Brad Treliving seals the Toronto Maple Leafs' fate with season-altering decision

Maple Leafs fans have been begging Brad Treliving to make a move to improve the team, especially now that they are last in the Atlantic Division.

Of course, it's really not that easy. In order to make big improvements to the team, the Leafs would have to give up a plethora of assets.

Guys like Rasmus Andersson and Dougie Hamilton don't come cheap. The same can be said of Jonathan Marchessault, another player the Leafs are interested in.

According to Elliotte Friedman, Treliving is aware of the costs of doing business and has made an internal decision that may surprise some people.

Simply put, the Leafs are more interested in making small moves right now. Moves that won't actually break the bank and leave them hurting for assets.

With that in mind, fans shouldn't expect to see the Maple Leafs make a big move anytime soon. Instead, Treliving wants to be pragmatic and conservative.

This news may come as a surprise to some fans, but it makes a whole lot of sense. At the end of the day, it doesn't make sense for the Leafs to hit the panic button and make moves that won't benefit the team long-term.

The season isn't even 50 percent complete. There is still time for the Leafs to come back and get themselves into a playoff spot.

Not to mention, the trade deadline is coming up in March, and some new opportunities will pop up eventually.