Confirmed with Link: Kyle Dubas named President of Hockey Operations

[ColePens]

I think you're in your own world if your takeaway wasn't this is so Dubas' team

I celebrate the difference of opinion and the true test here is wait and see approach. We would all be guessing.

On one hand I see @HandshakeLine POV because the team was just bought. So I think his perspective of caution is more than fair.

On the other hand I totally understand users who say Dubas LEFT Toronto because of power, why would he come here at the END of an era if he didn't have power. Fair point.

Now let's wait and see.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

He's supposedly a very good numbers guy who is an expert with the cap and doing cap gymnastics.

Which is good b/c we are going to need to do the whole floor routine to get out of Granny. He just doesn't fit in the top 6 at that contract

 

[Icarium]

I wonder Sully's fanboys next excuse will be if he gets the players he wants from Dubas and the new GM and the team is still a trainwreck. Mercury retrograde?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The one thing I'm a bit surprised with Dubas wanting the Pens gig is he seems to be in it for the long-term, but he came to a team that's got about a 2-3 year window before it gets blown up and started from scratch.

 

[cookthebooks]

I know what the structure is, DP, much like you know how much you love the front office already. I just don’t believe it does anything productive.

based on the press conference?

 

[HandshakeLine]

One the the Leafs were this year is exciting.

Yeah that’s my faint, feeble hope for the year. But again, we’ve said that so many times over the years and it’s been what, 6 years since it was true?

I celebrate the difference of opinion and the true test here is wait and see approach. We would all be guessing.

On one hand I see @HandshakeLine POV because the team was just bought. So I think his perspective of caution is more than fair.

On the other hand I totally understand users who say Dubas LEFT Toronto because of power, why would he come here at the END of an era if he didn't have power. Fair point.

Now let's wait and see.

Like I’ve said multiple times here, I’d be overjoyed to be wrong. Hell, I love being wrong. The fear I have is that I’m not.

 

[Lara Emily]

Yeah that’s my faint, feeble hope for the year. But again, we’ve said that so many times over the years and it’s been what, 6 years since it was true?

I mean none of us think the Pens are winning another cup with this core

But it'd be nice if they were fun to watch unlike basically since 2019

 

[gdsmack267]

Impressive press conference. I liked just about every answer. Its a big time challenge

 

[3ladesof5teel]

I think a discussion about whether he has the power to fire Sullivan is moot because there is no way he's going to fire Sullivan.

I don't know what additional evidence Penguins fans need to realize that Sullivan is insanely highly regarded among NHL executives and isn't going anywhere.

And he hasn't lost the locker room either. If anything it might be tighter than ever with the end of Sid/Geno/Letang approaching and Sully and Hextall butting heads b/c one wanted to go for it and the other basically did nothing to get there.

Of course this all can change with next season and a terrible start and Sully refusing to put players in positions to suceed

 

[HandshakeLine]

based on the press conference?

Based on the past few seasons. Again, I don’t really care what the GM says in a presser. I care to see what the results are, but already talking like a coaching change is impossible isn’t a good sign.

I cannot say it more clearly: I hope I am wrong. I also do not believe I will be, and I think most of you are just lying to yourselves. Again, I feverently hope I am wrong. WRONG. Not correct.

 

[Morbo]

I knew he'd go for this over gm. Said as much in the other thread.

He learned from his boss.

Shanahan has been in Toronto for 9 years and is clearly running the show but it's his subordinates who take most of the heat for the lack of success. There's something to be said for being insulated.

I think Dubas' tenure in Toronto was mediocre, but Shanahan has a very good setup here and I can see why Dubas would prefer President after being inside that structure for a number of years.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

lol come on guys... the actual BRAND of hockey is still going to be the same.

Mike Sullivan didn't go anywhere and they aren't going to tell him how to coach the team.

This only helps fix things from a asset management and front office organization POV. How many times do we really have to see that it doesn't much matter what players you give Sullivan... they all get used the same or they get traded when they cannot.

 

[Gurglesons]

Anyone expecting Dubas to fire Sullivan was kidding themselves.

Sullivan would’ve been fired when Hextall was if he was going to be.

 

[Lust for Life]

My brother in christ @HandshakeLine lets act like you are wrong until you aren't, it's more fun being happy in the meantime

 

[Lara Emily]

I celebrate the difference of opinion and the true test here is wait and see approach. We would all be guessing.

On one hand I see @HandshakeLine POV because the team was just bought. So I think his perspective of caution is more than fair.

On the other hand I totally understand users who say Dubas LEFT Toronto because of power, why would he come here at the END of an era if he didn't have power. Fair point.

Now let's wait and see.

Pens ownership threw out all their plans when Dubas became available and they didn't announce one of their other guys as GM, Dubas is GM until July, and they didn't even commit to hiring a GM.

 

[66-30-33]

Please don't trade for Matt Murray mr Dubas sir.

 

[Gurglesons]

lol come on guys... the actual BRAND of hockey is still going to be the same.

Mike Sullivan didn't go anywhere and they aren't going to tell him how to coach the team.

This only helps fix things from a asset management POV. How many times do we really have to see that it doesn't much matter what players you give Sullivan... they all get used the same or they get traded when they cannot.

I think Dubas does not come here without full autonomy.

Dubas went through that experience with Babcock. We know how that will go.

 

[SomeDude]

As with most life situations, this one can be summed up with a quote from the best fictional leader in America’s history

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Dubas is literally the second person ever to have this job

And they didn't simultaneously announce a GM... who do you think is now going to be hiring the gm.

When Burke was hired his job was nit really the traditional role for that title

Dubas likely is doing what the job is supposed to be

I see we are attracting our own Dubasites already.

 

[Lara Emily]

The one thing I'm a bit surprised with Dubas wanting the Pens gig is he seems to be in it for the long-term, but he came to a team that's got about a 2-3 year window before it gets blown up and started from scratch.

He outright implied that's part of the appeal

He confirmed his plan is to compete now and then guide the rebuild

 

[3ladesof5teel]

The one thing I'm a bit surprised with Dubas wanting the Pens gig is he seems to be in it for the long-term, but he came to a team that's got about a 2-3 year window before it gets blown up and started from scratch.

I would think that that would be a good selling point, think about it, you can build from the ground up the way you want it with the blessing of ownership after building a competitor that needs a few pieces here to round out.

A GM in the NHL should love that challenge. Dubas has his philosophy and he believes in it...…now he can execute it

 

[HandshakeLine]

I mean none of us think the Pens are winning another cup with this core

But it'd be nice if they were fun to watch unlike basically since 2019

Yeah, that’s my hope too. I just want this to be a team worth staying up late to watch again.

We’ll see. Dubas has his work cut out for himself for sure.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

We can have Emp and Aurora write Grandlund a Letter of Recommendation...

No really, he was a 60pt player on the top line (he just needs PP time)
No really, his defense is great.
No really, he can win a puck battle (small test: in a beer league)
No really, he's just misused...

All kidding aside, he seems miles better than Hextall.

I want Granlund traded just like everyone else. I said he can play up to a 3M value if things go very well, nothing more.
2M is probably most likely in this role.

And yeah his defense was good. That's factual. And yeah he did have 28 power play points last year and is an option to help the 1st unit when they struggle.
That's more than Sid got this year.

I appreciate that you hate the player but I try to make objective assessments instead of just being ruled by my emotions. It's not common here, I know.

 

[Lara Emily]

I see we are attracting our own Dubasites already.

He's so cute

 

[Beau Knows]

Well I think said the right things, let's see if he can execute. It's gonna be a tricky job: keeping the team at least somewhat competitive for the next few years while trying to build for the future at the same time.