[Friedman] Pittsburgh hires Kyle Dubas as President of Hockey Operations

[Canadian Finn]

Unsure of what she teaches but if this is some lame attempt at saying Pittsburgh is a “wonder” in the world of education, as a slight, it’s a pretty awful attempt.

Pittsburgh has two ridiculously highly regarded educational colleges in the entirety of North America. And a couple others that are a couple hours drive that are up there as well.

You can attack the city for other things but I would take a seat if this truly was aimed at a diss at the educational system here.

it had nothing to do with the actual education.

the wonder of the city of hamilton matches quite closely to the wonder of pittsburgh.

and that wonder isn't driven by education.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The only thing I really fault Dubas for is signing Tavares; especially that contract. Toronto didn't need more offense, they needed defense and to a lesser extent goaltending, and it was incredibly obvious.

Dubas didn't have the authority to not sign Tavares. With how interfering Shanahan seems to be, I think he would have forced Dubas to bring in Tavares.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Typical HF lmao. Loving the re-appraisal.

 

[nuxnux1]

That's on Dubas.

Surrounding a team with the wrong players and/or continuing to play with players who can't win is on the GM.

The players are what they are, the GM's job is to construct a winning team.

You're blaming the players when the entire point of a GM is to evaluate players and create a winning team. If the players he choose are unable to win in the environment he constructed, it's on him.

That’s true, the Tavares signing was really awful by him almost immediately

 

[HockeyVirus]

Lol, somehow dubas' is credited for all of the good picks but not the bad. Why is Woll a dubas' pick as a AGM while korshkov isn't?

At the end of the day, the amount of Dubas' drafted players as a GM that played in the playoffs this year was one.

What bad picks?

And yeah, that's because he traded Sandin and Durzi and guys like that. Otherwise, it's not unrealistic for multiple late picks to not hit AND/OR them to take longer than 3 years to make the NHL. Leafs don't really have a top line talent in the pipeline after Knies graduated but they have lots of solid pieces who will be solid contributors in a meaningful way

That’s true, the Tavares signing was really awful by him almost immediately

LOL ah yes he scored 47 goals year 1 it was so terrible. Tavares really has folks super salty he made them look silly for actually signing with the Leafs all these years later. Only explanation as to why a dude producing at his career pace is talked as if he is an AHLer

 

[GirardSpinorama]

What bad picks?

And yeah, that's because he traded Sandin and Durzi and guys like that. Otherwise, it's not unrealistic for multiple late picks to not hit AND/OR them to take longer than 3 years to make the NHL. Leafs don't really have a top line talent in the pipeline after Knies graduated but they have lots of solid pieces who will be solid contributors in a meaningful way

You can say that about any team. Until they are actually NHL contributors (i.e. play in the playoffs), they are inconsequential. And it's not like the contributions of a Holmberg is any higher than that of a minimum cost veteran.

Dubas' drafting is about as average as you can get. It's not like dubas' got a Maccelli in 2019 or even a Luke Evangelista in 2020.

 

[HockeyVirus]

You can say that about any team. Until they are actually NHL contributors (i.e. play in the playoffs), they are inconsequential. And it's not like the contributions of a Holmberg is any higher than that of a minimum cost veteran.

Last year? Probably not but going forward absolutely. He is very very good defensively and on ELC. He will replace Kampf and be a key player for the team in his role.

Just look at Keefe talking about him while he was still with the team

It is not overly surprising. We are talking about him now because he scored two goals on this trip, but what stands out to me is that it is his eighth game tonight, and I can’t find this guy making a mistake.

Throughout games, he is a young guy, and there are things you want to talk to him about and show him. You are expecting mistakes and corrections. This guy doesn’t make mistakes. He is incredibly smart.

Defensively, he is always in the right spot. He doesn’t even have a full grasp of the language here yet or the league, and yet he is picking up our system, our structure, and the things we are asking him to do. He is near perfect.

It is great to see him get rewarded for that with the offense, but to me, he is a guy who makes you feel good about putting him on the ice because he is going to do what you are asking of him and make it hard on whoever he is playing against.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

it had nothing to do with the actual education.

the wonder of the city of hamilton matches quite closely to the wonder of pittsburgh.

and that wonder isn't driven by education.

Yeah I just have no idea what you are even talking about.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Last year? Probably not but going forward absolutely. He is very very good defensively and on ELC. He will replace Kampf and be a key player for the team in his role.

Just look at Keefe talking about him while he was still with the team

Lol very very good defensively. Very low standards here. Comments from a coach that half the leaf fans want to get fired with zero bias. Every fan base has C level prospects they get excited about and forget about in a couple of years.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Lol very very good defensively. Very low standards here. Comments from a coach that half the leaf fans want to get fired with zero bias. Every fan base has C level prospects they get excited about and forget about in a couple of years.

Ha I am sure you are diligently watching Leaf games and an expert on all of our prospects. The definition of unbiased is refusing all information that doesn't fit your narrative isn't it?

Just for fun though, let's throw his scouting report in there as well and see if you might be willing to admit you don't know the player

He is responsible defensively and has a fine work ethic. His offensive numbers in the SHL indicate he might be able to provide some secondary offense at the NHL level (though that is far from a guarantee), while helping to keep opponents off the scoreboard. Long Range Potential: Solid defensive forward.

