Maple Leafs Star Nylander Blames Players for GM Treliving's Firing

Nylander says the team's poor performance this season led to the abrupt dismissal of Toronto's general manager.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:19pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game in motion, with the players and ice broken down into overlapping angular shapes and planes, centered around the puck as the focal point.The Maple Leafs' disappointing season leads to a front-office shakeup, with the players acknowledging their role in the GM's dismissal.San Jose Today

The Toronto Maple Leafs have parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving following a disappointing season that has the team on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. Star forward William Nylander acknowledged the players must share the blame for Treliving's dismissal, saying 'it's not just his fault' and that the team's performance 'wasn't good enough' this year.

Why it matters

The Maple Leafs have been one of the NHL's most consistent playoff teams in recent years, making the postseason in each of the last seven seasons. Treliving's firing signals a major shakeup for the organization as they look to get back on track and return to the playoffs.

The details

Treliving was hired as the Maple Leafs' GM in May 2023, replacing Kyle Dubas. In his first two seasons, the team qualified for the playoffs, including a run to the second round last year before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. However, this season has been a struggle, with the Leafs posting a 32-30-13 record and sitting well outside the wild-card race with just a handful of games remaining.

  • The Maple Leafs learned of Treliving's dismissal shortly before warm-ups ahead of Monday's game against the Anaheim Ducks.
  • Toronto rallied for a 5-4 overtime victory over the Ducks on the night Treliving was fired.

The players

William Nylander

A star forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs who led the team with 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in the game following Treliving's firing.

Brad Treliving

The former general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs who was abruptly fired after two seasons with the team.

Matthew Knies

A Maple Leafs forward who called Treliving's dismissal 'a little shocking' and 'pretty abrupt.'

John Tavares

The Maple Leafs captain who said the team is 'extremely disappointed' by Treliving's firing and that he 'brought us all in here & had a tremendous belief in this group.'

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What they’re saying

“Obviously it's sad … Just shows what we did this year wasn't good enough. That sucks because that comes on the players too. It's not just his fault.”

— William Nylander, Maple Leafs Forward

“A little shocking, to be honest. Pretty abrupt. Not much of a notice right before the game … now it's starting to set in. I wish him the best of luck. An unbelievable person. He got to know me really well & I cherish that relationship we had.”

— Matthew Knies, Maple Leafs Forward

“It's really difficult. It's still hard to understand the grasp of it all, but mostly we're extremely disappointed as a team … Brad brought us all in here & had a tremendous belief in this group.”

— John Tavares, Maple Leafs Captain

What’s next

Toronto has not yet named a replacement for Treliving, leaving uncertainty around the club's leadership heading into the offseason. For now, the Leafs will try to finish the schedule strong, beginning with their next matchup against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

The takeaway

Nylander's candid comments make it clear that the Maple Leafs players recognize their role in Treliving's dismissal and the need to respond better next season. The front-office shakeup marks a pivotal moment for the organization as they look to get back on track and return to the playoffs.