Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving sat down with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic to discuss what he’s seen so far from his hockey club under new head coach Craig Berube. Needless to say, positive vibes are in the air, and Treliving is thrilled with how the team has taken on Berube’s identity.
The Maple Leafs are first in the Atlantic Division heading into Game 21 Sunday vs. Utah HC and have shown an ability to win hockey games in many different ways under Berube, something the GM feels has a lot to do with the team’s new bench boss.
“I think so,” Treliving told The Athletic on Friday. “I do think at the end of the day, teams do take on the personality of their coach, right? One of the things we talked about a lot during the summer is building the identity of our team. We both think that’s really important”.
Once a high-flying, potent offence, the Maple Leafs are grinding out victories and using their defensive tactics to create scoring chances. Toronto ranks 16th in goals scored per game; however, is fourth in the league, allowing just 2.50 goals per game. Of course, having Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz holding down the crease helps, as well as Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the back end. Still, there are many more layers to the team’s new structure under Berube, one that the Maple Leafs continue to adapt to.
“It takes time. There’s some things we wanted to change, and sometimes changing some habits takes a bit of time. But … I’ve been real proud of how the group is playing.” Treliving said.
Treliving knows strong defence is the catalyst of any Stanley Cup-winning team, and as the Florida Panthers put on display last year, you can check your opponents to the ground, and the constant forecheck can wear teams down in a seven-game playoff series.
“We’re not trying to say, ‘Don’t score.’ But we need to have a foundation of checking. And we need to have a foundation of really valuing the blue paint on both sides and being good around both nets,” he continued. “There is a focus making sure that our goals against is better, that we’re limiting chances, that we’re checking better. Because ultimately, that’s winning hockey.”
With Auston Matthews out of the lineup recently, along with five other regulars up front, the Maple Leafs have won six out of seven games and continue to outwork their opponents. This was something Berube preached from day one on the job, how he wanted his team to outwork other teams on a nightly basis, and it’s a philosophy Treliving hopes results in the Maple Leafs winning the ultimate prize.
“Yes, you need skill. Yes, you need talent. Yes, you need to create offence. One hundred percent. And we believe in that. But you have to be able to check. If you can’t check … you can’t score your way out of problems. It just doesn’t work. And our guys are embracing that.”
Embracing it, indeed. The Maple Leafs are one of the hottest teams in the NHL and are starting to create the identity both Treliving and Berube were hoping for.
