Tribute Kyle Dubas discussion

[hotpaws]

I wonder if "Chinese Farmer" is going to be Dubas' "Testosterone, Pugnacity and Truculence."

it might , especially if he makes t-shirts with catchy Chinese farmer sayings to replace the "process vs everyone" he used to wear

 

[Superstar]

I wonder if "Chinese Farmer" is going to be Dubas' "Testosterone, Pugnacity and Truculence."

Depends on what the farmer put in the soil...a highly concentrated dose of bullsh!t and horse manure for fertilizer should do it...

 

[egd27]

I wonder what the Chinese farmer has to say about our chances of beating either Boston or T-Bay in the first rd .

Yea, this gets my vote for post of the day.

 

[Apex Predator]

Interesting the poll is almost split 3 ways

 

[ACC1224]

Can someone please explain the ‘Chinese Farmer’ reference?

 

[Superstar]

Can someone please explain the ‘Chinese Farmer’ reference?

Here you go. It's about accepting the complexities of life as they come, never too high or too low...misfortune could turn into fortune...fortune to misfortune. A parable Dubas shared on his twitter page while addressing the Leafs' injury woes.

 

[Maple Leaf]

It is not too late to "promote" Dubas into an advisory role and hire a real GM

 

[Todd03]

Does Kyle Dubass have any interest in signing any of the 2020 college free agents?

 

[Leaf Fans]

I wonder what the Chinese farmer has to say about our chances of beating either Boston or T-Bay in the first rd .

Everything: When everyone is trying to paint a picture of doom and gloom, it's important to remember that until you go through everything, you don't know what the consequences are going to be one way or another."

 

[Tairy Greene]

Adequate.

Drafting and development - Has been quite good and he's turned the Marlies into an elite farm system that is churning out many NHL calibre players of late. Also been happy with how he's actively exploring players outside the NHL and looking into other professional leagues, Mikheyev was a great signing. He puts an emphasis on drafting well and drafting for skill which I like as a philosophy. This is his strongest area for sure.

Signings - He caved into Marner which was very disappointing. Matthews deal is okay considering his goal scoring prowess, however I still felt like he paid too much at the time, but I can live with it if Matthews is scoring at the rate he has been at since Keefe came in. Nylander was a solid signing, always believed in that one being good from the beginning despite how poor last season was for him. Muzzin is a good signing. Tavares would get that contract from any team that had cap room, so not gonna bother critiquing that. In terms of depth players to round out the roster, he's done a good job there as well, keeping guys on short-term deals with reasonable cap hits. Overall, average here.

Trades - I was very skeptical / concerned that we traded a fan favourite and core locker room player on a good deal with term for an expiring contract as the main piece coming back, not to mention Barrie wasn't the kind of D we necessarily needed, and a downgrade at C (in b4 kerfoot 5v5 production gets brought up again without factoring in that he's mostly played wing with Nylander and Tavares). I hate the trade now, and since Barrie wasn't salvaged for assets I see this one as a bust unless the Leafs win a cup with Barrie. The Muzzin trade was fair, Dubas simply paid a fair price, didn't get fleeced but didn't fleece LA either. Same thing with Campbell+Clifford, a fair trade. Rest of his trades have been meh, nothing that really moved the needle all that much in the grand scheme of things or were moves that had to be made for cap reasons. Overall, mediocre job here IMO.

What I think he also neglected a bit was surrounding the team with good character/good leadership, aside from Muzzin, Tavares and Spezza there aren't really other guys who have led teams or won big at this level. Trading Kadri also impacted the room negatively as well IMO, as he was the longest-serving Leaf and a key guy who a lot of the players really loved (Chris Johnston has said so). The kids are running the show now and we see how much they suffer from inconsistency in their efforts.

Everything kinda blew up in his face this year with injuries and the coaching fiasco, so I give him another season to address it. If we're still having these types of conversations a year from now then obviously he deserves to be on the hot seat at that point.

