Maple Leafs in Limbo: GM, Coach, and the Players in Question

This has been a weird season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the past nine years, the story was always “Who will they face in the playoffs? Can they get past the first round?”

This season, it looks like they might not even make it. That opens a whole new set of questions: Who will be held accountable? Which players could be on the move at the trade deadline? Is a bigger shakeup coming in the front office? The Maple Leafs are suddenly a team full of questions — and none of them are easy.

If the Maple Leafs Make Moves, Who Should Go First?

On the Real Kyper & Bourne Show, the two hosts looked at the Maple Leafs and asked: Who should move first? The head coach? The general manager (GM)? The players? The buzz around Craig Berube and Brad Treliving keeps swirling, but the reality is a little more complicated than the chatter suggests.

Start with the big question first: the GM. Treliving hasn’t been at the helm for that long (it’s his third season), and as we watch the team flounder in 2025-26, it’s easy to say, “Fire him.” But what would that actually mean? Who decides what comes next? Who’s going to make the calls on which players stay or go, who gets signed, traded, or developed? These aren’t small details. They’re the kind of decisions that shape a franchise, not just a season.

Keith Pelley Is the One Who Has the Power to Make Moves

Keith Pelley, the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, is the one with the pen here. Any move has to start with him. He’ll get advice, sure — the board will weigh in, scouts and advisors will talk numbers and potential — but the responsibility lands squarely with Pelley.

And there’s a timing factor too. Doing it in the offseason opens up options, sure, but if the Maple Leafs wait, they risk losing any leverage they have in the trade market or development plans. Doing it midseason isn’t ideal because you don’t want to be caught without someone to step in immediately. That’s why asking, “Do you keep Treliving?” is the question that needs to be answered before we even start talking about coaching.

Once the GM question is answered, you can talk about coaching. Berube has had his time to set the tone and establish a system. But a coach only works with the pieces he’s given. You don’t want to rush to judge defensive structures, special teams, or power plays until you know what kind of roster the GM has built.

Does the coach have the right players to execute his style? Without that context, firing him might be a reactionary move rather than a strategic one. The order matters. GM first, coach second.

Having the Right Players on the Maple Leafs Roster Matters, Too

And let’s not forget the players. Trades and signings are part of the DNA, but you can’t make those moves if the person calling the shots — the GM — isn’t settled. So any talk of swapping players, moving stars, or trying to “fix” the team on the fly has to be grounded in the big picture. The Maple Leafs can’t just chase a quick fix. They need a plan and someone to oversee it.

The harsh truth? There’s no easy answer. You can debate leadership, style, or culture all day, but the tough part is practical: who’s making the calls, and do you trust them to get it right? You lead the horse to water with the GM question. Everything else follows from that.

Until the First Move Is Made, There’s Nothing More to Do

Until that first domino falls, Berube and the players are left to do what they can with what they’ve got. And fans? We get to watch, worry, and wonder if the Maple Leafs are ready to make the kind of decisions that actually change their trajectory — or if it’s going to be another season of half-measures and missed chances.