Dubas appreciation thread

[LeafsNation75]

Lou had those 3 elite ELCs fall into his lap, and everyone called him a genius for it.

Kyle had the much much tougher job of signing those elite players to real contracts all while somehow improving the supporting cast around them from top to bottom with far less capspace.....and has got nothing but crap despite the near miraculous job he's done with it.

Lou also failed to get Nylander's contract extension done 1 year before he became an RFA. He had this reputation of someone who you don't tell him no and that's exactly what Nylander did.

 

[Funk21]

He has had his ups and downs like many GM’s. The fact is that the team he took over from Lou had a bunch of contracts that needed to be expunged took a few years to sort out. He also did not have a great track record dealing with the big three’s contracts. His more recent negotiations have gone much better.

Give him credit for realizing that the team as it was constructed in the past wasn’t working. He also got some great talent to take league minimum to player here.

This coming offseason will a challenging one. Icing a full team with likely another flat cap will not be easy. I think that he has put the team in a great position for the expansion as if he just goes with 8 skaters and 1 Goalie he only really leaves Engvall, Kerfoot and Dermott exposed. Hopefully Seattle takes Kerfoot but I would think they would eye Engvall or Dermott and likely take Dermott even though an RFA.

Furthermore players like Sandin, Liljegren, Korskov and a few other need to not just make the jump but be vital parts of the team next year. He also needs to find a replacement for Andersen and renegotiate with Hyman if possible. It would be presumptuous to believe that Amirov could just jump into a top 6 to 9 role D+1.

By all accounts we have a pretty decent pipeline but still some major questions about Woll and Scott as the later didn’t play much last year due to injury and Woll was unspectacular in his AHL debut.

Lastly he needs to get Rielly on a deal that won’t cripple this team. While I love Rielly we need to understand he is a flawed D man. Great offensively but a meh defenceman. That is not a player who gets 10 million plus. Hopefully we can snag him in and around 9 with 93% paid in the first two years.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

He learned that his all skill approach was flawed and made adjustments. Less secure people would never be able to admit mistakes and learn from them. Good for him, and good for the team.

People say this yet completely ignore his Marlie work. Now you might say he drafts for skill but draft isn't the only place you acquire players. It's smart to draft on skill because you tend to end up with capital. Drafting grit etc. is foolhardy.

He didn't learn or change anything, some folks just haven't followed what he does very closely.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I think any GM would look like a genius if the likes of Matthews, Marner and Rielly fell right onto their laps. Despite this unearned fortune, Dubas hasn't even been able to get this team past the first round of the playoffs.

Aside from what Zeke said, Marner was drafted while Kyle was in the GM chair. You can argue Hunter /Dubas if you like.

 

[Joey Hoser]

I'm convinced Babcock was sabotaging this team.

Didn't want great players stealing his thunder. It was supposed to be all about Babcock.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

I think any GM would look like a genius if the likes of Matthews, Marner and Rielly fell right onto their laps. Despite this unearned fortune, Dubas hasn't even been able to get this team past the first round of the playoffs.

He also walked into a situation with having to sign 3 star RFAs and get rid of 2 of some of the worst contracts in the league. Despite this and a flat cap, he has managed to make us a more competitive team and even improved the defense. Many critics here thought he screwed himself by maxing out the cap after the RFA signings and we have a better defense now than when Lou was the GM and had all our star players on ELCs.

Credit where its due.

 

[DarkKnight]

What’s not to like about almost all the recent additions? His thinking has evolved as well, team is the most balanced I can recall. Full credit.

 

[saltming]

What’s not to like about almost all the recent additions? His thinking has evolved as well, team is the most balanced I can recall. Full credit.

Not sure his thinking has evolved. He did this as the GM of the Marlies

 

[DarkKnight]

Not sure his thinking has evolved. He did this as the GM of the Marlies

The Marlies? You don’t independently trade, sign contracts or draft. It’s good training, but I don’t put a ton of weight on a minor league GM. If you listened to Keefe this off season he recognized that the team had certain deficiencies, and we’ve clearly made a subtle change, providing more balance. I would hope a young GM evolved, I mean....

 

[saltming]

The Marlies? You don’t independently trade, sign contracts or draft. It’s good training, but I don’t put a ton of weight on a minor league GM. If you listened to Keefe this off season he recognized that the team had certain deficiencies, and we’ve clearly made a subtle change, providing more balance. I would hope a young GM evolved, I mean....

