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Jay on Leafs: Treliving's Trade of Reaves Ushers in Era of Accountability |
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Message Sent: Treliving's Trade of Reaves Ushers in Era of Accountability
When Brad Treliving brought Ryan Reaves to Toronto, the goal was to alter the culture in the Maple Leafs' locker room. Two years later, and for that very same reason, Treliving traded the enforcer away.
On July 1, 2023, Reaves signed a three-year contract with an annual salary of $1.35 million. Fans were surprised that the Leafs would offer the 35-year-old a multi-season deal. The signing was intended to provide on-ice protection for the team's stars but, more importantly, to help repair a divided locker room culture—a task at which he proved unsuccessful.
After Mitch Marner signed with the Vegas Golden Knights, he revealed that both Ryan Reaves and Max Pacioretty had helped sell him on the idea of playing in Vegas. In an interview earlier this week, Reaves attempted to vindicate Marner's decision. During the interview, Reaves also claimed that Leafs’ fans can be "ruthless" and that sometimes they "just want to point fingers."
Following the interview, Brad Treliving wasted no time showing just how ruthless he could be, pointing the finger directly back at Reaves. Late Thursday night, the Leafs announced they had traded Reaves to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Henry Thrun. While the acquisition of Thrun is a victory in itself, the biggest win for Toronto is the new standard of accountability Treliving has implemented.
After being eliminated from the playoffs, fans were furious with the team, and justifiably so. Treliving has now shown every member of the organization that there will be no passengers. This move signals a major shift from the Brendan Shanahan era's mentality of keeping players comfortable, instead placing the responsibility squarely back on them.
It is clear that the Maple Leafs will no longer accept internal self-sabotage or a player focused on personal goals. Reaves expressed his desire to play for several more seasons and reach the 1,000-game milestone. Now, the enforcer who often refused to drop the gloves will have an opportunity to chase his milestone elsewhere, in a market where failure is more acceptable.
This move, based purely on the message it sends, is a victory for the team, the General Manager, and the Maple Leafs organization. Congratulations to Brad Treliving and Keith Pelley for taking the first step towards true accountability.
"The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate." - Gruenter and Whitaker
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