'You can’t make transactions to escape your problems'

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 3:55 PM ET

As you no doubt know, the Maple Leafs’ season is going rather badly.

As we speak, the Toronto club is 15th in the East. Only the poor Buffalo Sabres are currently behind the Queen City club.

Ouch, you say?

Obviously, there are some big questions in town. And Brad Treliving, the club’s GM, appeared before the media to talk about his organization.

First of all, he clarified that his head coach, Craig Berube, isn’t going anywhere.

Brad Treliving defends Craig Berube amid the Leafs’ struggles: “I believe in Craig and his messaging”: www.nytimes.com/athletic/681…

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– Jonas Siegel(@jonassiegel.bsky.social) November 18, 2025 at 12:25 PM

But what I found most interesting was seeing the club’s GM take responsibility for the ugly start to the season on his shoulders and say he had to do better.

And to hear him talk, it’s not going to be easy to get there, because even if you’re always looking to improve your club…

“You can’t trade your way out of problems.” – Brad Treliving

Even with Auston Matthews closing in on a return to action, it’s going to take quite a bit more than that to help the Maple Leafs climb back up the increasingly steep hill.

The sample is starting to get pretty big, with the American Thanksgiving coming up, so we’ll be able to rely on the standings.

I wonder what Kent Hughes thinks of this sentence, uttered by his Toronto counterpart. Because even if transactions can help, there’s some truth to it.

But then again, Craig Berube was more the target of his GM’s message than anything else. Despite the vote of confidence, Berube has to give more than that, obviously… and I don’t think that sentence, in context, could apply to the Habs.