Flames restrict Maple Leafs in recruitment of Brad Treliving.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have no doubt already begun their search for a new general manager in earnest and as more and more information pours in there seems to be a growing sense that former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving may be the frontrunner for that job.

There's no doubt that the Maple Leafs are at least viewing Treliving as a potential candidate and that makes sense when you consider his recent history as a general manager in the National Hockey League. Treliving was just recently tasked with performing major surgery on the Flames with the trade of forward Matthew Tkachuk, a scenario that may prove to be somewhat similar to the one the Maple Leafs are facing this summer with so many question marks around the future of their core.

Thankfully for the Maple Leafs it appears the Flames have granted them permission to talk to Treliving about the role, after allegedly initially blocking Treliving from discussing other opportunities with rival teams, but the Flames seem to have only done so reluctantly and with some conditions attached.

According to a report from Flames insider Eric Francis, should the Maple Leafs hire Treliving as their new general manager they won't be able to utilize him at, or in the lead up to, the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

This makes sense from the perspective of the Flames given that Treliving was privy to privileged information from within their organization, information that he could in theory use to the benefit of the Maple Leafs or even against the Flames at the draft. Nonetheless this would leave the Maple Leafs without a general manager to guide them through the draft should they settle on Treliving as their choice, a less than ideal scenario to be sure.