03 Feb 2026 20:54:28
Sorry in advance to RLF, though I agree than Dubas was mostly only average in his tenure.
Plus I don’t blame Treliving for the Tchachuk trade.
The numbers IMO haven’t really supported Tre so far during his time here in Toronto.
I hope my research is correct but I may have a couple of small things not quite right.
He’s made 7 trades: 6 players in 3 players out.
Only 2-4 players (depends on how you want to count it) remain at present Laughton & Carlo, Tanev ison LTIR and Webber in AHL.
Laughton and Carlo may be traded soon.
The 3 players out are Lafferty (I don’t really care), Minten and Grebenkin (I do care) .
Tre has made 13 UFA signings with only 3 players remaining: Benoit, everybody’s favourite Max Domin and Rifai who was a resigning.
The 3 RFA signings are elsewhere but only 1 in the NHL (Pontus Holmberg who is doing fine in Boston) .
Tre has extended 4 UFAs in Matthews, Nylander, McMann and Benoit. These resigning are positive but one can argue that Marner’s departure was a failure especially when considering his AAV.
He’s made some decent draft picks I think, most notably Easton Cowan.
Most people on this site have been critical of his inaction this year.
I’m not on that side at this point.
Sometimes it’s better to be slower and more methodical, letting more questionable things become clarified with time and waiting to closer to TDL.
Tre may prove yet that this is a good strategy.
For me, I don’t rate him worse than Dubas but I’m also not going to say he’s better.
I’d be surprised to see him and therefore Bérubé back if the Leafs miss the playoffs.
If this happens I will feel badly only for Berube.
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03 Feb 2026 13:15:26
After the Leafs win against Calgary they are closer to a wildcard spot than in 28th or lower overall!
I’ve hoped they’d lose the last two games but once again let me down by winning.
We need a direct line to Tre to guide him on how to tank!
03 Feb 2026 16:25:54
He's trying to do the Leafiest thing. Finish 1 point out of the playoffs and give Boston a great pick.
03 Feb 2026 01:24:16
Can I make sense of this please, if everyone is saying it’s a retool and not a rebuild then why the heck are we trading McMann? We are going to overpay to get a guy just like him. This guy has heart, speed, size plays the right f*ing way. At not even 30 and if retool is in the plans, I’m building around McMann, Knies, Cowan, Robertson and maybe keep Laughton as we can use a good mentor for the young guys coming up. Get a package together for Nylander, Matthews and Mo.
03 Feb 2026 13:12:02
A good question I think Clarky.
Retools are intended to be faster as you know and often involve securing players with term through trades.
Rebuilds focus more on draft picks which take longer to reap a benefit.
So I think you’re right if the Leafs trade McMann for ONLY picks. It’s a rebuild.
It’s perhaps only semantics as well. Getting back future help for a good player.
Again for me, trading McMann will hurt short-term but might help as soon as next year if our return helps next year. And we also try to resign McMann.
03 Feb 2026 16:13:12
If retooling, I would be doing my best to re-sign McMann and Laughton, but I need to know that before the TDL. Can't have them both walk with no return. Move out other UFA's that aren't likely to be re-signed like Jarnkrok. Get a 4th or 5th and call it a day. May get a good offer on Roy or Carlo, If it makes sense, I'd move either of those two as well. It's Robertson or Maccelli and not both for me. One needs to go either now or in the summer. Goalies - Unless someone offers big for Stolarz, figure it out in the summer. Domi etc as well. The Matthews, Domi, McMann line is not a bad line. They are often the most dangerous. The problem is how little the 2nd does without Willy and how little the 3rd line does on too many nights.
02 Feb 2026 12:09:53
Just a couple of thoughts about securing a bottom-5 and retaining our 1st in 2026.
First, while I think Cowan will be a decent L2 contributor with some time on L1, I’d send him to the AHL for the year and get plenty of opportunity to learn how to play against men at key points in a game.
I’d give full-time L4 duties to Quillan for sure and have him replace Jarnkrok. Jarnkrok won’t be back.
I’d also see what Bo Groux (? ) and Borja Valis can do. Give them both a true test and chance to see what they can do. Is Groux another McMann and can Valis drive the net with power in the NHL.
02 Feb 2026 18:13:15
Agreed with all of this. Especially Quillan. I really like the way he plays.
30 Jan 2026 23:44:24
This team is an utter disgrace.
Fire Mr Boston pizza, hire mark hunter as new gm.
