Has Dubas failed at his job?

[ottomaddox]

Are we sure he's an excellent drafter? There are some players that look promising but they haven't performed at the NHL level yet, except Sandin, even that is limited

Just to add:

You can't be excellent at drafting when you trade away 1st round picks (3 so far).

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

The doom and gloom crew at it again I see.

I'm excited to see where Dubas leads this team, winning the cup is all that matters.

That requires winning rounds

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Just to add:

You can't be excellent at drafting when you trade away 1st round picks (3 so far).

Yes you can, it's harder but you can

 

[Captain Crunch]

So you're saying that he improved the team from 1st round underdog to 1st round favourite?

So if Dubas is safe, who/how many on the team need to be traded?

 

[Captain Crunch]

But Tavares still wasn't needed when he signed. That cap space was better suited elsewhere (like defense) and he cost himself more cap space by ensuring Matthews/Marner would have higher contract demands. He had a team of elite young players, you surround them with middle 6/2nd pair vets

Tavares overall probably cost the team $15m in cap space per year

That is what I’ve been saying all along. That was a big mistake. Matthews was going to be our #1 center. We didn’t need to spend $11 million on another #1 center. Like you said, the money should have been used to shore up other areas.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I think people are frustrated and need someone to blame. I'm not a giant fan of Dubas but it's not like he choked away a 3-1 series lead. People need to look elsewhere for someone to blame for that tragedy. And really, one more goal in any of those last three games and we're talking about a success instead of massive failure. It really can be that breaks went against them.

In game 7, one more goal wouldn't have been enough. And while I guess winning a round against a team against whom we were massive favourites would be called a success, it would have been minor one, and noteworthy only because we haven't won a round in ages.

The doom and gloom crew at it again I see.

I'm excited to see where Dubas leads this team, winning the cup is all that matters.

Did we have some playoff success that hasn't been made public? Not sure why 5 straight 1st round exits would cause anyone to be excited but oooooookay.

 

[supermann_98]

So far? Yes. Does he have a year to fix it before he’s fired? Also yes.

 

[Captain Crunch]

So you're saying that he improved the team from 1st round underdog to 1st round favourite?

So if Dubas is safe, who/how many on the team need to be traded?

eventually you have to make the players accountable they've had stacked rosters quit on a coach and although they've been underdogs in many series the lack of success should be squarely on the players shoulders for not winning a round at this point

I guess the real dilemma is whether you can build from the top down, as opposed to the goalie on out. Having to nickel and dime because 4 forwards are taking up half the cap, so is the onus on the GM for paying them that much, or on the players the GM gave the money to? Only time will tell, I guess.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Well they barely squeaked by us without JT, JT wouldn’t have had to do much to make the difference. We were deflated in that game 1 loss not even knowing if JT was gonna make it through the night. It messed up our line chemistry and we didn’t have a proper 2nd line center replacement for him, they even tried Foligno at center

Again, so how come we won the next 3 games, then shit the bed in the last 3?

 

[Captain Crunch]

Sam Jose offered JT 13 million

Many markets would kill to have a team that can make the playoffs every year. It sucks that they don't get very far into the playoffs, but you guys need to keep things in perspective.

It’s kind of hard to keep things in perspective when management is pulling out all the stops because they believe we are legitimate Cup contenders.
Also, you’re making it sound like we’ve won a few rounds, but it’s been FIVE consecutive 1st round exits, along with numerous “not starting on time”, ie choking when it matters the most.

 

[tmlfan98]

Yes is the correct answer. Hasn't had the guts to trade Marner (for cap structure reasons) or Rielly (because we will not be able to afford his extension), and it's about time this "own-rental" bs ends with him.

The most tragic flaw of Dubas is not even realizing his biggest strength by far, which is drafting. A lot of the guys that we have kept as own-rentals are not true impact players, so really there's no excuse. So many picks wasted on pointless trades.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

In game 7, one more goal wouldn't have been enough. And while I guess winning a round against a team against whom we were massive favourites would be called a success, it would have been minor one, and noteworthy only because we haven't won a round in ages.

OK but then they also would have been favourites against Winnipeg and who knows, maybe they could have beaten Vegas. The point remains, a timely goal (the first goal in Game 7 would have definitely made a difference) in any of those three games and we could all be celebrating a decent run and no one would be calling for Dubas' head right now.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

So if Dubas is safe, who/how many on the team need to be traded?

