Confirmed with Link: Spezza tenders resignation - Update 6/14 Named Penguins AGM

[ACC1224]

Rumor: The real reason Jason Spezza resigned from the Maple Leafs.

An NHL insider has a theory about the timing of Jason Spezza's sudden resignation.

www.hockeyfeed.com

When the Toronto Maple Leafs made the decision to fire general manager Kyle Dubas earlier this month they were quickly informed that there would be consequences for going down that road.

Almost immediately following the decision to fire Dubas, beloved former National Hockey League forward Jason Spezza announced that he would be resigning from his position as special assistant to the general manager. Most believe that Spezza made the decision purely out of loyalty to Dubas, with whom he worked closely, but on Monday NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared his own theory on the timing of Speeza's seemingly sudden resignation.

Friedman admitted that he likely will never get confirmation for his theory, but he suggested that Spezza's retirement may have been precipitated by an intriguing offer from the Maple Leafs.

"The timing of his resignation in Toronto has people wondering if he was initially the plan," said Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast.

What Friedman meant here by 'the plan' was that Spezza would take over in lieu of Dubas as interim general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"The organizational plan to take over as interim general manager after Dubas left," said Friedman.

Again I must stress that this was only a theory, a point that Friedman made sure to get across.

"I don't know if we will ever get confirmation on that, but certainly that is one of the theories," said Friedman.

If Spezza was indeed the backup plan for Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, you have to wonder just how big of a blow Spezza's resignation was to the organization this close to both the NHL Entry Draft and free agency.

Been a long day but I just read this and it makes no sense.

 

[Antropovsky]

Rumor: The real reason Jason Spezza resigned from the Maple Leafs.

An NHL insider has a theory about the timing of Jason Spezza's sudden resignation.

www.hockeyfeed.com

When the Toronto Maple Leafs made the decision to fire general manager Kyle Dubas earlier this month they were quickly informed that there would be consequences for going down that road.

Almost immediately following the decision to fire Dubas, beloved former National Hockey League forward Jason Spezza announced that he would be resigning from his position as special assistant to the general manager. Most believe that Spezza made the decision purely out of loyalty to Dubas, with whom he worked closely, but on Monday NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared his own theory on the timing of Speeza's seemingly sudden resignation.

Friedman admitted that he likely will never get confirmation for his theory, but he suggested that Spezza's retirement may have been precipitated by an intriguing offer from the Maple Leafs.

"The timing of his resignation in Toronto has people wondering if he was initially the plan," said Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast.

What Friedman meant here by 'the plan' was that Spezza would take over in lieu of Dubas as interim general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"The organizational plan to take over as interim general manager after Dubas left," said Friedman.

Again I must stress that this was only a theory, a point that Friedman made sure to get across.

"I don't know if we will ever get confirmation on that, but certainly that is one of the theories," said Friedman.

If Spezza was indeed the backup plan for Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, you have to wonder just how big of a blow Spezza's resignation was to the organization this close to both the NHL Entry Draft and free agency.

Lol.... Spezza as the interim GM. Only something Dubas would consider a good plan.

 

[Martin Skoula]

He was caught with a sword with Brutus Dubas by Julius Caesar Shanny.
Spezza was an intern at best earning his last yr of salary.

Shanny’s more of a Boston pizza guy.

 

[Menzinger]

I think there would have been merit to a Spezza as GM theory one day, but not necessarily June 2023. You look at guys like Sakic, Yzerman, Verbeek, it took each of them quite a few years to get to GM. I could have seen that for Spezza one day but he was probably still at an internship level when he left.

Guy’s got a lot of money from his playing days. Maybe slogging it out wasn’t for him if the picture was uncertain.

I doubt it was any more complicated than he was close with Dubas and was financially stable enough not to have to stick around after the falling out with Shanahan.

If he wants to continue the transition to the exec sphere he'll have to do so on another team. Either by joining up with Dubas or maybe going to Ottawa

 

[Buds17]

I'd have been surprised if Spezza received that nod for interim GM over Pridham. I probably won't be quite as surprised if/when Spezza ends up being a Dubas hire for a second time elsewhere.

 

[Stephen]

I doubt it was any more complicated than he was close with Dubas and was financially stable enough not to have to stick around after the falling out with Shanahan.

If he wants to continue the transition to the exec sphere he'll have to do so on another team. Either by joining up with Dubas or maybe going to Ottawa

Yeah. He was kind of climbing the charts as a sentimental favorite but this is where we leave off and his Leaf story comes to an end, seemingly over nothing. So long, Spezz.