I think this is a pretty fair assessment

 

[Tairy Greene]

Just my opinion.
Marner is way overpaid and seems like a petulant child.
Kap and AJ are not good hockey players.
Fast?
Yes.
Anything else?
No.
I would keep the first/get a top 4 young defensive D/a top 6 winger with balls and still have a good amount of $ left.

Kap is not a good hockey player? Interesting

 

[Tairy Greene]

I wonder what the Chinese farmer has to say about our chances of beating either Boston or T-Bay in the first rd .

Well they are the 2 cup favourites

 

[Leaf Fans]

It is not too late to "promote" Dubas into an advisory role and hire a real GM

We have a real GM.

 

[meefer]

I like him.

Yes, he's made mistakes: contracts and not getting a solid RH D top my list.

But, he wanted to get rid of Babs at the end of last season and wasn't allowed to by Shanahan and the board. Not his fault. He can't be blamed for the sub-standard goaltending Fred has offered this year. While late to the dance he did grab Campbell (and Clifford). Sandin and Robertson. Muzzin, trade and contract. He can't control the maturation process that our young players must go through, and I think and hope we're now starting to see some of the required consistency his patience has been waiting for. He cares about people. He has, with the benevolence of the cash cow that is MLSE, developed a farm system that is the envy of the league and should serve us well moving forward; here I'm thinking more about vets willing to sign with us for league minimum because if they don't play in the 'show' they're still in a big league city and receiving top quality 'perks' (travel/medical/location) etc. He's smart, I mean come on, he's smart. Leading me to think that he's learning about what and how to do his job as he's doing it. In other words, he'll be a better GM tomorrow than he is today.

 

[Todd03]

Everybody on here blames everything on Babcock. But before dubass was named the G.M
the leafs were 100 point team. Then with but Babcock and Dubass. Still a 100 point team.
Now might be a 100 point team. But still will have to play either the Bruins or Tampa. Now with
Dubass as the G.M the team has drafted small and traded for smaller players. Not including
the Kings trades. And have become even softer then what they were the year before. Come playoff time
it's a total new season. As of right now will have to play Boston again. Who have gotten bigger and meaner
then the year before. Boston has something Toronto does not have.
Big strong gritty players and lots of toughness you need to win in the playoffs. You can have all the skill and speed
in the world but come playoff time things get lot tougher to find room for all that. This is not the ohl. You need all of this to win a cup.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Kyle Dubas on standing pat at deadline: Defence a 'long-term need' for Toronto Maple Leafs - TSN.ca

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic that he elected not to adjust his roster at the trade deadline partly because he did not see an opportunity to solve the team's long-term needs on defence.

Dubas received calls on pending unrestricted free agent Tyson Barrie ahead of the deadline last month, though TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie noted the team was looking for a right-shot defenceman as part of the return in a deal. Ultimately, Barrie remained with the team and is scheduled to hit open the market in July along with fellow right-handed defenceman Cody Ceci.

The second-year general manager noted, though, that injuries to Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Ceci have provided the organization with an opportunity to test their depth and see, potentially, their blueline moving forward.

"Yeah. The balance was, it’s a long-term need for us. We just didn’t see a long-term solution that fit what we were looking for there," Dubas told LeBrun. "On the left side, by and large, we’ve got it fairly set for a number of years. We’ve got Morgan (Rielly) and Jake (Muzzin), we’ve got Travis Dermott, Rasmus Sandin. On the right side, we’ll have Ceci and Barrie that we’ll have decisions on as UFAs. You have (Justin) Holl who we obviously like, he’s had an excellent year. We’re very happy for him. And then you have Dermott who can play there and (Timothy) Liljegren. So maybe this (the injuries to Rielly and Muzzin) was a blessing in disguise, now we get a chance to see what these players can do in increased roles."

"So far so good with Travis and Justin paired together, whether it’s been Martin Marincin or Rasmus with Tyson Barrie, they’ve played well; and now we’ve got Calle Rosen back in the fold as well. Our depth there, we feel it’s been good, and it’s obviously been tested with the three guys out. But there are teams in the league that deal with far worse than us in injuries - Columbus and Pittsburgh, who we’re competing with, most notably. So for us, it’s a great chance to test our depth and really get a stronger measure of where we’re going to be at come the draft."

