Confirmed with Link: Shanahan Presser (Video)

[hockeywiz542]

History shows being GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs can be hell

Since 1917, managing Toronto's NHL team has been a challenging job, made harder by dealing with varying personalities above to those below.

torontosun.com

FROM QUINN TO BURKE

Having one man hold two positions, while the Leafs made consistent playoff appearances, limited front office friction for a few years.

That peace ended as the newly created Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. got antsy about too many dark springs at the Air Canada Centre.

MLSE president Richard Peddie triggered an instant turf war with Quinn when he appointed John Ferguson Jr. as GM, though Quinn would also object to interference by Peddie.

Dumping Ferguson after five years brought Fletcher a brief renaissance, while Peddie and sports lawyer Gordon Kirke were tasked to head a search committee for a new hockey czar. About 30 prominent names, which included Ken Holland, Jim Nill and Doug Wilson were compiled, but Brian Burke was at the top.

Whether or not he pre-approved two of Fletcher’s controversial moves, the hiring of Ron Wilson as head coach and signing of defenceman Jeff Finger for valuable cap dollars, neither shifted the needle on success.

Burke’s successor, Dave Nonis, had intense belief in the 2013 nucleus that featured Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk and James Reimer, despite their epic Game 7 collapse in Boston. He augmented them with David Clarkson, a seven-year $36.75-million signing, but it was a bust.

Incoming president Brendan Shanahan wanted that albatross off the books and though Nonis’ days were numbered, he at least pulled off one of the first big dead-cap dollar trades for the idle Nathan Horton.

THE SHANAPLAN PANNED

Shanahan restructured the hockey department in an unorthodox back-to-front manner, hiring assistants Dubas, Mark Hunter and Brandon Pridham, then $50-million head coach Mike Babcock, before topping it well after the 2015 draft with Lou Lamoriello, his old boss in New Jersey.

When that got too crowded and competitive, Shanahan picked Dubas to go the distance ahead of Lamoriello and Hunter. Buoyed by high draft picks and the bold, but cap-crippling signing of John Tavares, the Leafs and their ‘Core Four’ coupled great regular seasons with playoff collapses.

They did win a round this year and a few days ago, an extension was close that could’ve set the Dubas agenda for years to come. Now they seek the 13th GM since winning their most recent Cup.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Why Brendan Shanahan still believes in the Maple Leafs' Core Four - Northstar Bets

TORONTO — If it seems like Brendan Shanahan has a belief in the Maple Leafs core that can withstand a ground-shaking event each spring, it’s because he does.

The president has remained steadfast in his support for the Core Four even while watching the atmosphere around them grow more turbulent with each passing playoff opportunity that doesn’t result in a deep run.

It fits his world view and aligns with his personal experience.

Remember that Shanahan was a second-overall pick drafted into a 21-team league who didn’t win the Stanley Cup until his 10th season. In fact, he was part of teams that won just three playoff series across those first nine years.

When he finally broke through with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, he did so alongside a captain in Steve Yzerman who had very nearly been traded to Ottawa the year before. Yzerman had been questioned and doubted plenty over his 14 seasons in Detroit to that point and went on to help bring three championships to the city with Shanahan.

That stands as a particularly instructive piece of history with the Maple Leafs now at an inflection point and Shanahan sitting atop their hockey operations pyramid. He’s started interviewing potential replacements for Kyle Dubas, cut loose as general manager last Friday, but is believed to have reiterated his support to Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander in phone calls made after the front-office shakeup.

As unusual as that sounds with the GM search just beginning and the Leafs still licking their wounds following a second-round loss to Florida, it actually speaks to Shanahan’s tunnel vision.

During the increasingly rare times he’s publicly addressed the state of the franchise in recent years, he’s never once shown any hint of second thought about the foundation his roster is built on.

How Shanahan navigated a question about the potential for change during last Friday’s press conference — “Just being different doesn't solve something,” he said — was basically the same way he spoke to the issue during his year-end address in 2022 following the team’s first-round loss to Tampa: “We will not be making changes just simply for the sake of saying we made changes.”

................

Just days before Dubas was fired as Leafs GM, he said: “I will consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. I would take nothing off the table at all.”

While it remains to be seen how his successor views that equation, all indications suggest that Shanahan is comfortable heading into next season with $40-million tied up in four forwards.

The fact the NHL’s salary cap stalled these past few years was particularly punitive to the Leafs because they had been counting on those deals becoming less onerous over time. And it certainly doesn’t help that they may get burned again with the cap expected to start making significant jumps as soon as 2024, which will almost certainly impact the amount Matthews, Nylander and Marner seek on extensions.

They’re each approaching a third NHL contract and still have just the one playoff series victory to hang their hats on.

