Who Is Jim Treliving’s Son?
Brad Treliving, born August 18, 1969, in Penticton, British Columbia, is the son of Canadian billionaire businessman Jim Treliving. He carved out a career in professional hockey management that eventually led him to one of the most scrutinized jobs in Canadian sports: General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Treliving name carries enormous weight in Canada. Jim built a pizza empire and became a household face on national television, while Brad chose a completely different arena. Instead of boardrooms and franchise deals, he gravitated toward ice rinks and locker rooms from an early age.
Brad’s Early Life in Penticton
Penticton holds a particular significance in the Treliving family story. Jim Treliving opened his first Boston Pizza franchise there in 1968, a year before Brad was born. The city shaped both father and son in different ways. Jim used it as the launchpad for a restaurant empire; Brad used it as the starting line for a life in hockey.
Growing up as the son of a rising restaurant magnate didn’t steer Brad toward business. He laced up skates instead, playing as a defenceman through junior and minor professional leagues across North America.
Jim Treliving — The Father Behind the Name
Jim Treliving is an 84-year-old Canadian billionaire with an estimated net worth of $700 million USD, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He co-owns Boston Pizza International, a chain spanning approximately 395 locations across Canada, the United States, and Mexico, generating CA$1.2 billion in annual revenue.
His path to wealth started about as far from pizza as you can get.
From RCMP Officer to Pizza Mogul
Born Walter James Treliving on May 12, 1941, in Virden, Manitoba, Jim joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at age 18. He served as an RCMP officer in Alberta and British Columbia from 1959 to 1966 — seven years of police work before making a hard pivot into the restaurant business.
In 1968, he acquired the rights to open a Boston Pizza franchise in Penticton. He partnered with chartered accountant George Melville, who became his full business partner in 1973. A decade later, Treliving and Melville bought the entire Boston Pizza chain from founder Ron Coyle in 1983. The chain’s selection as the official pizza supplier for Expo 86 in Vancouver fueled its expansion into Eastern Canada starting in 1989.
By 1995, Boston Pizza had grown to 95 restaurants with over $110 million in sales. Jim also co-owns Mr. Lube and White Rock Commercial, broadening his business footprint beyond food service.
Fifteen Seasons on Dragons’ Den
Jim Treliving appeared on CBC Television’s Dragons’ Den from 2006 to 2021, making him the longest-standing Dragon in the show’s history. He participated in all fifteen seasons as the only remaining original investor.
“I miss some things and especially the people that work at CBC, the camera crews and all that, people that work behind the scenes — they make us really look good,” Jim said in a CBC News interview after leaving the show. His time on the program made him one of Canada’s most recognizable business figures.
Brad Treliving’s Hockey Career — Player to Executive
Brad Treliving played professional hockey as a defenceman across the WHL, ECHL, IHL, and AHL before transitioning into management, eventually co-founding an entire hockey league. He went undrafted in the NHL entry draft and never played at the NHL level, but he built a front-office career that took him to the top of the sport.
Minor League Playing Days
Brad’s playing career spanned from 1987 to 1995 across four different professional leagues. In the WHL (1987-1989), he suited up for the Portland Winterhawks, Brandon Wheat Kings, Spokane Chiefs, and Regina Pats. He spent the bulk of his playing years in the ECHL (1990-1995), appearing for the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, Greensboro Monarchs, Columbus Chill, Louisville Icehawks, and Charlotte Checkers.
He also had stints with the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL (1991-1992) and the New Haven Senators and Prince Edward Island Senators in the AHL (1992-1994). While the NHL roster eluded him, the years spent grinding through minor league systems gave Brad an intimate understanding of player development from the inside out.
Building a Front Office Resume
After hanging up his skates, Brad moved to the management side with striking ambition.
| Year(s) | Role | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Co-Founder | Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) |
| 2001 | Key role in WPHL-CHL merger | Central Hockey League |
| 2003-2014 | Assistant General Manager (also GM of AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage) | Phoenix Coyotes |
| April 28, 2014 – April 17, 2023 | General Manager | Calgary Flames |
| May 31, 2023 – March 30, 2026 | General Manager | Toronto Maple Leafs |
Co-founding the WPHL in 1996 showed Brad could build something from scratch, not just manage existing assets. His eleven-year run with the Phoenix Coyotes organization, where he served as both assistant GM and general manager of their AHL affiliate, earned him the credibility to land the Calgary Flames GM job in 2014.
The Famous Dragons’ Den Phone Call
Jim Treliving called his son Brad live on Dragons’ Den during Season 8, Episode 10, asking for his opinion on a Rollergard ice-skating investment pitch — a $200,000 ask for 20% equity. The moment captured the father-son professional dynamic on national television: Jim, the business mogul, deferring to Brad’s hockey expertise before making an investment decision.
The clip, published on the official Dragons’ Den Canada YouTube channel, has accumulated over 385,000 views. It remains the most direct public window into how Jim and Brad interact professionally: a billionaire father trusting his son’s domain knowledge enough to consult him mid-pitch on live television.
