End of Season Pressers (Monday May 15)

[Trapper]

Why would he talk to his wife if the offer was insulting?
Shanahan not being there made perfect sense, IMO.

Dubas looked more like a guy who was under tremendous stress in terms of decision and not one insulted by a low ball offer.

 

[ACC1224]

Not surprising or unexpected.

With Shanahan not around or available for comment, you would think that the organization would be doing its due diligence and see what all their options are going forward.

With Bell and Rogers and Tanenbaun all involved in ownership there is no reason to believe everyone is unanimously on board with Dubas going forward and looking at all options available.

The fact Ownership left Dubas dangling in a lame duck position on expiring contract with a "prove it or earn it extension" suggests Dubas being their man is not 100% confirmed yet.

However with all the big critical decisons coming up via draft and free agency and MNC kicking in, there is not a lot of time for a new guy to come in and hit the ground running. So Dubas might be their safety net position instead of #1 choice.

No one else has said they have heard that so I'm guessing he misheard.
I don't listen to the radio but I know many here do. He said Jeff Marek said that.

 

[Squiffy]

No one else has said they have heard that so I'm guessing he misheard.
I don't listen to the radio but I know many here do. He said Jeff Marek said that.

Still doing exit interviews maybe?

 

[ACC1224]

Still doing exit interviews maybe?

Could be. My buddy is a bit of a dimwit so he probably misheard.

 

[1specter]

Not seeing why they would care about that, they never have in the past.

Not to mention, they technically are the media People seem to forget Bell / Rogers own the team. What media fallout would they be worried about when they own the damn media?

 

[trellaine201]

Simply why wouldn’t they have had an extension by now?

 

[nuck]

It can potentially be destructive in any field

There have been a couple trades i havent agreed with.. but i dont see him consistently getting bent over

With his trading the good moves and FA signings have been spaced apart enough that he pays the price but the value doesn't overlap so good acquisitions like Spezza and Gio perform for a couple years and then age out, or in the case of Muzz, they injury out. Kadri was bad but it was a specific deal to give assets and cap relief at the same time so very few options. The worst of that was he could have dealt Barrie for value at the TDL because the guy wasn't working out, and Kerf last summer after his career year. It might be me but it seemed almost like he was trying to prove the trade was good by winning with them. Like bringing back Malgin a second time in hopes he would justify their initial interest.

He got bent over by contracts in year one, and maybe a bit in the Marleau deal because he had no connections in the old boys club that would throw him a lifeline. Of course the Murray thing was dense as hell but that was more a complete lack of understanding about the player than the value. He didn't overpay, but like Foligno, he just shouldn't have made the add.

I like a lot of his trades, that isn't the weakness in his game compared to the other GMs.

 

[Rude Dog]

Sounds like Dubas either wants a long term contract, significantly more money or both. I don't think it's a good look to air that your family struggled. After not signing, sure put it in the media.

Or you can take him at face value. Stress can bring out the worst in many of us. At least most of us can hide our work failures. I am sure he brought a lot of that home with him.

 

[Mess]

I am confident that the Leafs extended a fair offer to Dubas.

His reluctance to announce a decision yesterday has nothing to do with money.

In what capacity?

Hunter and Dubas were interim GMs and Shanny brought in Lou Lam to steady the ship previoulsy.

Who is to say Dubas and GM is locked in stone, but rather bringing Dubas back in some form or management to be a part of a team approach, with even a new voice and face added to be the primary GM to try and push the Leafs over the top. He could be offered a contact to stay with the organization but his roles and responsibilities could be altered and autonomy not on the table.

Would Dubas need time to consider his options if he was offered an Assistant GM or Alternate GM contract? Dubas does bring some things to the table the organization sees as benefits and asset but not as the sole decision maker, particularly with the size of the new contracts coming up.

 

[The Masters]

Stress. Do not underestimate what stress can do to a family.

No one is. But you get compensated for dealing with a pressure job like running the Leafs. This all comes down to money/term and seems to me he'll be back if Shanny gives him a big raise else the juice aint worth the squeeze.

 

[ACC1224]

Anyone know how much Dubas made on his last contract?

 

[Gallagbi]

No one is. But you get compensated for dealing with a pressure job like running the Leafs. This all comes down to money/term and seems to me he'll be back if Shanny gives him a big raise else the juice aint worth the squeeze.

I dont think its dollars, but term is an interesting one. A 2-year contract may be something he isn't interested in and I could see the Leafs being reluctant to go long term

 

[ToneDog]

Or you can take him at face value. Stress can bring out the worst in many of us. At least most of us can hide our work failures. I am sure he brought a lot of that home with him.

I agree but if the stress was that bad, why would the same place be the only place you want to go to rather than a less stressful market ?? My guess is he prefers not to move his family and would need more money to compensate for the stress that comes with this market. Funny thing is, old man Lou never mentioned stress and wanted to stay.

 

[Squiffy]

Anyone know how much Dubas made on his last contract?

Tried searching yesterday. Doesn't seem to be publicly known.

 

[Lemontree]

That is the Peter Principle you're talking about of being elevated to your level of incompetence.

View attachment 709274

However the higher you promote him the less he has to do with daily operations and hands on, therefore the less damage he can keep inflicting on the organization as the non decision maker.

Heck they could promote him to Vice President as Shanny's right hand man.

