Brad Treliving warns Maple Leafs of the “real challenges” posed by Senators’ defense-first mentality under Travis Green

When rivals meet in the playoffs, it’s usually all about hype, bragging rights, and big moments. But as the Toronto Maple Leafs get ready for Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators this Sunday, general manager Brad Treliving isn’t feeding into the drama, he’s sounding more like a man prepping for war. And the reason? Travis Green.
The Senators’ first-year head coach has flipped the script in Ottawa, giving the Leafs a lot to think about. After seven straight seasons of missing the postseason, the Sens are back and they didn’t just sneak in. They swept the regular-season series against Toronto and have a Vezina-caliber goalie waiting in net. Treliving, who’s seen enough hockey to spot trouble, isn’t brushing this off. Instead, he’s warning everyone that Ottawa’s got a serious bite.

Speaking to TSN’s Mark Masters, Treliving gave a clear and candid assessment of what Toronto is up against in this first-round matchup. He didn’t sugarcoat anything.

“He’s really instilled a real defensive conscience. Checking, they check & to have success you have to check & they do. & then you got a Vezina goaltender in the net so they present a lot of challenges,”
For a team like Toronto that’s long been critiqued for its playoff struggles and lack of physical pushback, that’s not a small statement. Treliving is clearly keeping one eye on the Xs and Os and the other on the tone being set behind Ottawa’s bench. The Senators aren't just trying to hang in there, they're coming in with a game plan that’s already worked three times this season.

The numbers aren’t pretty if you’re wearing blue and white. Ottawa went 3-0 against the Leafs this season, outscoring them 9-3 in the process. They didn’t just beat Toronto, they shut them down. And that defensive structure Treliving talked about? It’s clearly more than talk.
At the heart of that effort is Linus Ullmark, the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner. Injuries may have slowed him down at times this season, but when he’s on, he’s one of the toughest goaltenders in the league to beat. Green’s system has allowed Ullmark to thrive by limiting high-danger chances and keeping Ottawa’s crease clean, two things that could spell disaster for a Leafs offense known to dry up under pressure.
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The Leafs still enter this series as the favorites, especially after clinching the Atlantic Division. But if Brad Treliving’s tone tells us anything, it’s that this is not the matchup Toronto wanted. The Senators are a bad draw, a scrappy team with structure, goaltending, and confidence.