Confirmed with Link: Dubas the new GM - TSN

[ULF_55]

I'm expecting due to inexperience for Dubas to play it safe and cautious not wanting to make a mistake that we will seem it appeara to be a patient approach due to age.

Last time the Leafs had a 30ish year old GM in Gord Stellick we saw a Russ Courtnall for John Kordic disaster of a trade that resonates as one of the Leafs worst trades on record.

Lets hope history does not repeat itself again, and patience can win out even if it means steps backwards in terms of competitiveness in the present.

They say Dubas is one of the rising stars in the Business so we are about to see that is action.

Stellick worked for Ballard.

Ballard didn't hire Stellick because he was a rising star ...

I expect Dubas will make a move this summer and I expect some people are going to be unhappy about it, so business as usual.

 

[Liminality]

Kypreos...gives me a migraine. I have watched him on so many intermissions, some day I hope he will say something novel and insightful. Otherwise, everything that comes out of his mouth seems to be regurgitated drivel.
Lets face it, the high point of his hockey career was getting hammered so hard in the nose in a fight that there was so much blood, the refs sent him to the dressing room and wouldn't let him come back on the ice. It was just gross!

He just seems like he's acting whenever he talks. Trying to portray that he's a tough and no nonsense guy but all he says is nonsense.

 

[realgoodleafs]

Even though Dubas has been in the organization, Lou has been the GM for the past 3 years. So what shape did Lou leave us in with his departure? What is Dubas now working with? The team at present (NHL experience only)

Hyman..Matthews..Nylander (RFA)
Marleau..Kadri..Marner
Johnsson..Gauthier..Brown
Leivo..N/A..Kapanen

Rielly..Hainsey
Gardiner..Zaitsev
Dermott..Carrick
Borgman..Holl
Rosen

Andersen
McB/Sparks

Draft picks: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th (x2)

So that's what he's starting with to begin shaping this team. This is where you can begin to evaluate his work. And there is much to do. Not a lot of strength/depth in tradeable assets to get what some people expect.

Cupboards are bare LOL

 

[Morbo]

" very tough set of circumstances "

the guys walking into a dream set up as a new GM

-great young core of frwds as well as some quality prospects ready to go
-excellent cap situation
-solid starting goalie (people should watch some other teams play once and while to appreciate his play)
-good young core of D that's only missing a piece or two
-unlimited budget
-hands free owners

i don't know how much better a GM can be set up for success

also he'll be judged like every other GM has been judged and that's based on how he performs and the vast majority of fans don't give a damn how he goes about accomplishing his job , they just care about the results

I'd say it's missing more than "a piece or two". Zaitsev is a major question mark, Hainsey is obviously not capable of what we're asking at his age, and Gardiner is as Jekyll and Hyde a player as I've ever seen in a Leaf uniform. Polak is Polak and should not be playing any kind of significant role on a serious team. Carrick doesn't seem to have the hockey IQ to be more than a 3rd pairing player. Borgman has shown some flashes but obviously needs more time in the AHL, as does Liljegren.

I'm not really sure we have enough in the minors to bridge the clear gap between the Leafs defence corps and those of the true contenders. I'd say that among the current NHL personnel Dermott likely has more to give, but who else does?

If the Leafs starting 6 pack this fall includes mostly players we have now, it won't be for lack of effort to upgrade. It's the final part of the team where we conclusively know that what we have is not good enough.

 

[Sypher04]

the alternative is to say he's still happy in his present position (if he was) and while he's disappointed in not being the GM he's still looking forward to building the Leafs into a cup winning squad but also say that no one knows what the future holds

what he said if you're looking at it objectively is that there is a very good chance he walks

If he gets an opportunity of course there's a good chance but it was the same a month ago. Nothing has changed really in that regard.

And again there's absolutely zero upside in speaking for Mark right now beyond saying he was disappointed but happy for Kyle, which they did.

