Brad Treliving Takes Puzzling Stance on Trade to Help the Maple Leafs

While trade speculation has been growing in Toronto amid the Maple Leafs' current slump, the team's GM, Brad Treliving is cautioning people not to hold their breath for a deal anytime soon.

Treliving addressed the media on Tuesday, and the Maple Leafs' recent struggles were front and centre. Still, despite his group failing to launch early this season, Treliving made it clear he's not prepared to empty the cupboards to bring in immediate help.

Treliving insisted that the solution to the Maple Leafs' problems are in the room, adding that a trade for the sake of a trade is not the answer.

While there is truth to Treliving's words, his sentiments have left a bad taste in the mouths of some fans who feel the roster simply isn't up to snuff and needs help to avoid continuing to surrender points.

Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, the team has little left to offer in a trade that would shake up the roster. Prospects and draft picks have been traded away in droves over the last few years in an attempt at a deep playoff run that hasn't come to fruition.

The idea of dealing an Easton Cowan or a Ben Danford just to take a swing that may or may not pan out is not a proposition that Treliving is comfortable with, and I'm not sure I can blame him.

Other than those two pieces and the Leafs' 2028 1st round pick, the team doesn't have much in the way of futures to part with that might entice rival teams to deal them a true difference-maker.

Treliving did state that the Leafs are still interested in adding to the roster, but the deal has to be right for the team and not just a deal for the sake of making a deal.

Any trade the Leafs make will have to be on more of a roster player for roster player sort of deal, as was reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman this week.