 

[LevelingSolo]

One thing is certain, Dubas is extremely loyal to his teams core group of players

Don't expect a rebuild while he is there, at least not until the big three retire/possibly choose to play elsewhere

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Ha I am sure you are diligently watching Leaf games and an expert on all of our prospects. The definition of unbiased is refusing all information that doesn't fit your narrative isn't it?

Just for fun though, let's throw his scouting report in there as well and see if you might be willing to admit you don't know the player

I'm sure you read these scouting reports to get hot and heavy at night but after a couple of years forget about who this guy even is.

Where's the Maccilis/Luke Evangelistas that Dubas' the elite drafter missed? Where's even the Mattias Samuelssons that would be an amazing fit with the leafs soft defense? Where are the difference makers?

 

[Maple Leaf]

Yeah I just have no idea what you are even talking about.

pens almost moved to hamilton
pens franchise struggling

 

[Oleksiak]

The alternative is Dubas trades a couple of Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares. I'm sure Leaf fans would be overjoyed if he'd dealt Matthews or Marner away.

That's what anyone who is actually qualified to work in hockey ops would have done. The fact that Dubas is too stupid to understand this is proof that he was unfit for the job.

 

[sr edler]

"President" of "operations" sounds so fancy, like you're real life spy trying to prevent WW3, though they still just shuffle these guys around within the business. Just get a foot inside the door and be a likeable motormouth and you're set, like in so many other professions.

 

[Hockeyholic]

He’s a slick talker.

Knows how to beschmooze the suits at FSG, and Shanny years ago as well. It took Shanahan a few good years to finally see through Kyle’s BS.

I think this is probably Shanahan's last GM hire.

I agree Dubas is a sweet talker and probably suckered in FSG.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I'm sure you read these scouting reports to get hot and heavy at night but after a couple of years forget about who this guy even is.

Where's the Maccilis/Luke Evangelistas that Dubas' the elite drafter missed? Where's even the Mattias Samuelssons that would be an amazing fit with the leafs soft defense? Where are the difference makers?

Sandin and Liljegren are the equivalent. Yes I know Holl played over him in playoffs yes that is because the coach wanted experience above all. But him and Sandin were both solid 2nd pairing dmen for the leafs the past 2 years, last year especially.

Liljegren is going to be a legit dman for us for a long time

 

[Brent Burns]

According to HF everybody is a trash GM and should be replaced by large data centers running a base image of EA NHL 23 MyGM mode. You think each of these moves was one person? There are multiple meetings where these stats and other factors are discussed ad nauseum, rather than cherry picked examples of X, Y, and Z. Get your heads outta your asses.

Take a step back and see the forest from the trees.

 

[horner]

He’s a slick talker.

Knows how to beschmooze the suits at FSG, and Shanny years ago as well. It took Shanahan a few good years to finally see through Kyle’s BS.

If dubus was feeling thr heat here wait.
The Pittsburgh owners want a Stanley Cup.
Here it was like well we lost again again and again ok let's do nothing not in Pittsburgh.
Pressure you now have dubasss .

 

[nturn06]

Just for fun though, let's throw his scouting report in there as well and see if you might be willing to admit you don't know the player

That scouting report sounds like a weaker version of Jesse Puljujarvi, doesn't it?

 

[nturn06]

That's what anyone who is actually qualified to work in hockey ops would have done. The fact that Dubas is too stupid to understand this is proof that he was unfit for the job.

IMO, the biggest issue is that Dubas had success in OHL, and he tried to replicate it by building a similar type of team (all skill and no bite)... And it took him almost 5 years to realise that this doesn't work in NHL.

We could maybe give him some leeway for trying something new, but IMO it is unadmissible that it took him so long to realise that this does not work.....

 

[OurlordAndSaviorKuch]

Shanny played hockey and had plenty of executive experience. One simple google search on Wiki tells you how Shanahan was more than capable than dubas is now

View attachment 714414

It is amusing watching Leafs fans defend Shannahan while in the same breath hating on Dubas.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

If dubus was feeling thr heat here wait.
The Pittsburgh owners want a Stanley Cup.
Here it was like well we lost again again and again ok let's do nothing not in Pittsburgh.
Pressure you now have dubasss .

Doesn’t matter, he’s POHO now, at this point he can just hire a fall guy GM to take the axe for him when the time comes.

Doobler’s only downfall will be if he once again overplays his own hand and attempts to do both jobs at once (for more than a few weeks). He will fail at the GM role again, and only then would he get fired (again).

 

[Fatass]

Doesn’t matter, he’s POHO now, at this point he can just hire a fall guy GM to take the axe for him when the time comes.

Doobler’s only downfall will be if he once again overplays his own hand and attempts to do both jobs at once (for more than a few weeks). He will fail at the GM role again, and only then would he get fired (again).

Dubas failed as GM? Didn't the Leafs get 105 points last year? They've been really good since his became GM. And he was still bringing in younger guys too. Seems like he did a good job.

 

[horner]

It is amusing watching Leafs fans defend Shannahan while in the same breath hating on Dubas.

Iam a leaf fan the both should have been fired when Ron Francis became available.
Shanahan had no managerial experience
Then he hires a rookie GM.