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I think this is a pretty fair assessment

Agreed.

 

[stickty111]

My thoughts exactly.

 

[FraumBallard]

That's some solid facts right there

Good post.
Off topic for a moment.
I am not a a Troll.
If someone said that to someone who knows me they would call them crazy or laugh hysterically.
Point is I LOVE the Leafs.
Always have and always will.
So.
You've heard this recently.
I apologize for being a little too aggressive in my posts.
Some toward you.
You kept calm and called me out.
I respect that.
I'm hoping we can move forward and I will TRY to be less abrasive.
Thank you taking the time to read this.
One day we may agree on this Teams roster construction.
And.
Thanks for not calling me a Troll.
That is 180 from what I am.
I'm a stubborn die hard.
100%.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Good post.
Off topic for a moment.
I am not a a Troll.
If someone said that to someone who knows me they would call them crazy or laugh hysterically.
Point is I LOVE the Leafs.
Always have and always will.
So.
You've heard this recently.
I apologize for being a little too aggressive in my posts.
Some toward you.
You kept calm and called me out.
I respect that.
I'm hoping we can move forward and I will TRY to be less abrasive.
Thank you taking the time to read this.
One day we may agree on this Teams roster construction.
And.
Thanks for not calling me a Troll.
That is 180 from what I am.
I'm a stubborn die hard.
100%.

Cheers

 

[hockeywiz542]

Mailbag Exclusive: Kyle Dubas answers questions from Leafs fans

Question: Kyle, thanks for doing this. Can you tell us how you’re handling self-isolation and the coronavirus pandemic? What advice might you offer others in keeping your head on straight while others might be losing theirs? — Kevin M.

Dubas: Hi Kevin. Though it is a massive change from normal routine for all of our people and everyone in the world, it is made easier by knowing the impact we can all make by social distancing and doing our part to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19.

We have found that creating a new daily routine while at home has been very helpful. We are fortunate in that we still have a lot on the go with regards to scouting, player development and other team matters, so there is a lot to do, just in a very different way. I do not think I am qualified to give advice on how others can maintain their focus and their well-being while social distancing, but I can pass along what experts in the area have shared with us: maintain a solid sleep schedule, read, stay in motion even if only inside your house or condo, eat as well as you can, use this time to catch up on anything you have left on the back burner, FaceTime and call those you love, check in on those you are worried about, and set a good example for as many people as you can.

—

Question: It is very well known you are a strong supporter of analytics. In your brief time as GM of the Maple Leafs, do you still feel this is the only way to go or have you opened your beliefs into sometimes veering away from analytics once in a while and just going with your gut feelings or qualitative instincts? Regardless, I wish you all the best and hope you can bring us to the promised land! Go Leafs GO! — Justin P.

Dubas: Justin, our view on analytics and data is that it serves to objectively inform all areas of our operation — scouting, player development, player contracts, coaching, tactics, etc. It has never been the only source of information that we use when making decisions with our program. We do understand why that narrative has taken hold but it is not really accurate. We are working to try to get us to the “promised land” that you mention, Justin! Thank you for your question and passion!

—

Question: I have to suspect that, in Toronto’s hockey crazy market, it’s sometimes difficult for you to maintain a healthy work/home balance. How do you effectively shut off your work when at home? Does it affect your home life? Has your wife ever become irritated with you at home because of your job? (e.g.: No hockey talk tonight!) — Todd C.

Dubas: My wife becomes irritated with me for mostly non-hockey reasons, Todd! My son and I are lucky because she is really what drives our family each day. Fortunately, the entire time we have been together I have worked in hockey and our relationship is just used to the way the day rolls and the amount of time that sometimes goes into the team. She does not get a reprieve from hockey when I am out of the house either, as our son loves hockey and the Leafs and has questions the entire day about the team and our players. That said, neither of us really view it as “work.” I feel very fortunate to be able to make a living in professional sports and especially for a team like the Maple Leafs.