However, while there may be more external doubt than ever about their ability to get the job done together in Toronto, those players appear to have overwhelming support from the seat that matters most.

Consider what else Shanahan said about the Core Four in his 2021 end-of-season availability: “We are going to do this here in Toronto with this group. There will be changes that will be made. There will be tweaks along the way. The team will evolve. The people will evolve. But we are going to get this done.”

 

[Trapper]

Why Brendan Shanahan still believes in the Maple Leafs' Core Four - Northstar Bets

TORONTO — If it seems like Brendan Shanahan has a belief in the Maple Leafs core that can withstand a ground-shaking event each spring, it’s because he does.

The president has remained steadfast in his support for the Core Four even while watching the atmosphere around them grow more turbulent with each passing playoff opportunity that doesn’t result in a deep run.

It fits his world view and aligns with his personal experience.

Remember that Shanahan was a second-overall pick drafted into a 21-team league who didn’t win the Stanley Cup until his 10th season. In fact, he was part of teams that won just three playoff series across those first nine years.

When he finally broke through with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, he did so alongside a captain in Steve Yzerman who had very nearly been traded to Ottawa the year before. Yzerman had been questioned and doubted plenty over his 14 seasons in Detroit to that point and went on to help bring three championships to the city with Shanahan.

That stands as a particularly instructive piece of history with the Maple Leafs now at an inflection point and Shanahan sitting atop their hockey operations pyramid. He’s started interviewing potential replacements for Kyle Dubas, cut loose as general manager last Friday, but is believed to have reiterated his support to Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander in phone calls made after the front-office shakeup.

As unusual as that sounds with the GM search just beginning and the Leafs still licking their wounds following a second-round loss to Florida, it actually speaks to Shanahan’s tunnel vision.

During the increasingly rare times he’s publicly addressed the state of the franchise in recent years, he’s never once shown any hint of second thought about the foundation his roster is built on.

How Shanahan navigated a question about the potential for change during last Friday’s press conference — “Just being different doesn't solve something,” he said — was basically the same way he spoke to the issue during his year-end address in 2022 following the team’s first-round loss to Tampa: “We will not be making changes just simply for the sake of saying we made changes.”

................

Just days before Dubas was fired as Leafs GM, he said: “I will consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. I would take nothing off the table at all.”

While it remains to be seen how his successor views that equation, all indications suggest that Shanahan is comfortable heading into next season with $40-million tied up in four forwards.

The fact the NHL’s salary cap stalled these past few years was particularly punitive to the Leafs because they had been counting on those deals becoming less onerous over time. And it certainly doesn’t help that they may get burned again with the cap expected to start making significant jumps as soon as 2024, which will almost certainly impact the amount Matthews, Nylander and Marner seek on extensions.

They’re each approaching a third NHL contract and still have just the one playoff series victory to hang their hats on.

However, while there may be more external doubt than ever about their ability to get the job done together in Toronto, those players appear to have overwhelming support from the seat that matters most.

Consider what else Shanahan said about the Core Four in his 2021 end-of-season availability: “We are going to do this here in Toronto with this group. There will be changes that will be made. There will be tweaks along the way. The team will evolve. The people will evolve. But we are going to get this done.”

Button not buying reports that Shanahan ensured Leafs' core four they won't be traded - Video - TSN

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button joins SC with Jay Onrait to discuss if Brad Treliving's previous experience dealing with star players on expiring contracts makes him a better or worse candidate for the Maple Leafs, and the reports that Brendan Shanahan ensured Toronto's core four that they...

www.tsn.ca

Maybe we need Craig Button to apply for GM.

 

[Dragao6]

Keep hearing things like Burke is a dinosaur and bad gm yet he won a cup
Other GMs that people on here would say is ok or bad have won a cup with other teams
Chiarelli didn’t he win with Boston? And he’s bad on here

All I mean to say is our fan base say we’re screwed because there’s no one out there good but other teams seem to have won with average to bad gm?

And we’re loosing our shit because we moved on from a gm that seems smart and prob will be a very good gm hasn’t taken us past a 1st round till this year luckily in 9 years and put us in cap hell with his decisions?

I’ve said before dubas has full credit for turning this into a top team?
Don’t forget rielly and Nylander we’re drafted by shitty Burke, marner was hunter and matthews was an obvious pick
Dubas real contribution was signing tavares and our current goalie tandem!!

ONWARD
GOLEAFSGO!

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

A President gets three bullets.

One for a coach. One for a GM. One for himself.

Shanahan has already used the first two.

Twice, actually. So why should he get another shot? Presidents don't normally get gifted opportunity to fire so many executives.

All Shanahan had to do was fire Dubas after the Montreal embarassment.

