Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving held his end-of-year media availability, where change was the common theme of the day. Treliving admitted ‘there’s some DNA that has to change’ in his opening remarks, and it could be a turbulent offseason for the Maple Leafs.

Here are some quick takeaways from Treliving’s press conference.

The Core Four era could be officially over by July, and Treliving made it clear that the Leafs are going to try make some foundational changes this summer. Mitch Marner is widely expected to test free agency, Brendan Shanahan’s contract wasn’t renewed, and Treliving will have to find new contracts for John Tavares and Matthew Knies.

“We have to find a way to push through at the most critical moments. And that’s the challenge in front of us. Moving forward, we have a good team. We’ve changed, we’ve changed a lot in the last 12 months,” Treliving said.

“There will be change moving forward, that’s just the nature of the business. “We have to continue to change and evolve our mindset and create the team, both between the ears, personnel, to be our very best at the most critical moments. There’s some DNA that has to change on our team. If you keep getting to the same result, and that’s not to dismiss a lot of the good that (led) up to it, if you keep getting the same result, there’s some DNA that needs to change. That’s on me going forward, and our staff.”

What are the changes that could be in store? Does it indicate that the Maple Leafs will be pushing towards signing Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad to replace Marner’s cap hit on the roster? Would the Maple Leafs consider the previously unthinkable and consider a trade involving Auston Matthews or William Nylander? Treliving and the other principals, including MLSE CEO Keith Pelley and head coach Craig Berube have all hinted or outright suggested that it will be a different team next year, and making depth adds/subtractions won’t be enough this summer.

Representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive year, the Florida Panthers are the standard-bearer of the league and the blueprint to follow, if seismic change is on the way.

Treliving was laudatory of the Panthers’ organization, before providing his analysis and commentary on the Maple Leafs’ playoff run.

“I want to give a lot of credit to Florida. I haven’t had a chance publicly to say that there is a reason why they are the champion. There is a reason why they are going back again for their third crack at it. They have set the bar in our division. They have set the bar in our league. That is what we aspire to.”

If the Panthers are truly what the Maple Leafs aspire to, it seems like they’ll be strongly targeting Bennett and Ekblad in free agency, along with other players who have recently played under Paul Maurice’s system, which emphasizes heavy forechecking.

“As I review this, and it dovetails into how we go forward, I first give a lot of credit to Florida,” Treliving said. “Your opponent or enemy has a say in things. If you look at that critical moment in Game 7, I don’t care if you are playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs or whatever sport you’re playing, champions have the ability to be calm and at their very best when it matters most. That is an area that we have to improve in.”

Matthew Knies emerged into a genuine star for the Maple Leafs, after posting 29 goals and 58 points in 78 regular season games, before adding five goals and seven points in 13 playoff games. He’s the modern power forward the Maple Leafs need and he’s been a fixture atop the top line with Matthews and Mitch Marner for the past two seasons. Knies is a restricted free agent, and getting his contract signed is a top priority for Treliving. Treliving didn’t outline the framework of a potential deal Thursday, when asked about terms.

“I’d like to get it done as soon as possible,” Treliving said. “Usually term and money are the only two issues that come into play during a contract negotiation. I thought Matthew had a tremendous year. We’re seeing him evolve in front of our eyes. It’s a big step for a young player to become really important. You can be a good player and have a role, but he became a really important player.”

Knies emphasized multiple times that he wants to remain with the Maple Leafs during his end-of-year media availability on May 20. Although DNA change is on the way, Treliving and Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube want more players who play like Knies, a wrecking ball of a forward with excellent speed, physicality, tenacity who displayed major improvement on the penalty kill, and is an essential part of the power play at the net-front. Expect Knies to join Matthews and Nylander as long-term components of the Maple Leafs’ forward corps this fall.

The door hasn’t closed on Mitch Marner’s return to the Maple Leafs, but it does appear increasingly unlikely that the 28-year-old returns to Toronto with a new contract this summer. Treliving lauded Marner for his ability and warned that players like him don’t grow on trees. There is some time before July 1, but if franchise-altering change is being promised, the imminent departure of the Maple Leafs’ leading scorer and homegrown star winger speaks to this notion.

“This isn’t a deflection. I think Mitch is a tremendous player,” Treliving said. “I think he’s a star. We’re in that process right now. I had a meeting with all of the players individually, we do our exit meetings. Mitch and I had a discussion. It’s emotional right now. My discussion with Mitch was ‘let’s all take a step back, let’s take a deep breath.’ I gotta decompress a little bit.”

Marner has been linked to the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks and Utah Mammoth among other teams, but no front-runner has emerged, with free agency still one month away. The door is open for Marner’s return, but his exit would certainly represent a major on-ice and culture change for the Maple Leafs.