NHLPA investigating FORMER Leafs GM Dubas' agent for possible violation

[hockeywiz542]

NHL players agents raise concerns over Kyle Dubas and Auston Matthews represented by same agency | TSN

Multiple player agents have raised concerns with the NHLPA over the fact that former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and the team’s star forward Auston Matthews are represented by the same agency, Wasserman Sports, sources tell TSN.

www.tsn.ca

Multiple player agents have raised concerns with the NHLPA over the fact that former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and the team’s star forward Auston Matthews are represented by the same agency, Wasserman Sports, sources tell TSN.

Dubas is represented by a long-time friend, Chris Armstrong, while Matthews’s primary representation is Judd Moldaver.

An NHLPA source told TSN on Wednesday that he was aware of the allegations, and they were being addressed.

The Los Angeles-based Wasserman’s portfolio is large, and its agents represent players in multiple sports, including football, baseball and basketball. Armstrong is listed on the company website under its golf vertical as an executive vice president, talent and innovation.

The issue in question arises from the certification of NHLPA agents and what they are permitted to do.

Section B’s Item 9 III of the NHLPA’s Regulations Governing Agent Certification - details on prohibited conduct that is subject to discipline - states that agents are prohibited from “representing, providing services to, either directly or indirectly or engaging in or proposing to engage in business ventures with any officer, employee or independent contractor of an NHL Club, other Professional Hockey Club or Canadian Major Junior Hockey Club or any other entity affiliated with any of the foregoing including but not limited to coaches, general managers, scouts and locker room personnel.”

Dubas, 37, was dismissed by the Leafs on May 18 after five years as GM and nine years with the organization.

The 2022 Hart Trophy winner, Matthews is set to enter into the final year of a five-year, $58.195 million deal and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2024.

 

[yubbers]

I'm sure someone could doctor this up.

View attachment 712653

 

[Stephen]

Yep. The reason the NHLPA would be investigating to see if the player's interests were somehow harmed by the potential conflict of interest.

I doubt anyone thinks that was the case with Matthews. The players union doesn't care about the teams position. Based on the info we have so far it's likely just a formality to make sure they don't get accused of not doing their due diligence

FWIW Luke Fox reported Dubas’ agent is a golf guy at Wasserman. It doesn’t sound like a formality per se but it also doesn’t sound like it’s a real issue either because the player and NHLPA side is clearly not damaged by what would have taken place.

This stuff would only be logical to me if the Leafs complained to the NHL itself that Dubas did X, Y, Z and it hurt the franchise. That doesn’t seem to be the case.

 

[capfit9]

Also, just for clarity's sake, Kyle didn't even have to hire an agent to conduct his contract negotiation. He could have hired a lawyer, which many agents are themselves. A lawyer would be able to redline and relay deal points to Kyle and negotiate on his behalf just like any agent would.

I would wager that many GMs go this route. Hiring an agent that works for an agency that reps players is surprisingly dumb, even for Kyle Dubas.

I can't imagine any organization handing him full autonomy after this reported news, his fiduciary duties & good faith have come into question, allegedly.

 

[Stephen]

NHL players agents raise concerns over Kyle Dubas and Auston Matthews represented by same agency | TSN

Multiple player agents have raised concerns with the NHLPA over the fact that former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and the team’s star forward Auston Matthews are represented by the same agency, Wasserman Sports, sources tell TSN.

www.tsn.ca

Multiple player agents have raised concerns with the NHLPA over the fact that former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and the team’s star forward Auston Matthews are represented by the same agency, Wasserman Sports, sources tell TSN.

Dubas is represented by a long-time friend, Chris Armstrong, while Matthews’s primary representation is Judd Moldaver.

An NHLPA source told TSN on Wednesday that he was aware of the allegations, and they were being addressed.

The Los Angeles-based Wasserman’s portfolio is large, and its agents represent players in multiple sports, including football, baseball and basketball. Armstrong is listed on the company website under its golf vertical as an executive vice president, talent and innovation.

The issue in question arises from the certification of NHLPA agents and what they are permitted to do.

Section B’s Item 9 III of the NHLPA’s Regulations Governing Agent Certification - details on prohibited conduct that is subject to discipline - states that agents are prohibited from “representing, providing services to, either directly or indirectly or engaging in or proposing to engage in business ventures with any officer, employee or independent contractor of an NHL Club, other Professional Hockey Club or Canadian Major Junior Hockey Club or any other entity affiliated with any of the foregoing including but not limited to coaches, general managers, scouts and locker room personnel.”

Dubas, 37, was dismissed by the Leafs on May 18 after five years as GM and nine years with the organization.

The 2022 Hart Trophy winner, Matthews is set to enter into the final year of a five-year, $58.195 million deal and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2024.

Oh wow. I have no idea what industry convention is but this seems very messy if reading that clause and applying it to Dubas and Wasserman, and player agents are complaining.

 

[Stephen]

I can't imagine any organization handing him full autonomy after this reported news, his fiduciary duties & good faith have come into question, allegedly.

So much chaos surrounding Dubas right now.

Based on all the info we’ve been hearing from him, I can’t tell if he’s going to be promoted to a President and GM role with another franchise in a matter of days or is at risk of getting black balled from all the noisy shenanigans, hints at impropriety and board room power plays.

This guy might need a summer off, lay low and find a new landing spot when things have quieted down.

 

[capfit9]

So much chaos surrounding Dubas right now.

Based on all the info we’ve been hearing from him, I can’t tell if he’s going to be promoted to a President and GM role with another franchise in a matter of days or is at risk of getting black balled from all the noisy shenanigans, hints at impropriety and board room power plays.

