Dubas details his 'biggest mistake' as Leafs GM in new book

[HockeyVirus]

LEAFS NOTES: Kyle Dubas delves into his 'biggest mistake' in new book and, no, it wasn't the Tavares signing

While Toronto's former general manager doesn't regret pursuit of John Tavares and a multi-year contract, the fallout had consequences.

torontosun.com

“The biggest mistake I think I’ve made in my whole time here has been not taking care of the three incumbent contracts,” Dubas told Custance. “(William) Nylander was up, (Mitch) Marner and (Auston) Matthews could have been done on July 1 extensions.”

Dubas laments not making more progress on all of those before Tavares, though he did talk to the trio about the impact winning the J.T. sweepstakes would have on their future standing.
“The thing I learned was once we signed John to the (AAV) we did, it lifted the lid on the entire ceiling,” he said.

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[GirardSpinorama]

LEAFS NOTES: Kyle Dubas delves into his 'biggest mistake' in new book and, no, it wasn't the Tavares signing

While Toronto's former general manager doesn't regret pursuit of John Tavares and a multi-year contract, the fallout had consequences.

torontosun.com

Literally everyone knew that except him lol.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Literally everyone knew that except him lol.

Yup lol

 

[Golden_Jet]

Everyone knew but Kyle I guess.

 

[Mr Kot]

He seems like he makes a big splash move to establish himself without any regard to the future.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

He seems like he makes a big splash move to establish himself without any regard to the future.

Yup. Thats what he did but he isnt admitting it and claiming this as just a "mistake" of a new GM. This mistake is common knowledge, not nuance.

Very common in the corporate world to have short sighted executives making selfish decisions.

 

[StreetHawk]

Pay an outsider to do basically the same job as your internal people? Why would they want to get paid like the outsider? Shocking….

 

[thefutures]

Now teliving is doing it 2.0 lol

 

[crowi]

Well, it's good that he, at least now, understands this himself as well. He really f***ed up Leafs salary structure. Perhaps he has been doing some soul-searching.

Also, who the hell is going to buy his book?

 

[LeafalCrusader]

His biggest mistake. Taking a job he was/is totally unqualified for.

 

[kevsh]

The biggest mistake related to Tavares was not the contract or the fallout (regarding the extensions for Matthews, Marner) but that he wasn't needed in the first place.

They had a #1 in AM, a #2 in Kadri and a #3 in Bozak. Not the greatest C depth in the league (edit: Meant to add 'but good enough that they certainly didn't need another'). So the day Tavares joined the Leafs he was a #2 (or would be very soon) making $11M. Nonsensical in a cap world.

Even worse, they had big holes on the blue line and in net. The two positions they absolutely did not need any help was at C and RW (Mitch, Willie, Kapanen).

 

[BLNY]

"JT sweepstakes". Is that the wish.com/temu version of a sweepstakes?

 

[malcb33]

The biggest mistake related to Tavares was not the contract or the fallout (regarding the extensions for Matthews, Marner) but that he wasn't needed in the first place.

They had a #1 in AM, a #2 in Kadri and a #3 in Bozak. Not the greatest C depth in the league. So the day Tavares joined the Leafs he was a #2 (or would be very soon) making $11M. Nonsensical in a cap world.

Even worse, they had big holes on the blue line and in net. The two positions they absolutely did not need any help was at C and RW (Mitch, Willie, Kapanen).

While all true, Dubas couldn't have forecasted COVID-19 or the impact it had on the salary cap. Certainly not trying to excuse his decisions, but the stagnant cap made things a lot more difficult for teams without cap flexibility.

 

[BaconNater]

How do busy people write books? Too many people write books

 

[thegazelle]

I'd also posit that Dubas' biggest mistake was trying to, at the end of his tenure, try to usurp authority from Shanahan. Shanahan called his bluff, said no thanks and Dubas was not returning to the Leafs.

This guy, from the outset has had an arrogance about him which has contributed to his overexuberance in trying to make big splashes. I think that in his mind's eye, he was the cat's meow. Hopefully with some maturity and humility, he can grow from the Leafs' experience.

 

[Baksfamous112]

How do busy people write books? Too many people write books

They don’t. Usually they have a co-writer or a ghostwriter who takes their thoughts/notes and build a story out of it

 

[GirardSpinorama]

While all true, Dubas couldn't have forecasted COVID-19 or the impact it had on the salary cap. Certainly not trying to excuse his decisions, but the stagnant cap made things a lot more difficult for teams without cap flexibility.

Made it difficult for every team. Which playoff team couldnt use the extra cap room?

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Never before in history has one single pencil necked geek attracted as much bizarrely unwarranted media adulation at this guy.

 

[hangman005]

His biggest mistake. Taking a job he was/is totally unqualified for.

I'd take a job I was wildly unqualified for if I was paid well for it.

 

[Oilslick941611]

JT was leafs biggest mistake, They didn't need him and they still don't. He was a hamper on their ability to fill needs. It was such a FOMO signing and it cost them the chance they have for a cup ( Canadian division year)

 

[dgibb10]

While all true, Dubas couldn't have forecasted COVID-19 or the impact it had on the salary cap. Certainly not trying to excuse his decisions, but the stagnant cap made things a lot more difficult for teams without cap flexibility.

That would make sense if he got full term on Matthews, Marner, and Nylander, hoping they'd become massive bargains down the line with a rising cap

But he didn't.

5 years on Matthews
6 years on Nylander
6 years on Marner

 

[Oilslick941611]

Yup. Thats what he did but he isnt admitting it and claiming this as just a "mistake" of a new GM. This mistake is common knowledge, not nuance.

Very common in the corporate world to have short sighted executives making selfish decisions.

Thats because in the corporate world long term means next quarter and tons of decisions end up hurting in the long run for short term stock price gain.

 

[pantherbot]

While all true, Dubas couldn't have forecasted COVID-19 or the impact it had on the salary cap. Certainly not trying to excuse his decisions, but the stagnant cap made things a lot more difficult for teams without cap flexibility.

He can't get a pass for that because every other team also had to deal with the same thing. The quote in the book from Belfry is telling, they based their decisions assuming the cap continues to go up, but if you're basing anything on projections, you need to also manage risk.

Its like people who expect the stock market to keep going up and then one day it doesn't, then taking no responsibility for their decision. Gotta have range of outcomes when making decisions and mange risk appropriately. If they wanted to take the risk that cap was going to keep moving up, that's fine, but then accept the responsibility of what happens when it doesn't.

 

[Oilslick941611]

While all true, Dubas couldn't have forecasted COVID-19 or the impact it had on the salary cap. Certainly not trying to excuse his decisions, but the stagnant cap made things a lot more difficult for teams without cap flexibility.

You shouldn't play with money you don't have.

Holland gets a ton of shit for not 'forecasting" covid and giving up assets for players who left after a few games because of the covid season ending and the play in sweep.

Covid absolutely ruined the economics of hockey for the last 4 years, but all teams had options to fix and hold on ( cap dumps, buyouts, not making stupid choices)

 

[Fatass]

Not a mistake signing Tavares. But after adding him Dubas should have traded either Marner if Nylander, whichever brought the better return.