The Toronto Maple Leafs have decided to part ways with general manager Kyle Dubas, should the move be seen as a surprise? Mike DiStefano and David Morassutti give their thoughts on the news and the extremely detailed breakdown from Brendan Shanahan on what led to the Leafs going in another direction. Mike and Dave wonder if there is more to what Shanahan said given the drastic change in direction when it felt like Dubas was expected to return. They also look at the fallout from the Dubas decision including Jason Spezza tendering his resignation.
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30 Comments
Spezza should be loyal to leafs fans and the players he played with not dubus
Dubus made more mistake than good is what I think
DUBAS LEARNED ON THE JOB. WE DIDNT HAVE TIME FOR THAT!! SHANNY HIRED THE WRONG GUY FOR THE JOB 5 YEARS AGO AND OBVIOUSLY HIS PLAN WAS THE WRONG ONE
Dubas is going to Steel Town. Got a killer offer from Pens ownership and Shanahan was having none of it.
To me this is a good thing that Dubas is gone because I feel the core 4 ran the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is going to be one of the biggest shifts in team history. Shanahan is going to bring in an experienced GM and an experienced head coach (Joe Quenville) who is going to hold these spoiled brat players accountable and make them play hard nose hockey. Dubas handed the keys to Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Nylander with those contracts. Remember Matthews, Marner and Nylander were RFA's when each of them signed those mega deals. Those signings ended the Leafs cup run when those contracts were signed. One of core 4 is gone, maybe 2.
Dubas hasn't been a great GM. Far from it. He traded Kadri for nothing, kept Holl over McCann, traded for Murray, Gave undeserving players mega deals with low term. Traded away Marchament, Verhagee, let Hyman go, traded a 1st for Foligno who was on the back end of his career. The list of bad moves goes on and on.
This team is better off in the end. This team will be better when the regular season begins.
Shanahan brought in a 32 year old Dubas 5 years ago because Lou L would outshine him. The ages of the 4 remaining playoff GMs are between 58 and 65. Shanahan screwed it up.
Dubas got had in 95% of all trades…. He got fleeced when he negotiated contracts… and in the end publicly embarrassed himself in his own contract negotiations. The fact that a Billion dollar organization hired a kid to drive a fararri …then the kid hires his friend as coach… and that Shanny let it all happen…. The head of the snake is still alive…. SHANAPLAN
It depends. If your boss says "you did a great job, we want you back." And you say "if i did a great job can i get a raise too?" That sounds like Shanahan is a sh*tboss for firing him.
BUT
If the boss said the same thing and then the employee goes to his coworkers and the bar and tells anyone the job is hard and sh*tty and THEN says "i wanna raise." Completely different situation.
Personally i do think Shanahan made the right move for the wrong reasons, maybe even with some ego and with his own professional @ss on the line in mind.
I know a lot of people may not agree, but I had the same feeling listening to Dubas on Monday, especially after Shanny advised him not to speak. Strikes One and Two. Not sure if you want the best job in Hockey … and I’m not criticizing that conclusion … then we have to move on. Then negotiating a deal for a couple of months only to submit a revised financial structure at 11:59 when the pressure to get something done is peaking? Strike three. I don’t know if Kyle showed some immaturity here or got his agent from Jiffy, but he created a hot mess with this. At this point, Shanny had no option. I guarantee you that it wasn’t the amount in the counter proposal, it was the “how” of how this unraveled. Boys, you have to look at this as an opportunity because that’s what it is. THIS is an opportunity to get better! And I’m a Dubas fan.
I think with Dubas re-upped, this would have been a set of material but non seismic moves based on the assumption that not that much is wrong. With Dubas gone, and Spezza, and who knows who else is packing their bags, this will be all about change. Not tear down change but big, bold moves. We have to remember – the leafs objective was 16 postseason wins and they got five, which is the best they’ve done in Dubas’ tenure. Not exactly soul stirring, is it.
We can sit at the back of the boat looking at the wake or we can move to the bow and look at where we can go. This is not what I would have wanted, but it just might be the best thing that ever could have happened.
Both Shannon and dubas swore by the core 4 Both should be gone
It's actually very simple. Asked for more money which is a major insult to injury after his squad was bullied to a level never seen in pro sports and subsequently bounced by a fringe playoff team. Shanny did the right thing and said thanks for your services. It's the beginning of letting JT and Matthews walk because they disappeared again. Save us 25 million, build the team around Nylander as captain and marner and surround them with mean nasty angry monsters and the tides will turn, mark my words. I'm available to take over for Dubas and I'll do it for half the price. I'm sure they'd rather hire another clown because he used to work as a GM instead of going after people who really know.
You realize you translated everything that has ceen said already. Nothing different about your audio cast
"there will definitely be teams that want what, uh, Jason Spezza … brings to an organization." Kind of laughed out loud there, as I was waiting for either of you to actually mention something that Jason did for the Leafs in the front office, but good recovery there 🙂
The summarization is the leafs parted ways with Dubois after 5 years. 5 years the leafs have been promised a champion and never got it.
Maybe I could see Spezza coming back to Ottawa
Why the hell should Dubas get the job in Pittsburgh? I bet half the money I own including all assets that the penguins don’t make it to the finals any time the next three seasons. That’s around 500k. I’ll bet it. With Dubas as gm I might up that to 75%.
I liked Dubas. I will say it's ridiculous that he would allow 4 players to have no moves all kick in at the same time. Talk about handcuffing yourself to the radiator!
I hope in the long run the boys finally get the message. Life ISN'T consequence free.
Dubas won 1 out of 20 possible playoff rounds. That is a failure.
It's not loyalty most like with Spezza. Its knowing when your time is up. He is a consultant to the former GM. The new GM doesn't need this former hockey player he has his own whisperer so Spezza leaves now and joins Dubas in his new team.
Dubas played games and screwed himself, but it's going to be hilarious when he goes and wins a cup with another team before Toronto gets out of the second round under Shanny. Should've either kept both or fired both. That being said, being a Leafs hater, I'm going to love every minute of this.
Nothing wrong with Dubas, wrong people always pay the price, OFFICIATING distroyed Toronto,
"What would you do if you weren't afraid." –Spencer Johnson
A lot of people not happy with Kyle dubas being fired
After what Marner and Nylander's agents did to this team, Shanahan said, "I don't think so!". It sends the right msg to the soon to be UFA's. The Leafs aren't getting walked on anymore. Take the contracts we offer or your next!
What will you do if LA hires (have a deal in place with) Dubas and Matthews, Marner and Nylander sign in LA?
In what world does organizational wealth have anything to do with how much you pay someone? The janitor has a bad job, but you don't expect Leafs management to give him a couple of extra million. Bad take, man.
Are you two serious?! 😂😅 You guys know Jason Spezza personally? 😅 He isn’t all that important in what the Leafs front office is all about. No need to be so afraid. 🤣
Do you guys ever REALLY criticize the Leafs?? Then you wonder why you haven’t won a cup in 56 years. Delusional. Carry on paesans….