Huge strike against Treliving when it comes to Matthews, which could lead to monster trade!

The to-do list of new Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is already pretty long in Toronto this summer. And it might feel so busy before the first priority atop of that list is a crucial one: negotiating with star centre Auston Matthews, set to enter the final year of his contract and eligible to sign an extension July 1.

While Treliving appeared focused on making the right call on Matthews, and on the so-called “Core Four” of high-paid offensive talent led by Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander, there is a sense that something could go terribly wrong in Toronto…

Because fans have seen it happened already with Treliving in Calgary last summer. While Frank Seravalli and co-host Colby Cohen of the Daily Faceoff Live know Matthews cannot be compared to Johnny Gaudreau, Cohen feels like the situation are eerily too similar not to mention as a huge reminder for Treliving not to mess things up - again!

“I do think, Frank, that he’s going to be quicker to pull the trigger on Auston Matthews because of what he went with being unable to sign Johnny Gaudreau.

“He’s going to get out in front of the Matthews camp and try to work out an extension immediately, and if they feel like they are too far away on that extension, I think he moves more quickly to plan B and what the trade market is this summer to move on from Auston Matthews.

“Gaudreau is still a star that Treliving lost for nothing. Toronto is a different place than Calgary; players want to play in Toronto so it’s not apples to apples, but I think the clock will start immediately. Treliving will not take a very patient approach based on what he got burned by in Calgary. That’s what I mean when I say he will pull the trigger one way or the other.”

So… is the clock already ticking in Toronto because of Treliving’s past with another important pending free agent? You have to think that would be a crazy scenario if Matthews is traded in a shocking move because Treliving fears he will lose him for nothing later on…

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