After the statement From the Toronto Maple Leafs That the team will not bring back Kyle Dubas as general manager next season, president Brendan Shanahan met with the media on Friday. He walked everyone through a timeline of how he made the decision to move forward and the general plot was that Dubas dragged his feet making the decision to stay on as general manager and gave off an aura that he wasn’t motivated to do the job anymore. Knowing this, Shanahan felt it was best for the organization to move in a different direction.
Why did Shanahan change his mind about Dubas?
Shanahan said he spoke with Dubas early last season about staying with the team, but told then-GM that he wanted him to finish year five on his contract before offering a potential extension. Dupas was comfortable with that, he said, but it didn’t take the entirety of it for the organization to realize that it was pleased with what Dupas had done as general manager. They wanted to sign him and were already hoping to announce the extension after the NHL trade deadline or between playoff rounds.
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Unfortunately, Dubas wasn’t quite so sure. He stated to Shanahan that the year was fairly taxing on his family and that he needed time to make up his mind. Shanahan understood and was still comfortable going forward… that is, until he saw Dubas’ press conference at the end of the season.
What did Dubas say turned Shanahan on?
Watch Shanahan Dubas answer media questions and get a little surprised by the candor and comments about his family’s struggles. While Shanahan admitted that Dupas had told him he needed time, it was at that moment that he became unsure that Dupas was fully committed to being the general manager. He noted that he had kept Dubas at the top of his roster and wanted him to sign the team’s extension offer, but had begun to consider what the team might look like if he needed to hire a new general manager.
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The whole time, Shanahan said he’s been talking to Dubas’ agent and things are positive. He reminded everyone that the franchise wanted to move forward quickly and said he was under the impression that the framework was mutually acceptable and that it reflected what he and Dupas’ agent had discussed. He had no more clarity on whether Dubas wanted to stay or sign the deal, but as the days went on and he didn’t hear back from Kyle, he began to think more and more about hiring a new GM.
When did Shanahan pull the trigger for change?
When Dubas did the press conference and then basically ghosted him, Shanahan knew it was time to move on. When he finally received a new contract from Dubas and the financial terms they had discussed did not match, it seemed to cement his decision to have the Leafs go in another direction. He said he had received an email from Dubas saying that Kyle wanted to stay on as GM, but it was too late. Shanahan went to Dubas’ office and said the team would not offer him an extension.
While he was aware that working in Toronto or in any executive position in the NHL could be a bid for families, it was the lack of urgency shown by Dupas that caused Shanahan to question the GM’s motives. It wasn’t necessarily about the new contract terms or what he did in his five previous seasons that forced the Leafs to move on. Instead, it was an uncomfortable level of uncertainty and it was hinted that the team simply wanted people working for the club who were fully committed to getting down to business and doing what was best for the team.
He thanked Dubas for the work he’s done and noted that his fingerprints will be all over the success this team ultimately achieves, but he’s ready to take the Maple Leafs in a new direction and feels that hiring a new GM right away is the right thing to do. way to continue. As for who he’s looking at, Shanahan has confirmed his priority will be an experienced GM. He indicated that he would not rush into a decision but wanted to fill the vacancy immediately.