Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving on potential trades, upgrades: ‘We’re always looking’

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving caught up with several members of the media at the general manager meetings in Detroit this week, and opened up about the outlook of his roster. Known to be one of the more active executives when it comes to discussing trade scenarios, Treliving sent a clear message to Leafs Nation that he’s always trying to improve the hockey club.

The Maple Leafs had a very busy offseason with multiple trades, and summer signings. With training camp right around the corner, there’s certainly some potential Treliving pulls the trigger on another move before the Leafs first preseason game.

“We’re always looking,” Treliving told Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. “I don’t think you ever stop. Whether it happens or not, we’ll see. We’ve got a lot of bodies right now, so we’ll see. More than likely, unless something changes, we’ll go with what we’ve got and see where it all sorts itself out.”

The Maple Leafs have $1.9 million in cap space heading into training camp. Treliving has a full 23-man roster set at the moment, without any players in need of a contract heading into camp. Meanwhile, with Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll set as the tandem in net and a defence core that’s fully intact from last season, it’s quite obvious if the Maple Leafs GM makes a move, it’s going to be up front.

With the additions of Nicolas Roy, Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, and Michael Pezzetta, the Maple Leafs have a crowded depth chart among their forward group. The identity has shifted, there’s no doubt about that, but the internal competition is more of the storyline heading into training camp. Head coach Craig Berube has a big task in front of him to construct his lineup without Mitch Marner on the top line, so look for the Leafs’ bench boss to use the preseason games to try out different line combinations to find something he’s comfortable with heading into the season.

Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf, and Nick Robertson continue to be the three most likely trade candidates off Toronto’s roster. Robertson holds trade value and untapped potential, meanwhile as it stands right now, Jarnkrok and Kampf have minimal trade value, and will need to play in some meaningful games to help increase their stock.

Treliving never stops. He’s always talking to other GM’s trying to navigate ways to improve the Maple Leafs, and with limited trade assets throughout the organization, he’ll need to get creative if he’s going to do anything to move the needle of this roster. It won’t be for a lack of trying, that’s for sure.