Kyle Dubas or Mark Hunter as next GM?

[Myopic]

If 75 year old Lou Lamoriello retires, who is your preference to take over as GM of the Leafs? Why? I assume that the choice will be between Hunter or Dubas.

The Leafs apparently value Dubas and won't allow him to interview for other GM jobs. They just promoted Mark Hunter to the position of assistant GM. It's just a title but I think they did that to keep Hunter happy.

Hunter is a valuable asset in terms of evaluating talent and drafting future prospects. Will he get angry and leave the Leafs if they give Dubas the promotion over him? Yes, he would have a new role but I suspect that Hunter would still have a huge input in the draft.

Yes, Dubas appears to be a smart young executive, and is a pro analytics guy, but my choice would be to promote Hunter.

What say you?

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[kyle n00bas]

Backward thinking is so endemic in hockey, I'd really like to hang onto Dubas and flex our financial muscle to try and always be a step or two ahead of other teams.

 

[justafan22]

Mirtle and others have said hunter's comfortable in his current role.

Before last summer's dubas extension I would've said hunter, but I think it'll be dubas since he already turned down one nhl GM job.

 

[Myopic]

Backward thinking is so endemic in hockey, I'd really like to hang onto Dubas and flex our financial muscle to try and always be a step or two ahead of other teams.

That's the thing. Dubas could be the next Theo Epstein type leader. On the other hand, procuring talent trumps everything else and Hunter is one of the best.

 

[stickty111]

Dubas.

 

[airgordo]

I think Lou will be GM until Tampa Bay's window closes. Then Shannahan poaches Yzerman.

Dubas does not have the experience to be Toronto's GM. Why would they take the risk when they can pay an experienced GM to do the job.

 

[Myopic]

I think Lou will be GM until Tampa Bay's window closes. Then Shannahan poaches Yzerman.

Dubas does not have the experience to be Toronto's GM. Why would they take the risk when they can pay an experienced GM to do the job.

Lou could very well retire after this season. He'll be 76 next year. I could see him coming back for another year because he's still mentally sharp. Tampa's window is probably 5-6 more years. There's no way that Dubas would stick around that long and you are not certain that Yzerman would even take the Toronto job. Living in Florida is a nice Gig and he has no pressure from the media.

 

[93LEAFS]

Hunter. But, I think Shanahan wants Lou to stay another year to keep the peace.

I believe Hunter is more than capable of finding analytics guys to work with when Dubas moves on, over the scouts we will lose if Dubas is chosen over Mark. From everything I've heard, Mark has strong backing under him, that makes Shanahan very reluctant to go with Dubas over him. Hunter seems to be the guys of the scouts and the coaching staff.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I have a feeling Lou will come back for at least another season and rightly so. He's still as good as ever.

Not really comfortable with Dubas/Hunter in the GM position. You'd like to have someone with more of a proven record in this market.

 

[Menzinger]

Backward thinking is so endemic in hockey, I'd really like to hang onto Dubas and flex our financial muscle to try and always be a step or two ahead of other teams. I shudder to think what kind of direction letting him walk might indicate for our future.

I really like Dubas’ view of the game and also hope they hang onto him.

The thing is whomever replaces Lou (at least in terms of the title) isn’t going to be a GM like on other teams. Shanahan still has final say, you’ve got the highest paid coach in the NHL with Babcock.whomever gets he position is just being part of a group dynamic rather than running everything.

If I were to make a prediction, Dubas likely gets the title and an expanded role/say on the Leafs and Hunter remains king of his scouting kingdom.

Listening to Mirtle in interviews, he seems to think Dubas likely has the inside track because of his closeness to Shanahan. But at this point who knows what’ll happen

 

[93LEAFS]

I really like Dubas’ view of the game and also hope they hang onto him.