—

Question: While it may be unfair to ask a “hindsight is 20/20” question, looking back over the period from the summer of 2018, are there any things you would’ve done differently? — Al M.

Dubas: I don’t think it is an unfair question at all, Al. I appreciate you asking in such a straightforward way. Looking back, I have said before and will say again that the way the William Nylander contract negotiation dragged is something I would like to have done differently for sure. That’s the one area where the process behind how the negotiation was executed was poor and that’s my fault. There are a lot of other things I would change or do differently, but the Nylander negotiation is the major area where I feel the most regret. As the years go on, there will be plenty of decisions which you will look back on and feel that I have made a poor choice. Please don’t let me off the hook! You win some, you learn some.

—

Question: Thanks for the opportunity to talk to Kyle. I guess my question for Kyle would revolve around the salary cap for next year. I can easily see a scenario where the cap takes a pretty significant hit. If the league is unable to come back and unable to award the Stanley Cup this year, there will be no gate revenues nor broadcast revenues to cushion the bottom line. How could the league deal with this, and how would the Leafs fare? Thanks. — Andrea

Dubas: That’s a question far above my pay grade, Andrea!! Whatever the economic landscape is, we will have to adapt and find a way to put the best team possible on the ice as we continue to grow toward our goal of being a perennial contender for the Stanley Cup. We have a long ways to go, but how we overcome the obstacles along the way will likely be the biggest determinant of whether we get there.

—

Question: Hello Kyle, thanks for doing this. Can you look us Leaf fans in the eye and explain your failure to properly address the inability of our current defensive corps to keep the puck out of our net? You are responsible for the current personnel, like Tyson Barrie. Sorry Kyle, Barrie is a bust — can’t defend, can’t score — and you gave up Nazem Kadri for Barrie. Bad trade! One need only to look at our goals against compared to the Bruins. As a season-ticket holder who pays for his tickets without corporate subsidy, our players have taken too many nights off and that is completely unacceptable. The buck stops with you! — Dan W.

Dubas: Hi Dan! First off, you’re right! The buck does stop with me and if our team doesn’t reach its potential, it is on me. Brendan Shanahan has entrusted me to lead our program on the hockey side, and our staff and players place their trust in me to lead us in the right direction. So in the end, any issues or failures fall on me, absolutely!

Your honesty and direct criticism are also appreciated (and I mean that sincerely). The passion of Leafs fans (similar to that of Greyhounds fans in the Soo during my time there) never lets us rest on our laurels. When they think we stink, they let us know directly. It keeps you moving and reminds you that this is not a position to be taken lightly as there are millions of fans who are trusting in you to get the job done.

That said, I will take this time to slightly disagree with some of your points.

1. Keeping the puck out of our net ... When Coach Keefe took over, we were 25th in the league in goals against per game (3.44). Since he took over, we have been in the middle of the NHL pack and cut our goals against to 3.04 per game. Is that where we ultimately aspire to be? No, we aspire to become as staunch defensively as the teams you mention (at about 2.5/game). Getting there revolves around one of the issues you allude to in your question — mindset. We have shown at times that we can really give an excellent defensive effort against some of the best offensive teams in hockey and then other nights leave our entire organization and fans feeling frustrated.

2. Tyson Barrie … Tyson is one of the top-scoring defencemen in the NHL over the last three seasons and since mid-November has been right around the top 10 in scoring among NHL defencemen. I don’t think we set Tyson up for success the way we could have but he has really stepped up at both ends of the ice, especially as players like Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Cody Ceci have been injured.

Thank you for the questions and for your direct criticism. Though we may disagree, I appreciate your constant support of the Leafs and will do all I can to make you proud, Dan.