 

[nuck]

I would have been more comfortable with Lou Lam negotiating the 3 Amigos next big contracts first and then stepping aside handing the reins to Dubas.

Now I feel their agents are licking their lips in anticipation of > $$$ contracts without having to deal with Lou.

Shanny appears however to want Dubas to be the one that takes ownership and accountability of those contracts as he is the long term plan and those players will impact the Leafs for the next decade..

But how do we know Shanny specifically wants that? I think it was the failure to move those FAs that moved Lou out this year, although I don't think he had more than another year or two in the GM role under any circumstances. I don't believe Dubas was a supporter of the FA retention. Lou essentially went "all in" himself, perhaps with urging from Babcock, and here we are. In terms of trades and talent acquisition its all Dubas now but we really don't know that it won't be Lou doing the contracts. Why have him on the payroll and not use him?

There are three possible realities with the Matthews deal at least. One is that you need to pay him in relation to his closest comp Eichel's deal, which means something a bit north of $10M. The second is you pay him against the entire marketplace including players who have done a lot more with less hype, which means maybe $11ish. The third is that he is your best player, and an elite talent, so he should earn the same percentage of your payroll at contract time, as Crosby and McJesus did, which means McJesus money. I think this last is silly but it has been thrown out by different sources as what his agent may be pushing for. Whether its LL or KD driving the bus probably doesn't change which reality they are dealing with.

 

[Sypher04]

Let's not act like Hunter is the only candidate out there and there doesnt exactly seem like a lot of teams poised to make a GM change.

The Wild are one who need a GM. Maybe the Isles?

Because he's not leaving for anything less than a GM position

 

[Pookie]

Since when do GMs provide any rationale for any of their moves other than “we’re just trying to do what we think is best given the circumstances.”

All teams use proprietary stats.

At least the fan base — those who don’t just hate for the sake of hating — at least know this is a character who will act on rationale ascertained from consuming information and not just some gut feel based on their years of “experience” prior to the cap.

Quoted for future prosperity.

Not against the move, just highlighting his challenges.

 

[Lucky Luke]

I think that the real test to determine if the choice of Kyle Dubas as GM was a good one is when the waters will get rough in Toronto.
The team is on an upward trend for the moment so it's fairly easy to give the organization some slack on its' decision.
However, once the team starts to experience some significant challenges and the results do not follow the expectations, it will be interesting to see how the GM will maneuver in that scenario so as to get the train back on the rails.
That for me will be the true test to ascertain if the decision was the correct one or not.

 

[Trapper]

Cupboards are bare LOL

Cupboards aren't bare, cupboards are winger position heavy. And nothing unproven that hasn't been drafted with a name in the top 10-15 of the draft is going to get what you think.
But no, Bracco + + is getting your top 4 RHD right?
Please tell me all the centers and D beyond Lily who are our strength? You might want to look again lol.

 

[ULF_55]

There is so much luck involved in winning it all.

Ultimate goal is the Cup, the primary goal is to be competitive year after year and entertain the paying audience.

You can measure the GM on Cup wins, but realistically 1 Cup 31 teams means every year some of the best GM's fail.

What are the odds Dubas can win the Cup? I'm guessing the odds are not great.

 

[AllDay28]

How could the cupboards be bare if our minor league team is the best team in the AHL?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

How could the cupboards be bare if our minor league team is the best team in the AHL?

And even with graduations like Dermott, Johnsson, and Kapanen the Marlies didn't even skip a beat as other young guys like Moore, Timashov, and Bracco stepped up

 

[Al14]

if we added a quality right hand D to this core the pieces would fall in place just like how adding Mathews to our frwd did

anyway regardless of if we disagree with how many D we need to add the fact is this is an enviable position for any GM to enter

Adding 1 quality right hand D helps, but, it sure doesn't elevate our Leafs into automatic Stanley Cup champions. Our Leafs need a solid 3 D pairings to allow our offense to excel. JMHO.