Nobody would have said a word. Instead he chose to keep running it back year after year. Now he's managed do everything he could to turn the crosshairs on himself.

There's a bullet waiting with his name on it.

 

[hockeywiz542]

According to Elloitte Friedman:

• there will be more fallout from the firing of former Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas.

• one thing MLSE is kind of thinking is: are they going to have to clear out everybody from the Toronto Maple Leafs department?

• do they (MLSE) look at it and say some of these people are not going to be able to function under a different leader? Friedman is sure that is one conversation MLSE is having right now.

• MLSE kind of thought that former Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas would be out and if he went somewhere else, maybe he would ask to take one or two people with him, but other than that, it is going to stay a lot the same.

• Friedman knows now that one of the topics that is being considered by MLSE is: are they going to have to clear it all out?



Senators sale, Dubas to PIT and Leafs GM search, what's next in the big 3 of NHL off-season?

6:03 | May 26, 2023

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman joins the Jeff Marek Show to discuss his latest thoughts on the Big 3 of NHL off-season topics, in the Senators' sale, Kyle Dubas' future in Pittsburgh, and the Maple Leafs GM search.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Opinion | Why Brendan Shanahan still believes in the Maple Leafs core

The Leafs president has remained steadfast in his support for the Core Four while watching the atmosphere around them grow more turbulent each season.

www.thestar.com

If it seems like Brendan Shanahan has a belief in the Maple Leafs’ core that can withstand a ground-shaking event each spring, it’s because he does.

The Leafs president has remained steadfast in his support for the Core Four while watching the atmosphere around them grow more turbulent with each passing playoff opportunity that doesn’t result in a deep run. It fits his world view and aligns with his personal experience.

Shanahan was a No. 2 pick drafted into a 21-team league who didn’t win the Stanley Cup until his 10th season. He was part of teams that won just three playoff series in those first nine years.

When he finally broke through with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, he did so alongside a captain in Steve Yzerman who had very nearly been traded to Ottawa the year before. Yzerman had been questioned and doubted plenty over his 14 seasons in Detroit to that point and went on to help bring three championships to the city with Shanahan.

That stands as a particularly instructive piece of history with the Leafs at an inflection point and Shanahan sitting atop their hockey operations pyramid. He has started interviewing potential replacements for Kyle Dubas, cut loose as general manager last Friday, but is believed to have reiterated his support to Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander in phone calls made after the front-office shakeup.

As unusual as that sounds with the GM search just beginning and the Leafs still licking their wounds following a second-round loss to Florida, it actually speaks to Shanahan’s tunnel vision. During the increasingly rare times he has publicly addressed the state of the franchise, he has never shown any hint of second thought about the foundation his roster is built on.

.............

Just days before Dubas was fired as Leafs GM, he said: “I will consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. I would take nothing off the table at all.”

While it remains to be seen how his successor views that equation, all indications suggest Shanahan is comfortable heading into next season with $40 million (U.S.) tied up in four forwards.

The fact the NHL’s salary cap stalled these past few years was particularly punitive to the Leafs because they had been counting on those deals becoming less onerous over time. And it certainly doesn’t help that they may get burned again with the cap expected to start making significant jumps as soon as 2024, which will almost certainly impact the amount Matthews, Nylander and Marner seek on extensions. They’re each approaching a third NHL contract and have just the one playoff series victory.

While there may be more external doubt than ever about their ability to get the job done together in Toronto, those players appear to have overwhelming support from the seat that matters most. Consider what else Shanahan said about the Core Four in his 2021 end-of-season availability: “We are going to do this here in Toronto with this group. There will be changes that will be made. There will be tweaks along the way. The team will evolve. The people will evolve. But we are going to get this done.”

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Optics are everything.

Five years after Shanahan decided it would be a good idea to trade future HHOF'er Lou Lamoriello for Kyle Dubas the results are in. Two Jim Gregory Awards, and seven playoffs series later, and I think it's safe to say NYI won that trade. Lamoriello is widely regarded as one of the elite in his position.

The only thing Dubas has proven elite at is spending the fans money.

Someone should point out the alarming state of the team to Shanahan. The fact the multi-billion dollar NHL franchise he presides over appears to be in a crisis. That it's his job to fix it.

Maybe if he had been doing his job properly it wouldn't have even gotten to this point.

The fans were promised a contender. Where is it? Because right now the only thing this team is contending for is the NHL's biggest embarassment.

What the fans want is simple:

We want what we were promised: A cup contending team. Or we want accountability.

