Nov 13, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Kings forward Quintin Byfield (55) screens Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby (35) as defensemen Jake McCabe (22) and Simon Benoit (2) track the play in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs GM Calls Out Lineup

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reaching a desperate place. The team is 8-9-2 in their first 19 games, good for the second-worst record in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. It's a far cry from the 52-win team they were last season.

The Maple Leafs are searching for answers and a path back to winning, and their general manager made it clear where that effort needs to come from. In a recent press conference, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving called out the team's lineup, challenging them to bring a greater commitment to the work needed to get back into contention.

"You have to dig in,” he said. “It’s a commitment to doing the work… just because you did it last year, you have to commit to the work (now). That’s where I see a little of the fallout."

How Will the Maple Leafs Respond?

The GM's comments are a wake-up call to the entire roster. Their performance so far has been anything but acceptable. They've allowed the fourth-most goals in the NHL so far, surrendering 72 goals in 19 games. Hopefully, this is a galvanizing moment for the team, and they respond positively to Treliving's challenge.

The difficulty to meet that challenge remains high without their captain, Auston Matthews, and top defenseman Chris Tanev. The superstar forward isn't expected back from his lower-body injury for several more games, while Tanev is still waiting to be cleared for game action.

That puts even more pressure on forwards William Nylander, Matthew Knies and John Tavares to lead the offensive charge. Without their captain, the team needs a spark from somewhere to get back on track.

Don't Expect a Trade

Treliving isn't giving the roster much of a choice but to play better. Later on in his press conference, the GM made it clear that the plan is for this team to find its way. While he and his staff are constantly searching for ways to improve the roster or make adjustments, Treliving insisted that you can't fix your problems by constantly making roster changes.

"You’re always looking to make your team better," he admitted. "The reality is you’re not trading your way out of problems.”

That comment is extremely telling. To Treliving's credit, he made plenty of moves in the offseason to revamp this group after the departure of superstar Mitch Marner. It wasn't a one-for-one replacement, but he brought in forwards Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy and Mattias Maccelli to try to round out the middle-six group. It hasn't quite panned out yet, but the Maple Leafs are calling on their group to figure things out as soon as possible.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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