 

[Trapper]

How could the cupboards be bare if our minor league team is the best team in the AHL?

Cause it's a good AHL team.
Dermott will be up on the team. Lily will need to develop but looks good.
You think all the rest Marincin,Nielsen,Loverde,Rosen,Moore,Smith,Greening,Clune,Novak,Gauthier,Timashov,Mueller,Marchment,Bracco are all going to phase in key roles or provide returns in trades to address higher needs?

 

[93LEAFS]

Let's not act like Hunter is the only candidate out there and there doesnt exactly seem like a lot of teams poised to make a GM change.

The Wild are one who need a GM. Maybe the Isles?

Because he's not leaving for anything less than a GM position

I think Fenton will be announced as the GM of the Wild within the next week.

Hunter is one of very few people in the NHL scouting world who has the financial freedom to just stop working.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I'm pretty happily surprised that he likes where our defense is. My biggest worry was a knee-jerk reaction to try to improve it, like a Hall for Larsson deal. Luckily he seems too smart for that

I honestly do not know why this is the go to.
they can still (and in my opinion) should improve the defense (both up front and on the back end), but it doesn't have to be a Hall for Larsson deal. Chiarelli is a bad GM. period (as is Burke) . Improving the team of its biggest issue should be a priority, and doing so would not be "knee jerk"

 

[aingefan]

My interpretation of the ‘like the shape of the D’ comments is that it’s more of a precarious position, less flexible, and tougher one to fill than the forward group. Especially given the state of THIS forward group, that has so much upside, lots of depth and flexibility.....and pending big raises.
There’s only six spots on the D side.
I think those moves need to be more calculated.
I think getting Zaitsev straightened around is the biggest most important item on the D agenda.
Gards is great, but he’s a looming big ticket, and maybe the most likely guy to move for high value.
Dermott’s gotta play.
Hainsey compliments Reilly or Dermott well.
I’d suspect looking for another Hainsey or two is the objective; modest but good compliments, modest deals, that will buy time for the next wave to develop.

 

[dimi78]

I think the bigger question is will he have the respect of the fan base and media?

It shouldn’t matter but it does in terms of longevity in the position.

If he’s making moves with “moneyball” in mind, the stats he will use will likely be proprietary and not publicly available. Performance, health metrics and other variables.

If he makes an unpopular move, he can’t provide his rationale.

And if it doesn’t immediately pay off, that’s a recipe for a roast.

He’s got a VERY tough set of circumstances

Your an older fan of this team like myself let me ask you this. When has the GM or coach had the respect of the media & fans? The answer is never. The better this team gets the more intense the criticism gets when it doesn't win it all.

This is the one thing Babcock doesn't understand about this market and not winning since 67 in how it is here even if the team is a contender until now with the loss to Boston about making it safe to be a Leaf. It's never safe here until they win the Stanley cup everything is scrutinized to the point of fanatical delusion starting from the media searching for an angle of negativity no matter how small or ridiculous to keep people talking creating fanatical delusion when there's no reason for an uproar.

Just look at how there is no reason for the view point of this team right now be so ugly.

Hired one of the best coaches in the NHL to shape this franchise on ice product
Went from last to making the playoffs followed with a franchise best point season
The core of the team is so young the better players of that core still can't go to any bars in the USA.
Excellent shape with the cap
The Marlies have produced NHL players at a rate that has never happen before from this franchise
etc.