A GM that apparently didn't even want the job anymore isn't enough in the eyes of fans who have been let down for so many years.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Maple Leaf]

Spoiler: THere is no shanaplan. the guy was ready to sign dubas

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Keep hearing things like Burke is a dinosaur and bad gm yet he won a cup
Other GMs that people on here would say is ok or bad have won a cup with other teams
Chiarelli didn’t he win with Boston? And he’s bad on here

All I mean to say is our fan base say we’re screwed because there’s no one out there good but other teams seem to have won with average to bad gm?

And we’re loosing our shit because we moved on from a gm that seems smart and prob will be a very good gm hasn’t taken us past a 1st round till this year luckily in 9 years and put us in cap hell with his decisions?

I’ve said before dubas has full credit for turning this into a top team?
Don’t forget rielly and Nylander we’re drafted by shitty Burke, marner was hunter and matthews was an obvious pick
Dubas real contribution was signing tavares and our current goalie tandem!!

ONWARD
GOLEAFSGO!

You should be giving him credit for the Defense as well as overall team defense. Muzzin was a top pair D man coming here and Brodie a top 4 or even top pair d man. Now we have McCabe who looks to be a solid top 4 guy.

We were one of the top defensive teams this year.

 

[Dragao6]

You should be giving him credit for the Defense as well as overall team defense. Muzzin was a top pair D man coming here and Brodie a top 4 or even top pair d man. Now we have McCabe who looks to be a solid top 4 guy.

We were one of the top defensive teams this year.

Fair enough

 

[hockeywiz542]

Kyle Dubas, Brad Treliving and winners and losers on the NHL executive carousel

The Maple Leafs and Penguins made significant changes atop their hockey operations hierarchy this week, and there's a lot to unpack.

theathletic.com

Losers

Brendan Shanahan

Shanahan landed a strong, credible replacement for Dubas on Thursday, but there’s still a lingering sense of incredulity about what exactly happened in Toronto over the past few weeks.

That puzzlement shines a harsh spotlight on the man who sits in the highest chair in the Maple Leafs’ hierarchy.

As the dust has settled, it’s apparent that there’s more to this story than what naturally meets the eye, but here’s what we know: Shanahan and the board had decided they wanted Dubas to stay, but it took some time before Dubas decided that he wanted to stay. And he only wanted to stay so long as certain conditions were met.

You know how this one ends. On Thursday, despite those facts, the Maple Leafs introduced a new general manager as Dubas was preparing to give a press conference of his own in Pittsburgh.

Two sides don’t get from point A to point B like that without there being a breakdown in trust of some kind, and the reaction of those in the Maple Leafs front office since — including the pointed resignation of Jason Spezza — certainly reads like a partial repudiation of Shanahan’s leadership. Those are tough optics.

Then there are the dueling Dubas and Shanahan press conferences that bookended the week of Dubas’ departure from Toronto.

Dubas, who Shanahan and the board declined to extend last offseason, spoke in a year-end presser about family difficulty, handling the pressure of the job and agonizing about whether or not to return. Ultimately Dubas decided he wanted to return and at that point, his agent presented Shanahan with a new offer.

In response, Shanahan and the MLSE board decided to fire Dubas instead — with Shanahan explaining the decision and revealing all of the gritty details in a remarkable, unnecessary press conference.

It’s never a good sign for a leader in any field when their actions and comments can be eviscerated thoroughly in a half sentence the way Shanahan’s were in a Dubas statement that noted only, “I will not get into the specifics of what I consider to be reasonable and consistent but private discussions.” It was the professionalspeak equivalent of saying “Get a load of this guy.”

With the events of Thursday now in the rearview mirror, we’re left to wonder if Shanahan simply got outmaneuvered. If Dubas’ heartfelt commentary was genuine, and I want to note that I believe it was, then Shanahan’s reaction reads as uncaring and troublingly out of touch with the state of mind of his most senior hockey operations deputy. If Dubas’ heartfelt commentary about his family situation was a cynical negotiating ploy, then Shanahan took the bait, self-destructed and all but gift-wrapped FSG’s top candidate to them. Either formulation poses some really tricky questions.

Despite a concerning process, the outcome for Shanahan and the Leafs is a solid one. Treliving is a quality hire in any circumstances, but in these ones especially.

On the whole though, and for the first time since Shanahan took over in Toronto nearly a decade ago, the “Shanaplan” looks like the “Sha-No-Plan.”

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Kyle Dubas, Brad Treliving and winners and losers on the NHL executive carousel

The Maple Leafs and Penguins made significant changes atop their hockey operations hierarchy this week, and there's a lot to unpack.

theathletic.com

Losers

Brendan Shanahan

Shanahan landed a strong, credible replacement for Dubas on Thursday, but there’s still a lingering sense of incredulity about what exactly happened in Toronto over the past few weeks.

