After the first day of free agency and watching some important players leave for various reasons, many questioned what Leafs GM Brad Treliving was doing just sitting on his hands. As it turns out, he was quietly working the phones behind closed doors and making pitches to Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. Bertuzzi joined the Leafs on Sunday on a 1-year, $5.5M deal while Domi signed a 1-year deal worth $3M. On Monday, Treliving spoke to the media about the two newest Leafs and what they bring to the team. His commentary on Bertuzzi and Domi yielded one pretty awesome quote about what we can expect from the two feisty forwards.
Snot, snarl, teeth, jam - whatever you want to call it, Bertuzzi and Domi have it in spades. These are two players who don't care what the opposition's plan is on any given night. Their goal is to be disruptive and to cause some havoc. Yes, the offense they provide is important, but that "snot" that Treliving spoke of is something the Leafs have been lacking for some time. We got a taste of it with Michael Bunting, but we're about to see a whole new level of it with Bertuzzi and Domi.
Another key area of need in Treliving's eyes was bringing in players who aren't afraid to attack the blue paint and make life miserable for goaltenders and opposing defenders. The Leafs have a lot of skill and some good net-front options, but nobody who really gets under the skin of defenders and goaltenders and thrives in the tougher areas.
Treliving also spent a great deal of time discussing Domi's desire to be a Leaf and all of the history that comes with him. Obviously, Max's dad, Tie Domi, was a beloved Leaf for a long time. Treliving was very clear that Max was not a "legacy signing" and that he loves what Max brings to the table in terms of his own game. Nobody is asking him to be his dad.
Both players are taking "prove it" deals, the same way Ilya Samsonov did last year and will hope to cash in next off-season when the cap is expected to rise significantly. The hope here is that both players fit well within the Leafs' locker room and into the systems that Sheldon Keefe has implemented. If they show well, perhaps we could see both extended when they become eligible after January 1st.