Brad as Toronto Maple Leafs GM — and His March 2026 Firing
Brad Treliving served as General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs from May 31, 2023, until his firing on March 30, 2026, compiling a 139-92-27 regular season record and a 10-10 playoff record that included a first-round series win over Ottawa in 2025.
Hired following Kyle Dubas’s departure, Brad arrived in Toronto with a mandate to make the Leafs “harder to play against.” His tenure was marked by aggressive roster moves, a coaching change, and ultimately a collapse that cost him his job.
Key Moves and Results
| Move | Details | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Free agent signings (2023) | Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ryan Reaves | Added physicality; 2024-25 division title with 108 points |
| Coaching change | Hired Craig Berube (replaced Sheldon Keefe) | Mixed results; team faltered in late 2025-26 |
| Nylander extension | Eight-year, $92 million contract for William Nylander | Locked in a core piece long-term |
| Defensive acquisitions | Acquired Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo | Carlo cost prospect Fraser Minten + protected 1st; Minten thrived in Boston |
| Trade deadline (2026) | Sent 2027 top-10 protected 1st + Nikita Grebenkin to Philadelphia for Scott Laughton | Laughton proved to be only a fourth-line center |
The 2024-25 season looked like validation. Toronto won the division with 108 points and defeated Ottawa in the first round of the playoffs. But the 2025-26 season unraveled badly. The Leafs went 31-30-13 through early March, sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference and staring at their first likely playoff exclusion in a decade.
The March 30, 2026 Firing
MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley fired Brad Treliving on March 30, 2026. “Brad Treliving is a man that we all have deep respect and appreciation for, both as a hockey executive and as a person, but it was determined that the club must chart a new course under different leadership,” Pelley said in an official statement.
Coach Craig Berube delivered the news to players in a pre-game meeting before a game against Anaheim that night. The Leafs won 5-4 in overtime, a bittersweet coda to Treliving’s tenure. He had one year remaining on his contract when fired.
“If I was Jim Treliving, I wouldn’t trust Brad to run one of my Boston Pizza franchises. Never mind GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
— X/Twitter, March 2026 (57 engagement score)
The criticism reflected a broader narrative among Toronto fans: Brad’s costly trade decisions — particularly the Carlo and Laughton deals — contrasted sharply with his father’s reputation as a shrewd evaluator of business value on Dragons’ Den. The team won only four of seventeen games following the 2026 Olympic break, making the firing feel inevitable rather than surprising.
What Comes Next
Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy were named interim day-to-day leaders for hockey operations following Brad’s dismissal. MLSE hired a search firm to find his replacement, with a target timeline by the NHL Combine in late May or the NHL Draft in late June 2026.
Pelley held a thirty-minute press conference on March 31, stating, “There is zero chance that the Toronto Maple Leafs will tank.” Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars was initially mentioned as a candidate but was removed from consideration after signing a multi-year extension with Dallas. Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues was floated as another option, though he remains under contract. As of April 1, 2026, no permanent replacement has been named.
The Treliving Family Beyond the Headlines
Jim Treliving’s family extends beyond the hockey world. His wife Sandi and daughter Cheryl round out the immediate family. While Brad became the public face of the Treliving name in sports, Jim has channeled his resources into philanthropy on a significant scale.
He directed the Boston Pizza Foundation since its founding in 1990, raising and donating over $33 million to Canadian charities. The foundation launched the “Future Prospects” initiative in 2014. Jim serves on the board of the David Foster Foundation and advises the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
His honors include the Order of Canada, induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2019 in the Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy category, the Canadian Franchise Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the BC American Marketing Association’s Marketer of the Year award. He published “Decisions: Making the Right Ones, Righting the Wrong Ones” with Harper-Collins in 2012, which became a national bestseller.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jim Treliving’s son?
Brad Treliving, born August 18, 1969, in Penticton, British Columbia, is Jim Treliving’s son. Brad is an NHL executive who served as General Manager of the Calgary Flames (2014-2023) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (2023-2026) before being fired on March 30, 2026.
What does Brad Treliving do?
Brad Treliving is a former NHL General Manager. He was fired as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 30, 2026, after the team’s record dropped to 31-30-13 in the 2025-26 season. Previously, he spent nine years as GM of the Calgary Flames.
Brad Treliving is the son of Jim Treliving, who co-owns Boston Pizza International. Jim acquired his first Boston Pizza franchise in 1968, bought the entire chain in 1983, and grew it to approximately 395 locations generating CA$1.2 billion in annual revenue.
Why was Brad Treliving fired from the Maple Leafs?
Brad Treliving was fired because the Leafs went 31-30-13 in 2025-26, sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference. Key criticisms included the Brandon Carlo trade (which cost prospect Fraser Minten and a protected first-round pick), the Scott Laughton acquisition, and a failure to change coaches earlier when the team faltered in November 2025.
How much is Jim Treliving worth?
Jim Treliving has an estimated net worth of approximately $700 million USD, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His wealth comes primarily from co-owning Boston Pizza International, plus additional holdings including Mr. Lube and White Rock Commercial.
Does Jim Treliving have other children?
Jim Treliving has a daughter named Cheryl in addition to his son Brad. His wife is Sandi. While Brad’s hockey career has kept the Treliving name in sports headlines, Cheryl maintains a lower public profile.