That puzzlement shines a harsh spotlight on the man who sits in the highest chair in the Maple Leafs’ hierarchy.

As the dust has settled, it’s apparent that there’s more to this story than what naturally meets the eye, but here’s what we know: Shanahan and the board had decided they wanted Dubas to stay, but it took some time before Dubas decided that he wanted to stay. And he only wanted to stay so long as certain conditions were met.

You know how this one ends. On Thursday, despite those facts, the Maple Leafs introduced a new general manager as Dubas was preparing to give a press conference of his own in Pittsburgh.

Two sides don’t get from point A to point B like that without there being a breakdown in trust of some kind, and the reaction of those in the Maple Leafs front office since — including the pointed resignation of Jason Spezza — certainly reads like a partial repudiation of Shanahan’s leadership. Those are tough optics.

Then there are the dueling Dubas and Shanahan press conferences that bookended the week of Dubas’ departure from Toronto.

Dubas, who Shanahan and the board declined to extend last offseason, spoke in a year-end presser about family difficulty, handling the pressure of the job and agonizing about whether or not to return. Ultimately Dubas decided he wanted to return and at that point, his agent presented Shanahan with a new offer.

In response, Shanahan and the MLSE board decided to fire Dubas instead — with Shanahan explaining the decision and revealing all of the gritty details in a remarkable, unnecessary press conference.

It’s never a good sign for a leader in any field when their actions and comments can be eviscerated thoroughly in a half sentence the way Shanahan’s were in a Dubas statement that noted only, “I will not get into the specifics of what I consider to be reasonable and consistent but private discussions.” It was the professionalspeak equivalent of saying “Get a load of this guy.”

With the events of Thursday now in the rearview mirror, we’re left to wonder if Shanahan simply got outmaneuvered. If Dubas’ heartfelt commentary was genuine, and I want to note that I believe it was, then Shanahan’s reaction reads as uncaring and troublingly out of touch with the state of mind of his most senior hockey operations deputy. If Dubas’ heartfelt commentary about his family situation was a cynical negotiating ploy, then Shanahan took the bait, self-destructed and all but gift-wrapped FSG’s top candidate to them. Either formulation poses some really tricky questions.

Despite a concerning process, the outcome for Shanahan and the Leafs is a solid one. Treliving is a quality hire in any circumstances, but in these ones especially.

On the whole though, and for the first time since Shanahan took over in Toronto nearly a decade ago, the “Shanaplan” looks like the “Sha-No-Plan.”

Is the Athletic's Dubas mourning period coming to an end anytime soon?

 

[thewave]

Kyle Dubas, Brad Treliving and winners and losers on the NHL executive carousel

The Maple Leafs and Penguins made significant changes atop their hockey operations hierarchy this week, and there's a lot to unpack.

theathletic.com

Losers

Brendan Shanahan

Shanahan landed a strong, credible replacement for Dubas on Thursday, but there’s still a lingering sense of incredulity about what exactly happened in Toronto over the past few weeks.

That puzzlement shines a harsh spotlight on the man who sits in the highest chair in the Maple Leafs’ hierarchy.

As the dust has settled, it’s apparent that there’s more to this story than what naturally meets the eye, but here’s what we know: Shanahan and the board had decided they wanted Dubas to stay, but it took some time before Dubas decided that he wanted to stay. And he only wanted to stay so long as certain conditions were met.

You know how this one ends. On Thursday, despite those facts, the Maple Leafs introduced a new general manager as Dubas was preparing to give a press conference of his own in Pittsburgh.

Two sides don’t get from point A to point B like that without there being a breakdown in trust of some kind, and the reaction of those in the Maple Leafs front office since — including the pointed resignation of Jason Spezza — certainly reads like a partial repudiation of Shanahan’s leadership. Those are tough optics.

Then there are the dueling Dubas and Shanahan press conferences that bookended the week of Dubas’ departure from Toronto.

Dubas, who Shanahan and the board declined to extend last offseason, spoke in a year-end presser about family difficulty, handling the pressure of the job and agonizing about whether or not to return. Ultimately Dubas decided he wanted to return and at that point, his agent presented Shanahan with a new offer.

In response, Shanahan and the MLSE board decided to fire Dubas instead — with Shanahan explaining the decision and revealing all of the gritty details in a remarkable, unnecessary press conference.

It’s never a good sign for a leader in any field when their actions and comments can be eviscerated thoroughly in a half sentence the way Shanahan’s were in a Dubas statement that noted only, “I will not get into the specifics of what I consider to be reasonable and consistent but private discussions.” It was the professionalspeak equivalent of saying “Get a load of this guy.”