—

Question: Thanks for doing this. Kevin’s reporting and Mailbag have become my portal to a lot of things to do with the Leafs. Strange days we are in and while keeping things in perspective, I miss the game more than I would have guessed. A question: With the benefit of some hindsight, has your position with the team been more or less intense than you originally anticipated? Thanks for what you do. — Doug

Dubas: Good question, Doug. It certainly has not been less intense. There have been so many unique experiences over the last 22 months between contracts, trades, staffing decisions, controversies, injuries, and now the coronavirus pandemic putting our season, rightfully, on hold. All of that said, we have a great staff who share their tremendous experience and help us ride the waves as they come.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Mailbag Exclusive: Kyle Dubas answers questions from Leafs fans

Question: Kyle, thanks for doing this. Can you tell us how you’re handling self-isolation and the coronavirus pandemic? What advice might you offer others in keeping your head on straight while others might be losing theirs? — Kevin M.

Dubas: Hi Kevin. Though it is a massive change from normal routine for all of our people and everyone in the world, it is made easier by knowing the impact we can all make by social distancing and doing our part to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19.

We have found that creating a new daily routine while at home has been very helpful. We are fortunate in that we still have a lot on the go with regards to scouting, player development and other team matters, so there is a lot to do, just in a very different way. I do not think I am qualified to give advice on how others can maintain their focus and their well-being while social distancing, but I can pass along what experts in the area have shared with us: maintain a solid sleep schedule, read, stay in motion even if only inside your house or condo, eat as well as you can, use this time to catch up on anything you have left on the back burner, FaceTime and call those you love, check in on those you are worried about, and set a good example for as many people as you can.

—

Question: It is very well known you are a strong supporter of analytics. In your brief time as GM of the Maple Leafs, do you still feel this is the only way to go or have you opened your beliefs into sometimes veering away from analytics once in a while and just going with your gut feelings or qualitative instincts? Regardless, I wish you all the best and hope you can bring us to the promised land! Go Leafs GO! — Justin P.

Dubas: Justin, our view on analytics and data is that it serves to objectively inform all areas of our operation — scouting, player development, player contracts, coaching, tactics, etc. It has never been the only source of information that we use when making decisions with our program. We do understand why that narrative has taken hold but it is not really accurate. We are working to try to get us to the “promised land” that you mention, Justin! Thank you for your question and passion!

—

Question: I have to suspect that, in Toronto’s hockey crazy market, it’s sometimes difficult for you to maintain a healthy work/home balance. How do you effectively shut off your work when at home? Does it affect your home life? Has your wife ever become irritated with you at home because of your job? (e.g.: No hockey talk tonight!) — Todd C.

Dubas: My wife becomes irritated with me for mostly non-hockey reasons, Todd! My son and I are lucky because she is really what drives our family each day. Fortunately, the entire time we have been together I have worked in hockey and our relationship is just used to the way the day rolls and the amount of time that sometimes goes into the team. She does not get a reprieve from hockey when I am out of the house either, as our son loves hockey and the Leafs and has questions the entire day about the team and our players. That said, neither of us really view it as “work.” I feel very fortunate to be able to make a living in professional sports and especially for a team like the Maple Leafs.

—

Question: While it may be unfair to ask a “hindsight is 20/20” question, looking back over the period from the summer of 2018, are there any things you would’ve done differently? — Al M.

Dubas: I don’t think it is an unfair question at all, Al. I appreciate you asking in such a straightforward way. Looking back, I have said before and will say again that the way the William Nylander contract negotiation dragged is something I would like to have done differently for sure. That’s the one area where the process behind how the negotiation was executed was poor and that’s my fault. There are a lot of other things I would change or do differently, but the Nylander negotiation is the major area where I feel the most regret. As the years go on, there will be plenty of decisions which you will look back on and feel that I have made a poor choice. Please don’t let me off the hook! You win some, you learn some.

—

Question: Thanks for the opportunity to talk to Kyle. I guess my question for Kyle would revolve around the salary cap for next year. I can easily see a scenario where the cap takes a pretty significant hit. If the league is unable to come back and unable to award the Stanley Cup this year, there will be no gate revenues nor broadcast revenues to cushion the bottom line. How could the league deal with this, and how would the Leafs fare? Thanks. — Andrea

Dubas: That’s a question far above my pay grade, Andrea!! Whatever the economic landscape is, we will have to adapt and find a way to put the best team possible on the ice as we continue to grow toward our goal of being a perennial contender for the Stanley Cup. We have a long ways to go, but how we overcome the obstacles along the way will likely be the biggest determinant of whether we get there.

