News Article: The Athletic: Shanahan blocked Dubas from completing trades that "could have improved the Leafs’ ability to advance further in the playoffs"

[Leaffan1991]

Would a current member for next season really do that you think? I was thinking it maybe had to be an outgoing player who has nothing to lose if they burn a bridge or something. Still weird that any pro player would rat out someone else's business.

I feel like it's Bunting

 

[Dekes For Days]

If the reporting was that he blocked an impact trade, who would the Leafs have given up?

I haven't even seen reporting that he blocked an impact trade. The report was that there was way too much going up and down the ladder through GM, President and ownership, and that Shanahan had blocked trades that could have helped us advance in the playoffs, which given the tiny margins we've lost by, could be almost anything.

And regardless, even if it was an impact trade, an impact trade doesn't mean trading away Knies. That's ridiculous, and a wild leap. We have prospects and draft capital other than Knies. We made multiple impact trades at the deadline and none involved him. Given everything we know and everything Dubas has said about Knies, his availability, and his potential impact for our team in the playoffs, there's no reason to think that Knies was involved.

This shouldn't need to be said, but people shouldn't be making up wild scenarios they have no evidence of, and blaming Dubas for it.

 

[Beaumaris]

Maybe it was Shanahan who wanted Foligno.

Now that I could believe.

 

[DuklaNation]

The players aren't in control. MLSE is. Blow it up.

 

[thusk]

I love the Leafs, but if a new GM were to come in and gut the team I would mostly be ok.

I think if the GM moved Rielly and maybe Knies I would be upset.

So when you consider I only care for a couple of players, you can see why I'm not sweating the Matthews/Nylander stuff. The core hasn't won anything accept 1 playoff series in 7 tries. Mostly Rielly and maybe Nylander have been players who've stepped in the playoffs.

So what is there to be anxious about? This team has been letting down fans for years now.

Correction, nylander the guy whos almost cost series against tampa not the guy whos step up in playoff

5 player had played at full intensity all playoff long. Rielly, Schenn, Kampf Acciari and Knies... thats it

 

[Dekes For Days]

Almost as funny as those who defended all of Dubas' decisions are now up in arms because some of these great moves may be a result of potential "meddling"

Nobody "defended all of Dubas' decisions", though some certainly dumped on all of them. Every Leaf fan should be concerned about ownership meddling. Regardless of whether it had good or bad outcomes this time, it has historically not gone well. And at the very least, it seems to have contributed to losing a great GM.
And obviously, people shouldn't be spreading random claims about trading Knies that they have no evidence of.

 

[Stephen]

Would a current member for next season really do that you think? I was thinking it maybe had to be an outgoing player who has nothing to lose if they burn a bridge or something. Still weird that any pro player would rat out someone else's business.

Could be. That player also wouldn’t have to tell the truth just to stir up some trouble.

I just assumed Friedman was getting his intel from Wasserman directly. But at the end of the day, July 1 is just the first day he can sign so maybe they want to do the song and dance before settling on something.

I’m also curious to see if Matthews will need any surgery to deal with anything this summer or if he will be not at 100% next year which impacts his production and negotiating position if not locked in.

 

[myleafs]

Trades such as…?

exactly ...if your going to throw around thse kind of accusations at least have something to back it up. This happened and they could have won in the playoffs if it didnt. Like what exactly.....Im not sure but trust me on this its big....lol yea ok then

 

[Menzinger]

I'm a bit surprised to see some outright refuse to believe this could be true.

Shanny has openly from the very start of his time with MLSE back in 2014 played an active role in hockey decisions.

For example, He personally made phone calls about Nylander to guys in Sweden prior to the draft to get a read on his background/character.

He didn't suddenly stop doing this.

It's hardly inconceivable that he may have had a radically different view on a particular move or two than Dubas and used his authority in the MLSE hierarchy to block them. Whether or not that interference was justified would remain to be seen as not enough details are out there on it

 

[hullsy47]

Could be. That player also wouldn’t have to tell the truth just to stir up some trouble.

I just assumed Friedman was getting his intel from Wasserman directly. But at the end of the day, July 1 is just the first day he can sign so maybe they want to do the song and dance before settling on something.

I’m also curious to see if Matthews will need any surgery to deal with anything this summer or if he will be not at 100% next year which impacts his production and negotiating position if not locked in.

The players were wondering how JUSTIN HOLL got back in

I'm a bit surprised to see some outright refuse to believe this could be true.

Shanny has openly from the very start of his time with MLSE back in 2014 played an active role in hockey decisions.

For example, He personally made phone calls about Nylander to guys in Sweden prior to the draft to get a read on his background/character.

He didn't suddenly stop doing this.

It's hardly inconceivable that he may have had a radically different view on a particular move or two than Dubas and used his authority in the MLSE hierarchy to block them. Whether or not that interference was justified would remain to be seen as not enough details are out there on it

Well shanny actually won something
But not keeping mark hunter over dubas was just ludicrous

 

[Notsince67]

I haven't even seen reporting that he blocked an impact trade. The report was that there was way too much going up and down the ladder through GM, President and ownership, and that Shanahan had blocked trades that could have helped us advance in the playoffs, which given the tiny margins we've lost by, could be almost anything.