With the events of Thursday now in the rearview mirror, we’re left to wonder if Shanahan simply got outmaneuvered. If Dubas’ heartfelt commentary was genuine, and I want to note that I believe it was, then Shanahan’s reaction reads as uncaring and troublingly out of touch with the state of mind of his most senior hockey operations deputy. If Dubas’ heartfelt commentary about his family situation was a cynical negotiating ploy, then Shanahan took the bait, self-destructed and all but gift-wrapped FSG’s top candidate to them. Either formulation poses some really tricky questions.

Despite a concerning process, the outcome for Shanahan and the Leafs is a solid one. Treliving is a quality hire in any circumstances, but in these ones especially.

On the whole though, and for the first time since Shanahan took over in Toronto nearly a decade ago, the “Shanaplan” looks like the “Sha-No-Plan.”

It reads like such immature nonsense runs that organization. I can tell you my confidence in management to do the right thing is lower now or maybe about the same as when we had Dubas doing the contracts. I think MLSE has lost the plot and dont know how to do hockey.

Dubas will probably wreck Pitts too.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Yohe: The Penguins get their man and Fenway Sports Group makes its mark

Fenway Sports Group got its man in Kyle Dubas and, along the way, showed a serious commitment to the Penguins.

theathletic.com

For the past 48 days, they had no general manager. No president of hockey operations. The sense around the hockey world was that the Penguins lacked direction — a franchise potentially on a serious decline.

Along came Dubas. Suddenly, the Penguins feel very relevant. They didn’t just fill a void. They recruited and landed the most desired person on the market.

Give Fenway credit. Hours after the hire, the Penguins’ ownership group made more waves. Following Dubas’ media availability, the Penguins cut ties with three employees Hextall had hired. Alec Schall (director of hockey operations and salary cap management), Kerry Huffman (director of pro scouting) and Teena Murray (senior VP, integrated performance) were all fired, said team sources, who spoke under the condition of anonymity. All had at least one more year on their contracts.

Finally, this group is starting to assert itself.

...............

So, sure, it was the right move to hire him. Anyone who debates that is simply looking for a debate.

That doesn’t mean the hire was simple. Ownership still had to sell Dubas on a highly difficult job, given the mess that the previous administration made.

Some other quick points:

• We don’t know Dubas’ financial compensation.

Make no mistake, he’s fabulously wealthy. Dubas was in a position to essentially name his job over the next year or two. That’s how coveted he is. Landing him required a significant financial commitment. FSG is wealthy, sure. Well, so is Bob Nutting. Some owners are willing to go above and beyond financially. FSG is one of those ownership groups.

• It’s important for ownership groups and the people in management to be on the same page.

Dubas is smart. He’s young. He’s analytical, to a point. This is directly out of the FSG playbook. He’s the kind of thinker the Penguins’ owners believe in. He became available, and they immediately pursued him. It’s good business sense.

• FSG is stable. They’ve made it known that they’re in this for the long haul.

Rumors have popped up that Dubas might have been interested in working for the Ottawa Senators, his favorite boyhood team. The Senators, however, are as stable as the weather in March. The Penguins have been stable for a while now, and FSG’s presence only makes them feel like a safer destination.

• FSG still had to close the deal, and not just financially. It’s largely about likability.

Dubas said he visited with FSG executives more than a week ago. He got to know them. Whatever they said to Dubas was the right thing.

It’s not FSG’s fault the Penguins are old, nor is it their fault that an incompetent management group was in charge when they purchased the Penguins. They inherited these realities.

But it is FSG’s responsibility to give the Penguins every available platform to jump beyond their current selves. A brilliant front office mind can produce that magic. Dubas is the guy, and FSG got him.

The Penguins feel a little more relevant today. Dubas brings hope and, without hope, a fan base and the team it supports has nothing.

FSG delivered that hope and deserves a considerable amount of praise.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Mirtle: Get ready for a Maple Leafs-Penguins rivalry — on and off the ice

With Kyle Dubas in Pittsburgh and ready for battle in the Eastern Conference with his old team, a heated new rivalry has just been born.

theathletic.com

How Dubas’ exit was foreshadowed in 2017

We’ll never know for sure, but more and more people you talk to around the league believe Dubas had at least some inkling the Penguins seriously wanted him when he went into those failed, odd negotiations with Shanahan last month.

Which puts what happened in a different light.

The thing, too, is that the notion of Dubas feeling chafed and wanting more autonomy in Toronto is not a new one. In fact, it was happening early on in his tenure with the team, soon after Lou Lamoriello was brought in as GM in July of 2015.

By the spring of 2017, the Colorado Avalanche, in the midst of a disastrous last-place season, were courting Dubas for a high-level front-office role. Then-GM Joe Sakic wanted to push the Avs in a more analytical direction, and he wanted permission to talk to Dubas.

