[SuperMatt18]

To me Treliving's issue remains the same as it was in Calgary.

He wasn't willing to move the substantial package required to bring in that premium help.

But is willing to make numerous trades where you end up spending all your assets to bring in non-premium help.

Carlo
Laughton
2025 4th
2027 6th

for

2027 1st
2026 1st
Fraser Minten
Nikita Grebenkin
2025 4th

I feel like 2 1sts, Minten and Grebenkin should have been able to bring in a more impactful piece than Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo. At least in Toronto's case he was able to get guys with extra term remaining with the salary retention to make it a bit more palatable (Laughton - 1 x $1.5, Carlo 2 x $3.5M) but still feels like that type of package could have gotten them a top pairing or close to true number 1 d-man they desperately need in the offseason.

The top forwards will get blamed for their failures again - but the problem remains that the Leafs have a poor forward group beyond their top 5 guys (Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Marner, Knies) and they have no real top pairing d-men but have a lot of guys that would ideally be on your second pairing.