Brad Treliving Blasts Leafs Player During Shocking Live Press Conference
Photo credit: X
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving got brutally honest about how things worked out with defenseman Jani Hakanpaa during his press conference.
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is currently hosting his end-of-season press conference with reporters in the aftermath of their latest Game 7 failure, this time at the hands of the divisional foe Florida Panthers earlier in the month.
Last summer, the Maple Leafs believed that they had bolstered their defense with the signing of defenseman Jani Hakanpaa to a 2-year deal; the deal was officially delayed in signing because of concerns regarding his ongoing knee injury.
While the contract would later be officially signed in September of 2024, he only played 2 games for the Maple Leafs. He was placed on LTIR on December 2 and never made it back into the lineup.
Treliving acknowledged this in his presser, saying that they gambled and lost with Hakanpaa.
There was always risk. We took a swing and it didn't work out.
He went pointless in both games that he played for Toronto, as well as both games he played for the AHL's Toronto Marlies in a conditioning assignment.
Not only this, but Treliving also hinted at potential big changes to the roster for next season, saying that the DNA of the club needed changing.
There's some DNA that has to change in our team. If you keep getting to the same result, there's some DNA that needs to change. That's on me going forward.
We've now started the planning, and it's early, for putting a team together for 2025-26.
We've now started the planning, and it's early, for putting a team together for 2025-26.
Some of the DNA that Treliving could be referring to may potentially include forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares, both of whom are pending UFAs and can cash in on the open market beginning on July 1.
By all indications, most analysts believe that Marner's time in Toronto has run its course and that he'll be playing elsewhere in the fall.
| POLL | ||
MAI 29 | 494 ANSWERS Brad Treliving Blasts Leafs Player During Shocking Live Press Conference Has Brad Treliving proven himself worthy of being the Maple Leafs' GM? | ||
| Yes | 271 | 54.9 % |
| No | 223 | 45.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
