Confirmed with Link: Kyle Dubas named President of Hockey Operations

[K Fleur]

Do you think when Leafs fans are feeling down about their team disappointing them again that they go and read old newspaper clippings of their past championships?

 

[Lust for Life]

Media availibility @ 12.30 PM ET. Will be live streamed

 

[Lara Emily]

So, we’re going on what we hope the PoHO should be now?

No we're going on what it traditionally is and because Dubas is the first guy they hired and they haven't announced a GM, and we know Dubas was looking for Shanahan like power so like put the obvious together

 

[Pens1566]

Like I would love this to be a savvy hire but the PoHO has largely been a completely useless position here under multiple ownership groups.

Isn't Doober only our 2nd POHO in franchise history? Or, is that the joke?

 

[Malkinstheman]

Friedman did say that FSG would play around with titles to get the people they want. Maybe Dubas will be the decision maker here and they'll create a GM position under him to "promote" a current AGM

 

[Josey Wales]

So I'm guessing Botterill is the front runner for the GM position now.

Why??

 

[HandshakeLine]

I’m not trying to piss on the parade per se, but there’s a lot of wishcasting going on. We don’t have a great sample size of PoHO performance, but we DO have more evidence for the Burke side of it than whatever this version is.

Until we see this hard-ass GMing the GM appear, I remain skeptical that it’s going to be any different.

Friedman did say that FSG would play around with titles to get the people they want. Maybe Dubas will be the decision maker here and they'll create a GM position under him to "promote" an existing AGM

Then why not just make him GM? I thought no GM would want to deal with that situation?

 

[Josey Wales]

I've been calling for Dubas's head since we lost the qualifier to Columbus.

No tears here my dude. Dubas offing himself is the best leaf day I've had in years. But you will indeed get some tears of your own

Nope The 3 Stanley Cups block my tears kthxbye

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Why??

Along with Dubas was among the final round of interview candidates.

 

[Deport Ogie]

Also can we give a quick hat tip to the Penguins announcement coming literally minutes before the Treliving PC in Toronto? And announcing the Dubas PC will occur within a few hours so that there is no way Toronto press can sit through the Treliving chat and make it to Pittsburgh in time?

 

[Gurglesons]

I’m not trying to piss on the parade per se, but there’s a lot of wishcasting going on. We don’t have a great sample size of PoHO performance, but we DO have more evidence for the Burke side of it than whatever this version is.

Until we see this hard-ass GMing the GM appear, I remain skeptical that it’s going to be any different.


Then why not just make him GM? I thought no GM would want to deal with that situation?

Because he wants full control.

That’s why Dubas is here. He has nobody to answer to outside of ownership.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Isn't Doober only our 2nd POHO in franchise history? Or, is that the joke?

I am cynical about it, but yea I’m not so completely face down in my cups yet.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I’m not trying to piss on the parade per se, but there’s a lot of wishcasting going on. We don’t have a great sample size of PoHO performance, but we DO have more evidence for the Burke side of it than whatever this version is.

Until we see this hard-ass GMing the GM appear, I remain skeptical that it’s going to be any different.


Then why not just make him GM? I thought no GM would want to deal with that situation?

Then you wouldnt be able to get someone like Pridham whos already an AGM in Toronto. He would need to get a promotion to be hired elsewhere

 

[JTG]

Yo Tavares to the leafs wasn’t a Dubas move. I’m not saying he was or wasn’t on board, but it wasn’t his decision.

If it wasn't, that changes my view, but that move singlehandedly changed the trajectory of that franchise, IMO. The minute it was made, they essentially gave up on goaltending or defense until the cap was able to rise, and then COVID happened. But even then, the top of their roster is STILL top heavy compared to other teams and this is years later.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Because he wants full control.

That’s why Dubas is here. He has nobody to answer to outside of ownership.

I remain skeptical that it’s going to turn out like that and that we’ll get a GM that is sufficiently pliant.

We could have literally done the same thi with Burke and we did not.

 

[Thornbury]

You guys are really going to like him, he's a good one.

Not every move is going to work out (obviously), but 99% of the time he makes a move you can understand the logic behind it. Which is rare in the league it seems.

Great person too, which makes it easy to cheer for him. A part of me will be rooting for the Penguins success cause of him. Best of luck.

Yes, he did a lot more good things than bad for the Leafs. His big issue was signing Matthews and Marner for deals that were too rich / too short. He had to scramble to fill out the roster around those guys with limited resources. His drafting record was really solid, and he made some great trade deadline deals this year. At the end, the core guys didn't deliver for him, but I think your franchise is now in good hands.

 

[IcedCapp]

So, we’re going on what we hope the PoHO should be now?

What are our alternatives? I’m happy to bitch about this team, but I’m gonna give them a chance here. Like, even if I think they’re stupid, nothings gonna change anyhow, so I may as well go with it, right?

But I don’t think this is stupid. And I don’t think you spend this kinda money on the hottest young thing in the league and then put him in a “ceremonial position.”

We’re all new to FSG, let’s see if they’re as smart as we’ve heard.

 

[Josey Wales]

Along with Dubas was among the final round of interview candidates.

so was Tulsky

 

[Pens1566]

Anyone want to bet that Spezza is also brought in????

 

[Lara Emily]

Fun game now

Is Pittsburgh now on Auston Matthews' radar

 

[HandshakeLine]

Then you wouldnt be able to get someone like Pridham whos already an AGM in Toronto. He would need to get a promotion to be hired elsewhere

I mean, we’ll see. I’m hoping I’m wrong. But I just don’t see it as the genius move everyone else does.

 

[Gurglesons]

I remain skeptical that it’s going to turn out like that and that we’ll get a GM that is sufficiently pliant.

We could have literally done the same thi with Burke and we did not.

Why would you be skeptical? Dubas basically got fired for asking for that amount of power in Toronto.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Anyone want to bet that Spezza is also brought in????

I'm not ruling this out.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It is a fair cop that this isn’t some long-tenured thing here, I’m just saying the last PoHO Hank was supposed to have just as much power, was known for being opinionated, and was immediately completely sidelined.

Maybe it was Hextall? I’m willing to be wrong, as I said. But it’s not like we saw the previous regime give it a lot of weight.

Oh I'm not sure I'm just goofin. I think the last regime was a slapped together bucket full of moron who didn't really know what they were doing, though. No real goal, no real plan, no real vision. Haphazard and slipshod. I'd like to think that this time around these titles and the workflow/chain of command of the FO actually mean something.

But obviously we'll see. It's the Penguins. They haven't engendered much confidence when it comes to having a functional and professional FO for years, now. Lots of empty suits in the past lurching around doing a bunch of nothing. So I get the skepticism.

Also lol Leafs fans. Imagine going over to a board to lecture a team's fanbase that's actually... you know... known success sometime AFTER man landed on the moon.

 

[K Fleur]

Anyone want to bet that Spezza is also brought in????

To be our new 2C