This guy might need a summer off, lay low and find a new landing spot when things have quieted down.

Maybe he knew it was coming, reason he got emotional in his PC

 

[Dayjobdave]

And to think we are less than a week into the divorce....

Athletic article this morning explaining how everyone in management is crushed that the shining light that is Kyle has gone out, and now this comes out, and gets national press within an hour.

Wait until they really start taking shots at each other.

Note to Kyle: it doesn't matter that he's older than you, do NOT let Shanny talk you into taking this outside.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Coming player agents

 

[capfit9]

Coming player agents

Might be a ploy by other agents to save themselves/put to bed these type of relationships and have an internal investigation that doesn’t lead anywhere.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

This is just ridiculous .. coaches and GMs have agents too .. sounds like folks trying to throw dirt at Dubie .. too much BS here .. we live in a free world and you can hire who you want to represent you

So there's no conflict of interest?

Dubas fans used to swear up and down that Dubas was of the utmost integrity.

 

[CincoHolio]

Some y'all giving agents waaaaaaaaaaaay too much benifit of the doubt.

 

[rojac]

If you're not aware, agents who work at the same agency have weekly meetings where they discuss and share information about clients. They all "get on the same page" about their clients, thus leading to huge conflicts of interest. That is why the NHLPA is investigating.

Another piece of sloppy business by Kyle Dubas. Unsurprising.

Do really large agencies do this across groups? Wasserman has different groups for different sports. So, while I can see the hockey group having meetings like that, do you think they have meetings where the hockey group, the baseball group, the football group, the basketball group, the golf group all sit down together? Dubas is not represented by someone from the Wasserman hockey group. He is represented by someone listed as part of the golf group.

 

[Dayjobdave]

All of the no trades coming up at the time of Kyles renewal is already an interesting coincidence.

The potential for a conflict of interest where representatives could be leveraging one deal to help get another done makes it even more interesting. Even the hint of it looks bad.

There is probably nothing to this and it's just Kyle using his buddy from school who's not a hockey agent, but he's experienced enough as an agent to know that it is skirting around the edge of the rules, and that's a bad look.

 

[TMLeafer]

Is it a new agent? When Shanahan was giving play by play last Friday, he said something like "Kyle gave me the contact of his agent" and to me it sounded like it's someone who they didn't know was Dubas' agent before.

 

[rojac]

It only happened when we got Lamoriello and Babcock...funny.

And when:

Edmonton got Chiarelli and McLellan
Buffalo got Bylsma
Sharks got DeBoer
Devils got Hynes
Columbus got Tortorella

Just so people don't think only Toronto was affected by this.

 

[Martin Skoula]

All of the no trades coming up at the time of Kyles renewal is already an interesting coincidence.

The potential for a conflict of interest where representatives could be leveraging one deal to help get another done makes it even more interesting. Even the hint of it looks bad.

There is probably nothing to this and it's just Kyle using his buddy from school who's not a hockey agent, but he's experienced enough as an agent to know that it is skirting around the edge of the rules, and that's a bad look.

And get this: Pridham wrote the CBA which stipulates that this is the 1st year those players can get trade protection, given it’s exactly 7 years after they all entered the league in the same season. Shanny was the one who pushed for a new CBA with more contractual rights for young players, which led to the start of Burke’s downfall after the Penner offersheet, which led to him coming to the Leafs and hiring Nonis who would eventually destroy the team enough to get Matthews in the first place. Shanny’s influence on the CBA also created the mechanisms for the Coyotes max offer sheet threat that got Matthews paid.

This whole situation was being set up to get a young half Mexican boy paid since 2005, how deep does the rabbithole go?

 

[zoA]

The collective IQ on here continues to drop… it must be all the 5G towers. Things are getting embarrassing this off-season. Guess it’s time to avoid this place until we’re closer to the next season.

 

[Squiffy]

It only happened when we got Lamoriello and Babcock...funny.

Ya, one lousy year of it and we got tagged in it.

 

[Forecheck1]

Dubas house a crumbling down - Ya can only fool em so long .

 

[ITM]

This is just ridiculous .. coaches and GMs have agents too .. sounds like folks trying to throw dirt at Dubie .. too much BS here .. we live in a free world and you can hire who you want to represent you

Which folks and what (bs) specifically?

As to "a free world" and representation, sure you can, but if you have the opportunity of getting the same service without the appearance of conflict, then your want should line up with your informed choice. If you freely choose to entangle in questionable optics, others are free to inquire, right?

 

[HandshakeLineRespect]

Dubas true colours coming out. Always came off as one of those sneaky male feminist types.

 

[justashadowof]

Dubas doesn't have to worry. The lawyers at MLSE can drown this kind of nuisance in paper. Oh wait...

Seriously, if the guy negotiating the contract for Dubas isn't an actual registered agent with the PA and the league (I'm assuming he isn't, maybe he is) then I suppose no rules about agents applies here.

 

[TakeTheBody]

The more we know about Dubas and Shanahan the less I like. Kick Shanahan, Dubas, Keefe to the curb. Then it will be like Succession everyone fighting to take over.

 

[Petrus]

All of the no trades coming up at the time of Kyles renewal is already an interesting coincidence.

The potential for a conflict of interest where representatives could be leveraging one deal to help get another done makes it even more interesting. Even the hint of it looks bad.

There is probably nothing to this and it's just Kyle using his buddy from school who's not a hockey agent, but he's experienced enough as an agent to know that it is skirting around the edge of the rules, and that's a bad look.

It’s strange that Dubas would put himself in a position that someone might question his reputation and integrity.