That wasn’t granted. And my understanding at the time was that this was when Shanahan promised Dubas that he would succeed Lamoriello as GM the following year.

There were some now-familiar themes in that story: “The Leafs’ front office is full of division and disagreement, even as the team has excelled and exceeded expectations on the ice. There’s a circle of power and influence that’s being contested by a lot of big personalities — Lou Lamoriello, Mike Babcock, Mark Hunter etc. — and the results aren’t always pretty. One result of that is Dubas’ voice has been marginalized.”

One thing I recall being really interesting in reporting out that story was that people close to Dubas believed he would be happy to go to a place like Colorado, where he could do more of the “weird” things he wanted with a roster and front office than it felt would be possible in Toronto. That sort of unfettered ability to exact change, without the heavy scrutiny in a large market and a somewhat overbearing ownership situation, always appealed to Dubas, even six years ago.

Now, Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a tiny hockey market. There is going to be prying eyes. But FSG is new to hockey, and they’re going to be turning over the keys in full here. In the president role, Dubas finally should have closer to the total control that he’s long wanted and that he wasn’t going to get by staying in Toronto.

While a lot of the takes after Shanahan fired him a couple weeks ago admonished Dubas for “overplaying his hand” in negotiations, the better, more accurate read of the situation, especially in hindsight, is that he was fully prepared to move on entering those talks.

After not being given a contract extension last summer, Dubas finally had the ability to contemplate life outside of Toronto and that emboldened him to take the stand he did with Shanahan.

Yes, a late request for more autonomy from the MLSE board didn’t go his way, but Dubas had been in the organization for nine years. He had to have known how that would be received by a board that refused to extend him after a 115-point season.

Dubas would have also known, like everyone in the hockey world, that Pittsburgh was about to have a major house cleaning and push in a more analytical direction, thanks to new ownership.

Dubas had to have known he would have other options when the dust settled. Options more in line with what he had been seeking since being blocked from going to Colorado in 2017.

So, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on what Dubas does with the Penguins as he builds out that front office and roster. Some of his hiring in Toronto was unorthodox, and some executives with other teams have been critical of the unique four-person AGM set up he put in place, but that may have been only the beginning.

 

[rumman]

You can't measure the success of a GM based on playoff rounds won. That's dinosaur thinking. If true Brian Burke would be a great GM because he won a cup in Anaheim, he then proceeded to destroy the Leafs setting them back 8 years.

Burke had little to do with the Ducks success, Bryan Murray build that team and is the true architect............

 

[rumman]

Looks like Shanny has f***ed us. No one with any calibre is going to want to join

if your referencing the core 4 as "calibre" it's probably a good thing they won't want to join. This team needs a construction crew, not a bunch of pencil pushers..........

 

[ShaneFalco]

Mirtle: Get ready for a Maple Leafs-Penguins rivalry — on and off the ice

With Kyle Dubas in Pittsburgh and ready for battle in the Eastern Conference with his old team, a heated new rivalry has just been born.

theathletic.com

How Dubas’ exit was foreshadowed in 2017

We’ll never know for sure, but more and more people you talk to around the league believe Dubas had at least some inkling the Penguins seriously wanted him when he went into those failed, odd negotiations with Shanahan last month.

Which puts what happened in a different light.

The thing, too, is that the notion of Dubas feeling chafed and wanting more autonomy in Toronto is not a new one. In fact, it was happening early on in his tenure with the team, soon after Lou Lamoriello was brought in as GM in July of 2015.

By the spring of 2017, the Colorado Avalanche, in the midst of a disastrous last-place season, were courting Dubas for a high-level front-office role. Then-GM Joe Sakic wanted to push the Avs in a more analytical direction, and he wanted permission to talk to Dubas.

That wasn’t granted. And my understanding at the time was that this was when Shanahan promised Dubas that he would succeed Lamoriello as GM the following year.

There were some now-familiar themes in that story: “The Leafs’ front office is full of division and disagreement, even as the team has excelled and exceeded expectations on the ice. There’s a circle of power and influence that’s being contested by a lot of big personalities — Lou Lamoriello, Mike Babcock, Mark Hunter etc. — and the results aren’t always pretty. One result of that is Dubas’ voice has been marginalized.”

One thing I recall being really interesting in reporting out that story was that people close to Dubas believed he would be happy to go to a place like Colorado, where he could do more of the “weird” things he wanted with a roster and front office than it felt would be possible in Toronto. That sort of unfettered ability to exact change, without the heavy scrutiny in a large market and a somewhat overbearing ownership situation, always appealed to Dubas, even six years ago.