 

[ACC1224]

I doubt it was any more complicated than he was close with Dubas and was financially stable enough not to have to stick around after the falling out with Shanahan.

If he wants to continue the transition to the exec sphere he'll have to do so on another team. Either by joining up with Dubas or maybe going to Ottawa

Local guy, retired. I’d be surprised if his family wants to move. That’s why it’s seems strange that he quit, seemed like he was in the ideal situation.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Oh no, Spezza is leaving? Yawn.

 

[nuck]

Thats ridiculous supposition. Nothing about Spezza's situation suggests the club would think he is a viable fill in for the GM. "We are hoping for someone with experience but a few days ago I was about to go with a guy fresh off the turnip truck." Maybe Spezza just thinks Shanny is a prick or he was quitting before he got axed.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

The guy was learning on the job for less than a year. Not buying that theory at all. One of the biggest front office jobs in sports isn't going to be turned over to an "intern" after less than a year. He could've been the guy in maybe 3 yrs but not even close to a viable option now.

Pridham would make sense but not Spezza

 

[Squiffy]

Thats ridiculous supposition. Nothing about Spezza's situation suggests the club would think he is a viable fill in for the GM. "We are hoping for someone with experience but a few days ago I was about to go with a guy fresh off the turnip truck." Maybe Spezza just thinks Shanny is a prick or he was quitting before he got axed.

Ya, I don’t see this one, that’s ridiculous. One year out from playing on the team he’s taking over as GM? No way.

Forget Quinn doing coach/gm, small potatoes, we’re going Spezza playing coach, gm, equipment manger and head of nutrition. No no, we think that’s fine, what?

 

[phillipmike]

As someone who despises Dubas as the Leafs GM, I would rather have Dubas stay than have Spezza become GM. What a stupid idea.

 

[hfman]

The guy was learning on the job for less than a year. Not buying that theory at all. One of the biggest front office jobs in sports isn't going to be turned over to an "intern" after less than a year. He could've been the guy in maybe 3 yrs but not even close to a viable option now.

Pridham would make sense but not Spezza

but why not.



jfj was a rookie

dubas was a rookie

spezza....

you fill in the blanks



the leafs like to hire rookies

 

[Its not your fault]

Spezza has less than one year of experience in a front office. No loss at all. See ya bud.

Laughable for any fan to think Spezza is invaluable.

And can't come back one day.

 

[Kazparov]

Kinda think Dubas had Pittsburgh up his sleeve already and Spezza will just follow him there.

 

[Tak7]

Kinda think Dubas had Pittsburgh up his sleeve already and Spezza will just follow him there.

I never got that sense.

I think Dubas knew what sort of working conditions & package he wanted in order to continue working in Toronto, and was quite content on walking away if he didn't get those. I'm sure having the knowledge of other interested parties helps embolden anyone during negotiations, but I don't think he entered into these negotiations having a plan B all lined up.

I never bought into the "Dubas overplayed his hand" narrative.

Having a class act like Spezza resigning, without comment, despite having an ideal job less than 35km away from his family home, perhaps speaks louder volumes about the environment within MLSE at the moment than a lot of us are willing to realize.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Waffles and myself got it right and you got it wrong.

That is not true, of course.
The contracts were consistent with the history of post-ELC contracts, and were not "unprecedented dramatic overpayments". That has been proven extensively.
Superstar ELCs ending and adding tens of millions to the cap has historically seen teams take a step backward, even when they have way more mitigating advantages than we did.
The unexpected stagnant cap did impact things league-wide, and teams disproportionately based on their situation at the time. Leafs got one of the hardest hits.
With effective management, we've been able to consistently build a top tier team with this structure, despite additional difficult and unique barriers.

And now we're entering the unknown, with a worse GM, and some of the best pieces of the management group gone or likely to leave.
Everybody seemed to love Spezza here before he left. Heck, some even wanted him to take over as GM.

 

[nuck]

I think folks need to study the intern in the Kramerica Industries episode of Seinfeld. There is precedent for this.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Sounds like Spezza is off to Pittsburgh.

 

[yubbers]

I'm still not even sure what Spezza did. Lol

 

[wingman75]

I'm still not even sure what Spezza did. Lol

Took a LOT of notes!

I wish he stayed with our org, but if he is not a part of the Leafs, I have no interest in him or what he is doing.

 

[Racer88]

Shanny’s more of a Boston pizza guy.

Well played…….bravo

Spezza was just Dubas’s beer boy

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[LeafsFan89]

Good for him. Wish him the best.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Well played…….bravo

Spezza was just Dubas’s beer boy

Lo and behold, now he is with Pittsburgh lol