And regardless, even if it was an impact trade, an impact trade doesn't mean trading away Knies. That's ridiculous, and a wild leap. We have prospects and draft capital other than Knies. We made multiple impact trades at the deadline and none involved him. Given everything we know and everything Dubas has said about Knies, his availability, and his potential impact for our team in the playoffs, there's no reason to think that Knies was involved.

This shouldn't need to be said, but people shouldn't be making up wild scenarios they have no evidence of, and blaming Dubas for it.

It is a bit obtuse to suggest that an impact trade that was blocked by shanny didn't have impact on prospect or player implications. I seriously doubt a Robertson trade or a Kerfoot trade would have been blocked. We all already know that there were multiple inquiries on Knies.
Not going to die on this hill but the speculation is fair IMO.

 

[Squiffy]

The statement is pretty ambiguous. “Could have improved ability..”.. I mean you could say that about any move for anyone in or out that maybe could crack the playoff roster. Timmons “could” have affected ability to go further..

I don’t doubt it’s accuracy, I just also don’t see it as earth shattering.

 

[Trapper]

The statement is pretty ambiguous. “Could have improved ability..”.. I mean you could say that about any move for anyone in or out that maybe could crack the playoff roster. Timmons “could” have affected ability to go further..

The Leafs brought in 6 different players for the deadline. Ranging from ROR to McCabe.
Doesn’t seem handcuffed to me. Was Dubas looking to trade bigger?

 

[horner]

Now that I could believe.

The article said blocked trades

 

[Stephen]

I'm a bit surprised to see some outright refuse to believe this could be true.

Shanny has openly from the very start of his time with MLSE back in 2014 played an active role in hockey decisions.

For example, He personally made phone calls about Nylander to guys in Sweden prior to the draft to get a read on his background/character.

He didn't suddenly stop doing this.

It's hardly inconceivable that he may have had a radically different view on a particular move or two than Dubas and used his authority in the MLSE hierarchy to block them. Whether or not that interference was justified would remain to be seen as not enough details are out there on it

When you’re a subordinate in a professional role, it’s typical that you would need the bosses input if you had radically different ideas about how to do things than previously agreed on or what your company wants to do. You might get a green light or a red light but that’s what it’s like to work in a hierarchy.

 

[myleafs]

Are fans really going to go down this path where they imply that Dubas was "abused" by Shanny? Or that Dubas was "never truly autonomous"? Come onnnnnnnnnn!


Just to add:

I'm listening to their last "leaf report" podcast. Both Jonas and Mirtle are reeling after Shanny's decision.

I blame the refs.....wait I mean we got goalied...wait...damn...am I doing this right? So now not only are the refs and league against the leafs but Shanny is against Dubas? Got to love the endless stream of excuses. I have no doubt Dubas is gossiping to the right people to get it out there and for me it just shows me Shanny made the right decision, even if he came to it in a weird roundabout way. Dubas is coming across like an ungrateful POS IMO.

 

[Jozay]

This is useless information until they tell us what he trades he actually blocked.

 

[Dekes For Days]

It is a bit obtuse to suggest that an impact trade that was blocked by shanny didn't have impact on prospect or player implications. I seriously doubt a Robertson trade or a Kerfoot trade would have been blocked. We all already know that there were multiple inquiries on Knies.

There are multiple inquiries on any competitive team's top prospect. There's nothing that suggests that Dubas was prepared to trade him, and a lot that suggests that he wasn't. It doesn't say impact trade. It says trade. And even for an impact trade, there are endless possibilities that don't involve Knies, including the multiple impact trades we saw this deadline. There's enough chaos right now. We don't need people spreading false information that they have no evidence of.

 

[Trapper]

This is useless information until they tell us what he trades he actually blocked.

Yeah it’s like telling your spouse you meant to buy them a great present. Would’ve been awesome!

 

[myleafs]

A certain group of people dismiss anything/anyone that might say something positive about dubas or paint dubas more in a positive light so yea. It's like the republicans in the states that dismiss everything that doesn't come from fox news.

I do hope that Shanahan shit isn't true though, not many GMs especially experienced ones who want to a puppet for the puppet master.

Oh the irony

 

[thusk]

The players were wondering how JUSTIN HOLL got back in


Well shanny actually won something
But not keeping mark hunter over dubas was just ludicrous

Hunter was a disaster

 

[Buds17]

Wings fan in peace. Elliotte Friedman reported that an anonymous Leaf player texted him that Auston isn't resigning on July 1st. Not sure if true or anything, could be nothing, but are there any rumours what player it is, that might text or say such a thing. Seems very unprofessional for a player to leak another players business.

This is really only a big deal if Matthews won't be re-signing at all. The NMC is what has put such an emphasis on that July 1st date.

 

[robertmac43]

I knew about the Chicago one, wondering what else was blocked by Shanny. It's an interesting dynamic when the president and board get in the way of the GM.

 

[thewave]

Hunter was a disaster

We don't know that. Apparently everyone has their hands in on the action so. The whole organization is run by muppets I think.

 

[Sypher04]

I don’t believe for a second that Dubas was actually going to trade Knies. I believe Chicago asked for him, but that’s it