Confirmed with Link: Jason Spezza Retires | Will Join Leafs Front Office

[ACC1224]

Dubas had no leverage when he signed his deal. There were probably better candidates than him out there, more veteran executives. He had some NHL experience as an AGM but he didn’t prove anything plus he was young. The Leafs had the leverage because getting a GM job is hard enough, do you think he was gonna pass that up just to maybe earn $1,000,000? Also I’m not sure how much you think GM’s make. I’d assume Dubas is probably in the upper half of GM’s paid in the NHL.

Probably?

 

[aingefan]

Any post acknowledging his good work here earns a like.

Glad to have him around, I’m pretty curious about the capacity.

 

[Twine Tickler]

I think the thing that I picked up on the most with Jason's retirement press conference was when Kyle stated that once Jason's decision to retire became more clear, the conversations between he and Jason began to shift immediately into a post career tone. I believe what he was insinuating was that it was no longer a player to GM dynamic, and that Jason was able to speak more candidly without the fear of sewering a fellow player.

Even if that was not the point Kyle was trying to convey, I think it inherently will be the case going forward. Spezz knows that room probably better than anyone in the Leafs organization. He was 100% fully invested into this team, and he will know first hand which guys weren't. I suspect that list of players not giving it 100% is very small TBH, but having Jason under Kyle's wing is going to be so beneficial IMO.

I am sure Spezz was never afraid to speak his mind, but he also was a great teammate by all accounts. The likelihood of him pointing out 1 individual as being a player that needed to be moved while being an active member of the roster is unlikely. But as part of management I think his opinions will start to become a lot more clear. I also think Kyle and the rest of our management team is progressive enough to understand that Jason provides a unique perspective that most teams in the NHL do not have, and to leverage that to our advantage. I really don't think Jason is just going to be bystander as "Assistant to the GM". His opinion will be valued IMO.

Great career. Thank you Spezz for always bleeding blue since day 1. We need more guys with a heart like yours.

 

[The Iceman]

Probably just shadow Dubas. Learn what he has to learn then take Sakic, Yzerman route

Why not use Spezza as an insider.

After being in the room and on the road with these guys Spezza can advise who can the team win with, who can be counted on, who the team should sell on.

I think his knowledge will be invaluable.

 

[fahad203]

Why not use Spezza as an insider.

After being in the room and on the road with these guys Spezza can advise who can the team win with, who can be counted on, who the team should sell on.

I think his knowledge will be invaluable.

Isnt that why we have coaches? If keefe doesnt have a handle on all these then i dont know what to tell you

 

[Gabriel426]

Why not use Spezza as an insider.

After being in the room and on the road with these guys Spezza can advise who can the team win with, who can be counted on, who the team should sell on.

I think his knowledge will be invaluable.

What if it is JT? lol.

 

[The Iceman]

Isnt that why we have coaches? If keefe doesnt have a handle on all these then i dont know what to tell you

How kids act and what they say around their teachers and how they act and what they say around their friends are very different.

 

[ACC1224]

Why not use Spezza as an insider.

After being in the room and on the road with these guys Spezza can advise who can the team win with, who can be counted on, who the team should sell on.

I think his knowledge will be invaluable.

He’ll have an excellent opinion on everything from the players POV, like you say ‘invaluable’.
He does seem like a great teammate though, who probably gets along with everyone, so he may not be totally objective.
No doubt welcome addition though.

 

[hamzarocks]

Dubas had no leverage when he signed his deal. There were probably better candidates than him out there, more veteran executives. He had some NHL experience as an AGM but he didn’t prove anything plus he was young. The Leafs had the leverage because getting a GM job is hard enough, do you think he was gonna pass that up just to maybe earn $1,000,000? Also I’m not sure how much you think GM’s make. I’d assume Dubas is probably in the upper half of GM’s paid in the NHL.

No way Kyle Dubas pulls only 500k per year. He's the GM of TML when they are having strong success in the Reg season and continue making money

Brian Burke made 3M as the leafs GM. Yeah Dubas had 0 years of EXP as a GM vs Burke who had started 15 or so years ago, but still, GM salaries have had to increase, and Dubas was highly touted internally within MLSE. They wouldn't pay him 500k which is less than what Garth Snow made as the isles GM, with the isles being financially constrained and having internal budgets.

Holland as senior VP for the wings made 3-3.5M. Once again experience is years apart b/w dubas and holland but Toronto is one of the few markets which can "print money" in the NHL. Dubas makes at minimum 1M with maybe team-based incentives (combination of reg success which he'd hit a few times in past 4 years and probably playoffs which he wouldn't)

 

[Stephen]

I think the thing that I picked up on the most with Jason's retirement press conference was when Kyle stated that once Jason's decision to retire became more clear, the conversations between he and Jason began to shift immediately into a post career tone. I believe what he was insinuating was that it was no longer a player to GM dynamic, and that Jason was able to speak more candidly without the fear of sewering a fellow player.

Even if that was not the point Kyle was trying to convey, I think it inherently will be the case going forward. Spezz knows that room probably better than anyone in the Leafs organization. He was 100% fully invested into this team, and he will know first hand which guys weren't. I suspect that list of players not giving it 100% is very small TBH, but having Jason under Kyle's wing is going to be so beneficial IMO.

I am sure Spezz was never afraid to speak his mind, but he also was a great teammate by all accounts. The likelihood of him pointing out 1 individual as being a player that needed to be moved while being an active member of the roster is unlikely. But as part of management I think his opinions will start to become a lot more clear. I also think Kyle and the rest of our management team is progressive enough to understand that Jason provides a unique perspective that most teams in the NHL do not have, and to leverage that to our advantage. I really don't think Jason is just going to be bystander as "Assistant to the GM". His opinion will be valued IMO.

Great career. Thank you Spezz for always bleeding blue since day 1. We need more guys with a heart like yours.

I obviously have no idea what a championship locker room is supposed to feel like, but the way the Leafs players and management talk about the room and team chemistry is very atypical of NHL team dynamics from other organizations.

 

[ACC1224]

No way Kyle Dubas pulls only 500k per year. He's the GM of TML when they are having strong success in the Reg season and continue making money

Brian Burke made 3M as the leafs GM. Yeah Dubas had 0 years of EXP as a GM vs Burke who had started 15 or so years ago, but still, GM salaries have had to increase, and Dubas was highly touted internally within MLSE. They wouldn't pay him 500k which is less than what Garth Snow made as the isles GM, with the isles being financially constrained and having internal budgets.

Holland as senior VP for the wings made 3-3.5M. Once again experience is years apart b/w dubas and holland but Toronto is one of the few markets which can "print money" in the NHL. Dubas makes at minimum 1M with maybe team-based incentives (combination of reg success which he'd hit a few times in past 4 years and probably playoffs which he wouldn't)

Burke was also the President

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[ACC1224]

""

Sad news, drugs are a dangerous thing.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Why not use Spezza as an insider.

After being in the room and on the road with these guys Spezza can advise who can the team win with, who can be counted on, who the team should sell on.

I think his knowledge will be invaluable.

He was Dubas snitch when he was a Leaf. Not trust worthy.

 

[thewave]

Sad news, drugs are a dangerous thing.

What's going on right now is ridiculous. It doesn't even need to be illegal drugs now that the street are lacing all sorts of things with Fentanyl. 200k+ lives a year. Maybe it wasn't that but regardless, a good time to point out a real world issue.