The team looks pretty good. I want to see how they look in a regular, normal non Covid season. The additions we made, look like they should give us a nice mix of skill and size.

It will all come down to the playoffs, but the team looks good on paper.

 

[Gary Nylund]

OK but then they also would have been favourites against Winnipeg and who knows, maybe they could have beaten Winnipeg. The point remains, a timely goal (the first goal in Game 7 would have definitely made a difference) in any of those three games and we could all be celebrating a decent run and no one would be calling for Dubas' head right now.

FYP.

The point that remains for me is that we haven't won a PO round since before my daughter was born and could have's and would have's don't mean a damn thing.

 

[Captain Crunch]

The team looks pretty good. I want to see how they look in a regular, normal non Covid season. The additions we made, look like they should give us a nice mix of skill and size.

It will all come down to the playoffs, but the team looks good on paper.

But sooner, definitely not later, this team needs to show up when the chips are down. If they don’t (personally, I believe it needs to happen this year), then major changes need to happen, starting with management and on down to the core. Looking good on paper has not translated to having success in the playoffs.
And I can already hear the excuses if we miss out or go out in the 1st round again: but we were in the tough Atlantic division, we need another year because of that.
SMH

 

[tmlfan98]

OK but then they also would have been favourites against Winnipeg and who knows, maybe they could have beaten Vegas. The point remains, a timely goal (the first goal in Game 7 would have definitely made a difference) in any of those three games and we could all be celebrating a decent run and no one would be calling for Dubas' head right now.

Actually we would have faced Tampa if we got past Winnipeg because of re-seeding, at which point they would have slapped us around. Leafs were never making it past round 3 this year.

If the Leafs made round 3 like they were supposed to, Tampa vs Islanders would have been the cup final instead of the semi finals, but it was really the true cup final anyways.

 

[Captain Crunch]

No. Don't we have enough of these damn threads that just complain about not making it through a series and blame the guy that is constantly making us better.

So if he’s constantly making us better, should that not translate into playoff success?
What is the magic number of 1st round exits before Dubas realizes he made a mistake in believing in this core, and breaks it up? And if he doesn’t, how long before management needs to go?

 

[Mess]

This is a make or break season for the GM, and the Coach and even the President perhaps.

If playoff success doesn't change this season then management will. IMO

Sports is a results oriented business.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Again, so how come we won the next 3 games, then shit the bed in the last 3?

What does the order of games matter? They beat us 4-3

 

[Captain Crunch]

What does the order of games matter? They beat us 4-3

Because you said it messed up our line chemistry when JT went down. My point was how come they could win 3 games without him?
At some point, people need to realize this core cannot get it done when it matters most.

 

[Captain Crunch]

This is a make or break season for the GM, and the Coach and even the President perhaps.

If playoff success doesn't change this season then management will. IMO

Sports is a results oriented business.

And I would add, if that’s the case, the core will be broken up. Then maybe we might see a more balanced lineup.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Because you said it messed up our line chemistry when JT went down. My point was how come they could win 3 games without him?
At some point, people need to realize this core cannot get it done when it matters most.

We won three games despite JT going down because we are a much better team than them. If he did t go down we probably would have swept them

 

[Beaumaris]

I believe he has. Would love to hear why he hasn’t. When you look at what he inherited the results havnt been good enough. Not many GMs begin their tenure with 3 game breaking offensive talents including a guy who at the time was widely viewed as the second most valuable asset in the league all on their ELC and Rielly on an amazing contract.

Im still pretty sure Dubas has to get the OK from Shanahan,and that’s where the problem lies.imo.

 

[Captain Crunch]

We won three games despite JT going down because we are a much better team than them. If he did t go down we probably would have swept them

I somewhat agree. We are a much better team than them until the winning really counts.
Two consecutive playoffs of being the better team with jack shit to show for it.
At what point do we stop blaming it on bad luck, and put the blame on either Dubas, the core, or both?

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

But sooner, definitely not later, this team needs to show up when the chips are down. If they don’t (personally, I believe it needs to happen this year), then major changes need to happen, starting with management and on down to the core. Looking good on paper has not translated to having success in the playoffs.
And I can already hear the excuses if we miss out or go out in the 1st round again: but we were in the tough Atlantic division, we need another year because of that.
SMH

Why not let the season play out before you just assume the worse and make up imaginary voices in your head?