Now, Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a tiny hockey market. There is going to be prying eyes. But FSG is new to hockey, and they’re going to be turning over the keys in full here. In the president role, Dubas finally should have closer to the total control that he’s long wanted and that he wasn’t going to get by staying in Toronto.

While a lot of the takes after Shanahan fired him a couple weeks ago admonished Dubas for “overplaying his hand” in negotiations, the better, more accurate read of the situation, especially in hindsight, is that he was fully prepared to move on entering those talks.

After not being given a contract extension last summer, Dubas finally had the ability to contemplate life outside of Toronto and that emboldened him to take the stand he did with Shanahan.

Yes, a late request for more autonomy from the MLSE board didn’t go his way, but Dubas had been in the organization for nine years. He had to have known how that would be received by a board that refused to extend him after a 115-point season.

Dubas would have also known, like everyone in the hockey world, that Pittsburgh was about to have a major house cleaning and push in a more analytical direction, thanks to new ownership.

Dubas had to have known he would have other options when the dust settled. Options more in line with what he had been seeking since being blocked from going to Colorado in 2017.

So, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on what Dubas does with the Penguins as he builds out that front office and roster. Some of his hiring in Toronto was unorthodox, and some executives with other teams have been critical of the unique four-person AGM set up he put in place, but that may have been only the beginning.

Go do your thing there Dubas and thanks for the mess

 

[AcerComputer]

Burke had little to do with the Ducks success, Bryan Murray build that team and is the true architect............

I agree. That only further proves my point.

 

[BayStBullies]

Mirtle: Get ready for a Maple Leafs-Penguins rivalry — on and off the ice

With Kyle Dubas in Pittsburgh and ready for battle in the Eastern Conference with his old team, a heated new rivalry has just been born.

theathletic.com

How Dubas’ exit was foreshadowed in 2017

We’ll never know for sure, but more and more people you talk to around the league believe Dubas had at least some inkling the Penguins seriously wanted him when he went into those failed, odd negotiations with Shanahan last month.

Which puts what happened in a different light.

The thing, too, is that the notion of Dubas feeling chafed and wanting more autonomy in Toronto is not a new one. In fact, it was happening early on in his tenure with the team, soon after Lou Lamoriello was brought in as GM in July of 2015.

By the spring of 2017, the Colorado Avalanche, in the midst of a disastrous last-place season, were courting Dubas for a high-level front-office role. Then-GM Joe Sakic wanted to push the Avs in a more analytical direction, and he wanted permission to talk to Dubas.

That wasn’t granted. And my understanding at the time was that this was when Shanahan promised Dubas that he would succeed Lamoriello as GM the following year.

There were some now-familiar themes in that story: “The Leafs’ front office is full of division and disagreement, even as the team has excelled and exceeded expectations on the ice. There’s a circle of power and influence that’s being contested by a lot of big personalities — Lou Lamoriello, Mike Babcock, Mark Hunter etc. — and the results aren’t always pretty. One result of that is Dubas’ voice has been marginalized.”

One thing I recall being really interesting in reporting out that story was that people close to Dubas believed he would be happy to go to a place like Colorado, where he could do more of the “weird” things he wanted with a roster and front office than it felt would be possible in Toronto. That sort of unfettered ability to exact change, without the heavy scrutiny in a large market and a somewhat overbearing ownership situation, always appealed to Dubas, even six years ago.

Now, Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a tiny hockey market. There is going to be prying eyes. But FSG is new to hockey, and they’re going to be turning over the keys in full here. In the president role, Dubas finally should have closer to the total control that he’s long wanted and that he wasn’t going to get by staying in Toronto.

While a lot of the takes after Shanahan fired him a couple weeks ago admonished Dubas for “overplaying his hand” in negotiations, the better, more accurate read of the situation, especially in hindsight, is that he was fully prepared to move on entering those talks.

After not being given a contract extension last summer, Dubas finally had the ability to contemplate life outside of Toronto and that emboldened him to take the stand he did with Shanahan.

Yes, a late request for more autonomy from the MLSE board didn’t go his way, but Dubas had been in the organization for nine years. He had to have known how that would be received by a board that refused to extend him after a 115-point season.

Dubas would have also known, like everyone in the hockey world, that Pittsburgh was about to have a major house cleaning and push in a more analytical direction, thanks to new ownership.

Dubas had to have known he would have other options when the dust settled. Options more in line with what he had been seeking since being blocked from going to Colorado in 2017.

So, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on what Dubas does with the Penguins as he builds out that front office and roster. Some of his hiring in Toronto was unorthodox, and some executives with other teams have been critical of the unique four-person AGM set up he put in place, but that may have been only the beginning.

Mirtle is basically PR staff for Dubas. He has lost a lot of cred with his lack of neutrality in reporting.

 

[Socreges]

Father just sent me this