Burn this rubbish to the ground trade anyone of value for picks and prospects. Hire deboer and send Berube packing!
**** this rubbish!
30 Jan 2026 23:25:54
Another Mark Hunter post lol.
I seriously don't get it. Why is Mark Hunter the greatest GM in NHL history?
30 Jan 2026 03:35:28
Trade everyone you can for prospects and draft picks, fire Treliving and beg Mark Hunter to come back and become the GM. Shanahan screwed us over with that let go! Dubas traded the cupboards for players that had no term and left the second they could. Treliving traded prospects and draft pics for players with term at least but gave up a lot to get them. Hasn’t paid off. Echos his Tkachuk trade. Our window has closed.
30 Jan 2026 12:00:10
Tkatchuk trade was lauded as wizardry at the time. I can't fault Tre there.
What's with some people and Mark Hunter? I don't get it. It's like some people see an alternate universe where everything went perfectly because it was Hunter instead of Dubas.
30 Jan 2026 17:10:00
Tkachuk also insisted on a trade and would only go to Florida.
01 Feb 2026 21:08:20
As someone in Calgary, the thoughts regarding tkachuk was someone gm would give a first and a prospect for him. Huberdeau coming off a 110 point season was seen as a grand slam. The tkachuk only would go to the panthers also wasn't really true. He wanted to go to an American team that was a playoff team. The reigning presidents trophy winners just fit that bill. Still it went down as an awful trade, but rear view is always 20-20 right?
02 Feb 2026 17:40:12
Did Tkachuk not publicly thank Tre after the trade for making it happen as Florida was the only place he wanted to go. I thought he did.
30 Jan 2026 01:49:34
Watching Bruins vs Flyers tonight and seeing Minton and Grebenkov light it up I sure hope Treleving gets fired before he trades anymore of our prospects away !
28 Jan 2026 19:06:21
Time to talk about the REAL elephant in the room. Yes, McCabe has been playing awful by his standards and we have injuries etc. The coach and GM are also getting major blame etc.
To me, the real elephant in the room is that this is a team that do not believe in themselves. I know sone will say "You can't know that. " And true, I cannot say for certain, but there are typical indicators when a team doesn't believe in themselves, and the Leafs display them.
1. Too many times the other team scores at the start of a period or end of a period. Generally at the start of the period, Leafs are timid, don't want to make a mistake and therefore let the other team take it to them. At the end of the period, they play "hold-on" hockey and just try to defend. Both those scenarios can, and often do, indicate a lack of confidence
2. Going into the 3rd with a lead they sit back and just try to defend. Confident teams try and put the other team away. Teams that lack belief, just try to hold on and defend.
3. Body language. They can say they have believe in themselves, but their body language often looks like defeat. They rarely look angry at the other team, instead they look frustrated and defeated.
4. Double covering. Too many times a Leaf leaves their own coverage in front of their net to help another Leaf they think is in trouble behind the net. That's panic. Instead of protecting the danger area, they double the guy in the non-danger area. NHL pros don't do that when they are playing confidently because the non-danger guy doesn't worry them as much as the guy in front.
5. Slow to react and read plays. The Leafs as a team I don't think are slow, but their reactions and reads are. That often happens when you second guess if you should or should not. When a team is confident and cohesive, they know what to do and where to be. The Leafs are often a split second too late and a step behind. It's not a speed issue, it is a puck watching issue. You watch the puck too much when you fear who has it is the danger and not where it will end up. It's the guy cross seam for an open look at the net is the danger and they are often too late to see it.
Anyhow. Change the coach and GM if it will actually help. I don't think it will though. Can they reset during the Olympic break. I guess it's possible. But they will be very fragile if things don't go really well after they return from the break.
28 Jan 2026 19:29:20
I think you have accurately captured the reality of our plight.
Unfortunately I see no reset in sight so tear it down and get back what you can.
As a strategy I might favour players already drafted in the last 2 or 3 years to shorten the rebuild.
Also focus on UFAs that are not past 30yo.
28 Jan 2026 21:35:50
I really don't have much to add here. Well put.
This is not a situation I see getting better with the current "leadership" or Berube (although I think he's checked out as well) .
I would bring in a new coach, try and retool on the fly for one year and if it does not work, then pull the chute and just say it's a rebuild.
29 Jan 2026 08:54:54
Hard to disagree I think leafs should leave the coaching staff intact for the rest of the year then replace them all in the summer. Fire tre now and get the new guy in before the deadline or have the 5 assistant gms do the job.