Yet the narrative is as if this is sinking, dysfunctional ship. Why?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I honestly do not know why this is the go to.
they can still (and in my opinion) should improve the defense (both up front and on the back end), but it doesn't have to be a Hall for Larsson deal. Chiarelli is a bad GM. period (as is Burke) . Improving the team of its biggest issue should be a priority, and doing so would not be "knee jerk"

because there are several examples of desperation leading to stupidity. I don't want Dubas to feel like he desperately has to improve the defense. The defense does need to be improved, but not completely overhauled or anything. There's no need to open up a big hole elsewhere in order to bring in a defender

 

[Leafsman]

Cause it's a good AHL team.
Dermott will be up on the team. Lily will need to develop but looks good.
You think all the rest Marincin,Nielsen,Loverde,Rosen,Moore,Smith,Greening,Clune,Novak,Gauthier,Timashov,Mueller,Marchment,Bracco are all going to phase in key roles or provide returns in trades to address higher needs?

You forgot Borgman and Grundstrom.

This isn't an aging team that is at risk of major players walking. This team has a solid core that is going to be around for years. Marner, Matthews, Nylander, Hyman, Brown, Johnsson, Kappy, Kadri, Rielly, Gards, Zaitsev, Dermott, and Anderson. This leaves 4 forward spots, 2 defense spots, and 1 backup. Sparks likely takes backup. Grundstrom and Aaltonen/Gautier likely take 2 forward spots and Liljegren takes 1 dman spot. This leaves the entire rest of the organization, UFA pool, and trade possibilities to fill 2 forward spots, and 1 dman spot.

While the cupboards are diminishing, mainly because of prospects graduating into worthy players, so to do roster spots.

This isn't the same situation as the past, where prospects diminish because they washed out leaving holes to fill.

 

[Al14]

Your an older fan of this team like myself let me ask you this. When has the GM or coach had the respect of the media & fans? The answer is never. The better this team gets the more intense the criticism gets when it doesn't win it all.

This is the one thing Babcock doesn't understand about this market and not winning since 67 in how it is here even if the team is a contender until now with the loss to Boston about making it safe to be a Leaf. It's never safe here until they win the Stanley cup everything is scrutinized to the point of fanatical delusion starting from the media searching for an angle of negativity no matter how small or ridiculous to keep people talking creating fanatical delusion when there's no reason for an uproar.

Just look at how there is no reason for the view point of this team right now be so ugly.

Hired one of the best coaches in the NHL to shape this franchise on ice product
Went from last to making the playoffs followed with a franchise best point season
The core of the team is so young the better players of that core still can't go to any bars in the USA.
Excellent shape with the cap
The Marlies have produced NHL players at a rate that has never happen before from this franchise
etc.

Yet the narrative is as if this is sinking, dysfunctional ship. Why?

You answered your own question earlier in your post! 1967, and then, absolutely nothing to write home about since!

 

[BertCorbeau]

Cause it's a good AHL team.
Dermott will be up on the team. Lily will need to develop but looks good.
You think all the rest Marincin,Nielsen,Loverde,Rosen,Moore,Smith,Greening,Clune,Novak,Gauthier,Timashov,Mueller,Marchment,Bracco are all going to phase in key roles or provide returns in trades to address higher needs?

If Bracco keeps trending the way he has, he'll certainly will be regarded as a quality prospect with impact potential in the NHL ... And you're also missing other key guys like Johnsson, Grundstrom, and Engvall who are showing the ability that they could step into a top 9 role within the next few years.

They are all trending upwards and would be solid prospects to add into a trade that other teams would be interested in. Not blue chippers per say right now, but solid B prospects developing in the right direction.

 

[Sypher04]

I think Fenton will be announced as the GM of the Wild within the next week.

Hunter is one of very few people in the NHL scouting world who has the financial freedom to just stop working.

Sure but we don't exactly have any indication he wants out of the NHL. I just mean if he's leaving us for another club it's because he'll be GM. And if he's not doing that, there's no reason to believe he's headed out.

 

[djdev]

one of the things i like about dubas is his extensive knowledge of the AHL/CHL. he is very well equipped to be able to trade for younger players, i.e defensemen that maybe have stagnated in a system, that he sees value in. hes been very good at finding these types of players (marchment, holl etc)
i was high on trading for ryan pulock this past offseason for that reason. then he made the isles and i was sad.