—

Question: Hello Kyle, thanks for doing this. Can you look us Leaf fans in the eye and explain your failure to properly address the inability of our current defensive corps to keep the puck out of our net? You are responsible for the current personnel, like Tyson Barrie. Sorry Kyle, Barrie is a bust — can’t defend, can’t score — and you gave up Nazem Kadri for Barrie. Bad trade! One need only to look at our goals against compared to the Bruins. As a season-ticket holder who pays for his tickets without corporate subsidy, our players have taken too many nights off and that is completely unacceptable. The buck stops with you! — Dan W.

Dubas: Hi Dan! First off, you’re right! The buck does stop with me and if our team doesn’t reach its potential, it is on me. Brendan Shanahan has entrusted me to lead our program on the hockey side, and our staff and players place their trust in me to lead us in the right direction. So in the end, any issues or failures fall on me, absolutely!

Your honesty and direct criticism are also appreciated (and I mean that sincerely). The passion of Leafs fans (similar to that of Greyhounds fans in the Soo during my time there) never lets us rest on our laurels. When they think we stink, they let us know directly. It keeps you moving and reminds you that this is not a position to be taken lightly as there are millions of fans who are trusting in you to get the job done.

That said, I will take this time to slightly disagree with some of your points.

1. Keeping the puck out of our net ... When Coach Keefe took over, we were 25th in the league in goals against per game (3.44). Since he took over, we have been in the middle of the NHL pack and cut our goals against to 3.04 per game. Is that where we ultimately aspire to be? No, we aspire to become as staunch defensively as the teams you mention (at about 2.5/game). Getting there revolves around one of the issues you allude to in your question — mindset. We have shown at times that we can really give an excellent defensive effort against some of the best offensive teams in hockey and then other nights leave our entire organization and fans feeling frustrated.

2. Tyson Barrie … Tyson is one of the top-scoring defencemen in the NHL over the last three seasons and since mid-November has been right around the top 10 in scoring among NHL defencemen. I don’t think we set Tyson up for success the way we could have but he has really stepped up at both ends of the ice, especially as players like Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Cody Ceci have been injured.

Thank you for the questions and for your direct criticism. Though we may disagree, I appreciate your constant support of the Leafs and will do all I can to make you proud, Dan.

—

Question: Thanks for doing this. Kevin’s reporting and Mailbag have become my portal to a lot of things to do with the Leafs. Strange days we are in and while keeping things in perspective, I miss the game more than I would have guessed. A question: With the benefit of some hindsight, has your position with the team been more or less intense than you originally anticipated? Thanks for what you do. — Doug

Dubas: Good question, Doug. It certainly has not been less intense. There have been so many unique experiences over the last 22 months between contracts, trades, staffing decisions, controversies, injuries, and now the coronavirus pandemic putting our season, rightfully, on hold. All of that said, we have a great staff who share their tremendous experience and help us ride the waves as they come.

Great interview. Good on Dubas.

 

[Stephen]

Interesting that he sees the William Nylander deal as something he regrets because in hindsight, the hard stance the Leafs took and the eventual salary negotiated looks a lot, lot better than the rest of the Big 3, for various reasons and may be the best value contract. Matthews deal was done fast, but the term is too short. Marner was overpaid but didn't miss camp.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Here you go. It's about accepting the complexities of life as they come, never too high or too low...misfortune could turn into fortune...fortune to misfortune. A parable Dubas shared on his twitter page while addressing the Leafs' injury woes.

Would think this is applicable to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Interesting that he sees the William Nylander deal as something he regrets because in hindsight, the hard stance the Leafs took and the eventual salary negotiated looks a lot, lot better than the rest of the Big 3, for various reasons and may be the best value contract. Matthews deal was done fast, but the term is too short. Marner was overpaid but didn't miss camp.

You picked up on something that I did as well. Kyle said he had regrets, but didn't provide much insight in to why he had those regrets. I wondered what his thinking was & the reason he said it. Oh well.