29 Jan 2026 12:32:04
I said earlier that Berube’s future rests solely on whether the Leafs keep Tre.
All GMs pick their coach.
28 Jan 2026 16:57:06
1. Fire Brad promote Pridham
2. Trade and trade,
Carlo costed a 1st and a prospect
Detroit is looking for a right d man
Laughton costed the same, hopefully a 1st and something
OEL the way he is playing should get a first and prospect
Benoit pick or 2
Jarnkrok anything
Domi take please
Stolarz a team at the deadline may over pay
McMann should be able to get something-Edmonton?
Get rid of Machelli,
IF this can be done should be enough to tank into bottom 5, getting 1st back from Boston
Keep Robertson his bro may come aboard
I do not know who will take these guys but they got a try. Where’s trader Cliff.
28 Jan 2026 10:01:43
This is the list of players I’d like to move to actually change our identity. Not say that, then go and sign Maccelli .
Matthews - he is not resigning here anyway. Get a package for him
Nylander - not gonna win the SC with one dimensional players and Willy is the definition of that.
Domi - inconsistency is his nemesis. Oh ya and defensive play.
Maccelli - never liked this pick up. Played better recently but still would be useless in a playoff series
Reilly - no explanation needed
OEL - love him but with his age and us not going anywhere might as well get something back of value now.
McCabe - not sure if he has had too many concussions but he has become a turnover machine.
Tanev - don’t think we can move that contract.
Carlo - I’d trade if you got some decent value back considering he cost us a 1st and Minten.
Stolarz or Woll in the off-season make the trade. I just want to see if Stolly gets back to how he was playing last year (lights out)
28 Jan 2026 12:49:06
If you are completely rebuilding then that would be the way to go. Might as well add McMann and Roy as well to get assets.
28 Jan 2026 19:29:46
I’m in!
28 Jan 2026 22:32:59
I’m not adding McMann. Why is everyone adding McMann, I do not get it. Yes I know he is due for a raise but he deserves it. He has been making peanuts these last two years. Berube doesn’t use him nowhere near as much as he should. How is one of the fastest players in the league (with great work ethic) not on PK, 3 on 3 and barely in PP? He is misused and if we trade him some other team is gonna use him how they should and he will be putting up 30+ goals each year and 50 points while playing the RIGHT way not the Nylander way.
29 Jan 2026 02:04:15
Clarky. If you are rebuilding by selling off basically the whole team, why keep McMann? He will be on a bottom feeder for what good years he has left. I have been the biggest McMann supporter on here and if we are going scorched earth, even if would trade him for the assets coming back.
29 Jan 2026 13:47:10
I will add this. Trade all those guys and what incentive does McMann have to re-sign when they won't even likely be a playoff team for at least another 2-3 years? He will be 30 this year, his time to win is running out. As much as I like McMann and Laughton, it's not like they are going to be your two top players you can build a team around. He also has not said he wants to re-sign. He said he is open to it and likes it here, but will trust his agents advice on whether to re-sign or test the market.
28 Jan 2026 03:17:03
Ok, I liked the Berube signing, but it's time to throw him out the door. That's the only meaningful change you can make and I also have not liked his decisions for awhile now.
28 Jan 2026 08:20:24
It’s so odd how he went from switching the lines every period to not making any adjustments at all almost like he’s given up.
28 Jan 2026 12:32:02
Honestly, at this point, I don't see the point in firing Berube unless you believe the team is a coach away from going 20-9 for the rest of the season.
His message is true. It's their mindset in too often not wanting to play an in your face, pressure, physical game. Until they stop stupid mistakes, the puck is going to end up in the back of their net. They are not built to play run and gun which only works in the regular season anyway. Woll was not good last night, which didn't help.
My biggest complaint is that 3rd line. I know some of you really like or liked it. I never did. Roy was excellent last game, looked like the guy I thought we were getting, which hasn't been often enough this year. Robertson has been fairly invisible again lately. Cowan makes way too many mistakes with the puck. Not a good 3rd line. It's like the 2nd line you would see on a team that sucks going through a complete rebuild.
You fire the coach and the players win. You are telling them that we will find a guy that coaches the way YOU want to play, which barely got them out of the first round once. Just leave it for the rest of the season and reset in the off-season imo.
28 Jan 2026 19:31:26
If the upper echelon have confidence in Treliving then Bérubé will stay.
If not Bérubé will bite the dust as well.