But in the NHL, talent comes with problems. Nylander was unsigned as of press time. That deal, and contract extensions for Matthews and Marner, will shape this team’s future as much as anything short of health.
“It’s the massive part of it,” says Dubas. “I think that in the end, when you look all throughout sports, the players want to stay in a place where they feel like they are having their potential maximized, that they have a chance to win, and that they enjoy coming to every day. This is my first year in this world, being able to develop my own version of it, like Lou had his, and Dave Nonis had his before that, and so on and so forth."
“But that’s going to be a major thing. So if the players want to make it work here, we have to build a program that they want to be a part of. And then I also think that there are advantages to being in Toronto, which can mitigate some of the other losses that they may take versus what they think their market value is worth.”
Sales job, eh? Make them believe. What about once they’re signed?
“Well, I think that the pressure goes to me,” Dubas says, “as it should.”