The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a surprise change on Monday, firing general manager Brad Treliving. The move came just hours before the team’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Toronto went on to defeat Ducks in overtime, but it’s safe to say the win was overshadowed by the news of Treliving’s dismissal. After the game, reactions from the players began to come in.

Matthew Knies made his Maple Leafs debut just one month before Treliving was hired as GM in May 2023. Under Treliving, Knies signed a six-year contract extension last summer at what many consider a team-friendly AAV of $7.75 million. Speaking on Monday, Knies shared how surprising the move was to the players, given the timing.

“A little shocking, to be honest,” Knies said, per TSN’s Mark Masters. “Pretty abrupt. Not much of a notice right before the game…now it’s starting to set in. I wish him the best of luck. An unbelievable person. He got to know me really well and I cherish that relationship we had.”

John Tavares has been with the team for many more years than Knies but also signed a team-friendly extension with the Leafs under Treliving last summer. Tavares is locked in until the summer of 2029 with an AAV of $4.38 million.

A veteran and longtime leader with the Maple Leafs, Tavares took accountability for not delivering better on-ice results with the roster that Treliving put together.

“A real tough one, because Brad brought us all in here, tremendous belief in us, and we just didn’t deliver,” Tavares said, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. “And it falls on us, starting with myself, in just not playing consistent enough and (doing) what we need to do to be a better hockey team.”

Amidst this disappointing year, Tavares’ comments were echoed by Morgan Rielly. After last season, Treliving shared that he had a ‘real honest chat’ with the veteran defenceman about his game, his potential, and his future, encouraging him to have a bounce back season.

Unfortunately, Rielly is still not seeing the results he would like with the Leafs. Following Treliving’s exit, the 32-year-old offered a blunt answer on how he’s feeling.

“How I feel is that it’s on the players,” Rielly said, per Fox.

With seven games remaining in the season, the hunt for a new GM is on. In the meantime, the Maple Leafs continue their California road trip on Thursday night, facing off against the San Jose Sharks.