement.
According to insider Nick Kypreos, the reason why the Knies deal never got across the finish line was because the Maple Leafs, in particular, former GM Brad Treliving, made up his mind about trading Knies far too late.
“A big issue for teams suspected to have been involved in those talks, including Montreal and Chicago, was how late the possibility was raised. Toronto caught teams off guard with the idea, and some were unprepared to make a deal of that magnitude up against the deadline.”
As Kypreos noted, Treliving’s successor will need to figure out if this move will continue in the offseason or if Knies will be off the market.
That said, it’s interesting that this detail regarding the Maple Leafs has emerged after Treliving’s removal. Of course, the former Maple Leafs GM’s departure did not come down to just this one situation.
But it’s an example of just how bad things got for Treliving at this year’s trade deadline.
Treliving Nearly Botched Another Trade
Another report that emerged in the post-deadline fallout was the Scott Laughton trade with the LA Kings. According to the chatter, the Laughton deal went down about two minutes before the deadline officially expired.
It was a fortunate move for the Maple Leafs. Had the deal been held up a couple of more minutes, it would not have counted.
While the return for Laughton wasn’t what Toronto fans were hoping for, it happened at the very least.
When filling in some more of the details after the trade deadline, it seems like there was some decision paralysis afflicting Leafs’ management. That might have been the reason why other deals didn’t happen, such as moving Brandon Carlo, Nick Robertson, or Calle Jarnkrok, among others.
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Maple Leafs New GM Will Need to Be Decisive
The most important quality the Maple Leafs could be looking for in their new GM is decisiveness. With an aggressive retool likely on the horizon, the organization will need someone who’s not afraid to make tough calls.
That may be easier said than done. While there may be an appetite to move players like Morgan Rielly, doing so won’t be easy. The Leafs will need to figure out what other clubs are willing to pay for the pieces the Maple Leafs have.
That particular situation could represent the need for an experienced executive. Bringing in someone shiny and new might seem like a good idea from a media perspective. But the reality is that this offseason could be too much for a greenhorn.
Consequently, the Maple Leafs will need to tap someone with at least some experience. If the organization can land a bulldog, all the better.
The one certain thing is that the Leafs don’t have much time. They can’t afford to take forever. That’s why they made the move when they did. The organization only bought itself some time ahead of a complex offseason.
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