Up or Out as I'm on board for either option in the best interest of my Maple Leafs. Out of site is out of mind and end justifies the means.

Even if the excuse to promote him is the players like him, that's good enough for me.

I'd rather the organization not reward failure and try to build a culture of accountability and SUCCESS.

 

[Mess]

Or you can take him at face value. Stress can bring out the worst in many of us. At least most of us can hide our work failures. I am sure he brought a lot of that home with him.

Dubas hitched his new contract and tenure with the Leafs to Matt Murray last summer, kn owing he needed playoff success. His Stanley Cup pedigree the answer to Leafs playoff struggles.

That would be just 1 example alone of how Dubas was torn to shreds and under stress all year long (and rightfully so), hearing regularly how poor that decision was. Murray is still under contract and a headache to now get rid of that is a massive pressure point that would create stress.

So how much stress is self inflicted based on poor decisions and having to answer for them in the media?

 

[81Leafs50]

I think it sucks that this fanbase puts an immense amount of stress of wives, friends, family of the players. Talk sports. Share stats. Voice your sports opinions. DONT make it personal.

 

[Legion34]

Man asks wife and family after a hard long taxing year, how they would feel about him doing the same job again is bizarre? Yikes.

Man who has a multi million dollar high profile job for years waits until 6 weeks before his contract is up to talk to his wife…..

That’s pretty bizzare…… wouldn’t you have a plan prior to?

It’s not like he got fired or he is potentially leaving for a team that he didn’t expect.

How didn’t he see this coming?

 

[Gallagbi]

Man who has a multi million dollar high profile job for years waits until 6 weeks before his contract is up to talk to his wife…..

That’s pretty bizzare…… wouldn’t you have a plan prior to?

It’s not like he got fired or he is potentially leaving for a team that he didn’t expect.

How didn’t he see this coming?

Things build. He didnt know what offer he would get and ive never seen a GM shown as frequently on a broadcast as we saw Dubas this year.

Im sure they talked about scenarios, but some pieces are new variables

I think it sucks that this fanbase puts an immense amount of stress of wives, friends, family of the players. Talk sports. Share stats. Voice your sports opinions. DONT make it personal.

In fairness we dont know if anything the fans did made it personal for Dubas.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I think it sucks that this fanbase puts an immense amount of stress of wives, friends, family of the players. Talk sports. Share stats. Voice your sports opinions. DONT make it personal.

Yes because only in Toronto that happens
They're millionaires who choose to play a sport. Suck it up and perform. That's all the fans ask.

 

[nuck]

Penguins Notebook: Bonino Bouncing Back; Dubas’ Dubious Decision

The IIHF World Championship tournament doesn’t usually get much attention from Pittsburgh Penguins fans. It often has conflicted with the Penguins’ participation in the Stanley Cup playoffs, although that hasn’t been an issue in recent years, so they rarely have players or prospects involved...

pittsburghhockeynow.com

Lost Leverage

Kyle Dubas probably deserves credit for his candor Monday, when he said he isn’t interested in being a general manager anywhere except Toronto, at least in the coming season.

It didn’t necessarily reflect well on his skills as a negotiator, though.

Dubas’ contract with the Maple Leafs is about to expire, and reports suggest that ownership there is interested in keeping him.

After weeks of speculation that he would be a — maybe the — leading candidate to replace Ron Hextall as GM of the Penguins, Dubas effectively snuffed any possibility of that happening.

In the process, he also stripped himself of some leverage that could have helped him get better money or more favorable terms in any deal he eventually might strike with the Maple Leafs.

I think the deal was already offered so there is no leverage to be gained or lost. In terms of another club, he can change his mind next week. The only closed door is if he waits too long and the position is filled. Unless he has a license to tear it down I would think Pittsburgh is not a good place to go. The key pieces are too old and it looks like ownership still thinks they can win with the old guard.

 

[Warden of the North]

No one is. But you get compensated for dealing with a pressure job like running the Leafs. This all comes down to money/term and seems to me he'll be back if Shanny gives him a big raise else the juice aint worth the squeeze.

Absolutely correct. But that doesn't mean the stress doesn't effect him and his family nor does it mean he can't walk away if he wants too.

 

[Dekes For Days]

no what is crazy is him pretending that he would really have to think about an offer.
He has worked his entire life to get where he is and no chance in hell he would turn down a reasonable fair offer from the leafs just because the season was hard and people were mean to him. If he is that soft he does not belong in the high pressure life of professional sports management……..the then again look at the soft team he built.

Talking to your significant other and your family about stuff like this isn't bizarre or crazy or soft. It's what adult humans in healthy married relationships do.

 

[Antropovsky]

Or you can take him at face value. Stress can bring out the worst in many of us. At least most of us can hide our work failures. I am sure he brought a lot of that home with him.

What's the incentive to saying this publically then? If he takes the job again, what changes and makes it easier on his family?

Of course the stress probably exists, but i wonder what benefit he has to saying it publically before accepting or not accepting an extension?

 

[nuck]

I dont think its dollars, but term is an interesting one. A 2-year contract may be something he isn't interested in and I could see the Leafs being reluctant to go long term

Or maybe a limitation of authority where he is required to clear things with Shanny that were previously in his purview. It may legitimately be the job is giving him ulcers and he needs to step away from it and the offer is in fact market value. Can't spend you're money if you're dead or its wrecking your family life. We will maybe know more in a couple of days.