The thing is whomever replaces Lou (at least in terms of the title) isn’t going to be a GM like on other teams. Shanahan still has final say, you’ve got the highest paid coach in the NHL with Babcock.whomever gets he position is just being part of a group dynamic rather than running everything.

If I were to make a prediction, Dubas likely gets the title and an expanded role/say on the Leafs and Hunter remains king of his scouting kingdom.

Listening to Mirtle in interviews, he seems to think Dubas likely has the inside track because of his closeness to Shanahan. But at this point who knows what’ll happen

I think Mirtle pumping Dubas is more because Dubas is one of his guys. Its why guys like Bobby Mac always pump the tires of Mike Futa (because Futa is a source).

 

[Daisy Jane]

neither.

 

[francis246]

I think it will be a third party. But if I had to chose between the two I'd pick hunter. He's more respected and can create a culture for retaining/acquiring players. Also i don't want our team to be put together purely based on analytics. Also, I'm not entirely convinced Dubas or Hunter wants to be the Toronto Maple Leafs GM.

 

[Morbo]

It'll probably be Hunter...but that means we need somebody to replace Hunter.

I think our drafts and system is more important than Hunter being the GM though.

 

[93LEAFS]

I think it will be a third party. But if I had to chose between the two I'd pick hunter. He's more respected and can create a culture for retaining/acquiring players. Also i don't want our team to be put together purely based on analytics. Also, I'm not entirely convinced Dubas or Hunter wants to be the Toronto Maple Leafs GM.

Both want it, and whoever doesn't get it will be gone.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Seems like everyone pushes Mirtles opinion as fact and gold in this group lol

 

[93LEAFS]

It'll probably be Hunter...but that means we need somebody to replace Hunter.

I think our drafts and system is more important than Hunter being the GM though.

Hunter will be replaced internally. Hoffard probably killed his chance at that. My guess is either Lilley or Speltz. If I had to bet, I'd bet on Speltz, who was a very long-tenured WHL GM before Mark brought him in.

 

[93LEAFS]

Seems like everyone pushes Mirtles opinion as fact and gold in this group lol

Mirtle is our best on the ground reported. Not that I think what he says is gospel. But, people are more willing to hear him out than Simmons. I do think Simmons is an idiot, but he was in on the Dubas story about a fracture in our management team.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Mirtle is our best on the ground reported. Not that I think what he says is gospel. But, people are more willing to hear him out than Simmons. I do think Simmons is an idiot, but he was in on the Dubas story about a fracture in our management team.

Simmons considers himself a opinion writer, I dont mind him.

 

[Buds17]

I'm potentially fine with either, or even someone else. Beyond the few moves they made in their short time as interim GMs, there's not really enough for me to properly evaluate them on. Not sure in which direction we'll ultimately go, but glad things are going well for the time being with Lou at the helm and we aren't contemplating a change for any necessary and immediate reason.

 

[Duke Silver]

Dubas, but I'm not sure Babcock will play nice with him.

 

[SprDaVE]

I have a feeling Lou will come back for at least another season and rightly so. He's still as good as ever.

Not really comfortable with Dubas/Hunter in the GM position. You'd like to have someone with more of a proven record in this market.

Good in what sense exactly? I haven't seen any moves or signings that makes me think he's so great to be perfectly honest.

He's made good moves but hardly anything I'd call earth shattering.

 

[SprDaVE]

I think Dubas should be the guy. Forward thinking about his methods and says all the right things. I'm sure Hunter is capable but I think his strong suit of being a head scout is so much better for him to compliment a GM. He definitely won't have as much time to scout and be in arenas as much if he's in charge of hockey operations essentially.

I don't know what is said or done in the background, and nobody really does, so it's hard to really know who exactly drives the ship.

Either way, we'll be in good hands. I don't think there's a wrong answer per say.

 

[rent free]

duby

 

[ACC1224]

Seems like we had this discussion not long ago.
Change isn't imminent, IMO.
When it eventually happens, Babcock will have a big say in who it is.