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Maple LeaMaple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Willing to Move First-Round Pick 'If It Makes Sense' Between Now and NHL Trade Deadlinefs GM Brad Treliving Willing to Move First-Round Pick 'If It Makes Sense' Between Now and Trade Deadline

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Maple Leafs
By David Alter | Last updated 3/1/24

Brad Treliving isn't ruling anything out between now and the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 8.

Speaking one day after he acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for third and sixth-round picks as part of a three-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, Treliving made it clear that he aims to continue to improve the club.

"We’re going to be as creative as possible," Treliving said on Friday. "That’s part of today’s NHL. Part of the attraction with Ilya is him coming in a $687,500, it allows you some flexibility. We’re going to see where we can help ourselves."

Treliving did not address what other positions he may shore up. The club did leave themselves open up to some more moves without taking anybody away by having two other clubs eat a combined 75 percent of Lyubushkin's $2.75 million cap hit.

They acquired Lyubushkin one day after they were reportedly interested in Chris Tanev, who was dealt to the Dallas Stars.

With little draft capital left, is Treliving willing to move a first-round draft pick?

"I think you’ve got to be careful with first-round picks for short-term help," Treliving said. But if it makes sense, at the end of the day when you do the final analysis and you think it’s going to have an impact you have to look at every opportunity, but it has to make sense.

The Maple Leafs recently went on a seven-game winning streak that dramatically improved their record in the standings. Treliving didn't say that the streak changed his approach to how much, if at all, he was going to become a buyer, but admitted the improved record in the standings had an impact.

"Nobody is home and clear here, it certainly put us in a better position," Treliving said. "You see some different things we’ve made some lineup changes with our roster. So it’s not just about where you are in the standings but where different people fit and maybe it changes what you need.

Finally, there was an admission that the Leafs, like other teams, are just simply limited in what they can do.

"I think we’ve got a good team, I think there are areas that we still need to address," Treliving said. "Will we be able to address them all by the deadline? No. That’s just the reality. And not every team will. But is there a way for us to help ourselves between now and Friday, that’s what we’re going to try to do.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Maple Leafs and was syndicated with permission.

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