A bombshell dropped today courtesy of Elliotte Friedman. He reports that Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas will not return. Dubas’s contract was up this summer. At his year-end presser, he mentioned thinking about taking time away to spend with family. The Leafs finally broke through and won their first round since 2004. However, they ended up losing in Game 5 in the next round.
Hearing Kyle Dubas will not be back as GM of Toronto
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 19, 2023
Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Spot Empty
This is massive news for the NHL landscape. Toronto has been considered one of the stronger teams for a number of years now, with the regular season points to show it. However, they never could get over the hump when it came to the playoffs. And it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Dubas was hired out of the OHL to the Leafs organization. He worked as an Assistant General Manager under Lou Lameriello.
When Lameriello and the team parted ways, Dubas was promoted to General Manager. This was on May 11th, 2018. In the five years since that time, Dubas has done many things as Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager. Maybe his most notable was just two months later, inking John Tavares to a monster seven-year deal and bringing the all-star player home.
Other notable parts include Mitch Marner and William Nylander contract negotiations. Many fans feel the Leafs came out on the wrong side of them at the time. However, Dubas has done a lot of good too. The Jake Muzzin trade and T.J. Brodie signing helped shore up what was a disastrous blueline at one point. He has also done a good job finding depth players to help replace priced-out guys.
Playoff Success
The one thing that truly eluded Dubas was playoff success. Something he is not used to. He won a Memorial Cup in Junior and took the Marlies to a Championship as the General Manager for the Leafs AHL team. When it came to the big club, the one series win this year is all he could find.
Once again, not for a lack of trying. Dubas tried multiple different approaches. All in with speed and skill, tougher approaches with Nick Foligno and such, as well as a mix of grit, skill, and leadership this year. At the end of the day, the team just hasn’t broken through.
The one thing Dubas never did was stray away from his core. Maybe that will be what the next Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager will look to do. One has to think Brandon Pridham will be among top considerations. As for Dubas, when he decides to return to the NHL, there will absolutely be jobs waiting for him. If not General Manager, then Assistant General Manager with more opportunities to grow. Dubas is just 37, very young for NHL Front Office standards. It is almost certainly not the last time we have seen him.