I get what you're saying.
I agree he has evolved I was more thinking his strategy has always been to look for those deficiencies and fix them. Yes the ways in which he addresses the issues have evolved and hopefully continue to do so
I'm having a weird issue posting its making some random autocorrect so sorry if I missed something

 

[DarkKnight]

I get what you're saying.
I agree he has evolved I was more thinking his strategy has always been to look for those deficiencies and fix them. Yes the ways in which he addresses the issues have evolved and hopefully continue to do so
I'm having a weird issue posting its making some random autocorrect so sorry if I missed something

Agree for sure.

 

[ToneDog]

Brodie and Bogo for Barrie and Ceci seems to have solidified the D and adding Manny, the powerplay but we need to see how they stack up against the winner of the East to see just how good this team really is. Habs will be a better test than any other team in the North. At the end of the day Dubas is looking good.

 

[rumman]

At the very least let’s wait until the Leafs have won a round of playoff hockey before we anoint Dubas the boy genius everyone seems to think he is. Anyone remember the tortoise and the hare fable?

 

[ToneDog]

At the very least let’s wait until the Leafs have won a round of playoff hockey before we anoint Dubas the boy genius everyone seems to think he is. Anyone remember the tortoise and the hare fable?

I agree. Two wins over a sad sack Canucks team have some Leaf fans lining Bay Street for the parade but Dubas is standing pretty today. Of course, that could change pretty quickly if they lay an egg in the upcoming Hab games.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

At the very least let’s wait until the Leafs have won a round of playoff hockey before we anoint Dubas the boy genius everyone seems to think he is. Anyone remember the tortoise and the hare fable?

I mean we could use our eyes and see the team is playing well.

We aren’t that dense, surely?

 

[The Iceman]

He never actually went with an "all skill" approach. I don't see the use in making things up.

No muscle approach
Locker room doesn't matter approach
Team needs diversified talents approached

as opposed to skill skill skill for every player in the room

Simmonds over Kappy
Jumbo over Johnsson
BOGO over Barrie

 

[Spirit of 67]

His vision is starting to come together. Plus he has learned some lessons.

More likely that the fan base has learned some lessons.
But most likely not.

 

[Spirit of 67]

He never actually went with an "all skill" approach. I don't see the use in making things up.

Concur.

 

[Spirit of 67]

He was never all skill.

Where does this myth originate? Is it the same that Nylander is a perimeter player myth that some people still spout on about?

People want their feelings justified.
Not challenged.

 

[Spirit of 67]

I think any GM would look like a genius if the likes of Matthews, Marner and Rielly fell right onto their laps. Despite this unearned fortune, Dubas hasn't even been able to get this team past the first round of the playoffs.

If getting past the first round was the goal, he could've made a stupid trade that would've done it.
He's still growing the team.
Be patient, we'll get there.

 

[Spirit of 67]

People say this yet completely ignore his Marlie work. Now you might say he drafts for skill but draft isn't the only place you acquire players. It's smart to draft on skill because you tend to end up with capital. Drafting grit etc. is foolhardy.

He didn't learn or change anything, some folks just haven't followed what he does very closely.

People want him to draft by size, position and passport.
The reality is, those attributes have almost nothing to do with whether or not a guy can play.
So why give them much consideration?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

At the very least let’s wait until the Leafs have won a round of playoff hockey before we anoint Dubas the boy genius everyone seems to think he is. Anyone remember the tortoise and the hare fable?

Who said he is a genius? People are just pointing out that he has them headed in the right direction. Most would agree we can still be better.

 

[Menzinger]

The funny thing is he's only been GM for a relatively short amount of time. Its not as if a GM is able to 100% be able to transform a team into his vision after only a few months on the job.

We're finakkybnow seeing a closer interpretation of what he had for the team out on the ice. His preferred coach is finally behind the bench to start the year, and there aren't any problematic contracts from previous GMs that need to still be dealt with. The guys that are on this team are all there because Dubas wants them to be.


Hes hasn't been perfect, but one of his best qualities is learning from mistakes (though folks do somewhat over-exaggerate this - Dubas has never said he hates rough or heavy forechecking hockey - its a complete myth to suggest otherwise). So despite a few hiccups along the way I've been pretty happy with this latest version of the team

 

[BertCorbeau]

At the very least let’s wait until the Leafs have won a round of playoff hockey before we anoint Dubas the boy genius everyone seems to think he is. Anyone remember the tortoise and the hare fable?

Sure but the same thing should apply if the Leafs hit a slump and Dubas is criticized for being an awful GM.

 

[Menzinger]

At the very least let’s wait until the Leafs have won a round of playoff hockey before we anoint Dubas the boy genius everyone seems to think he is. Anyone remember the tortoise and the hare fable?

At the same time, that's also good advice for folks to follow after a single loss. Sometimes people act like the sky is falling when that happens