Toronto Maple Leafs and GM Kyle Dubas Part Ways

Toronto turns a new leaf, so to speak. After a whirlwind run of five-seasons that had plenty of highs and lows, it seems the lows were too plentiful to continue the working relationship. Dubas previously was an assistant to Lou Lamoriello, whose own contract as GM was not renewed in 2018.

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Maple Leafs New GM Odds

Speculation on who could potentially replace Kyle Dubas as GM started before he made it official on Friday, with current odds showing Brad Treliving and Jim Benning as frontunners.

Kyle Dubas Out as Maple Leafs GM

In the aftermath of the team’s 4-1 second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers, the now former general manager did not mince words about what the past campaign was like. He described it as a “very taxing year” on his family. In a post-season press conference he espoused his dedication toward the organization.

“I definitely don’t have a view to going anywhere else. It would either be Toronto or taking time away to reflect.”

It’s now officially going to be the latter.

Kyle Dubas will not be the Toronto Maple Leafs GM come the 2023-2024 season. Technically his contract expires on June 30. At the time of writing, Leafs President Brendan Shanahan will meet with the media at 3 PM ET.

Highs and Lows with the Maple Leafs

There are many indisputable truths about what the franchise was able to accomplish and what it failed at during Dubas’ time with the club.

On a positive note, Toronto was a playoff contender every single year. The team has locked in a number of high-profile players who were consistently terrific during the regular season; Auston Matthews, William Nylander (following a holdout), Mitchell Marner, and of course John Tavares, who as a child had bedsheets in adorned in Leafs colours.

Toronto tallied 100 points or more in three seasons. The only times it didn’t was during shortened, re-configured pandemic-affected campaigns. Even in those instances, the club performed well.

On the flip side, it was only this season that the Leafs won a single playoff series. They had been ousted in the first round by the Bruins in 2019, the Blue Jackets in a shortened bubble playoff in 2020, the Canadiens in 2021, and the Lightning in 2022. After finally winning a round – versus the Lightning, incidentally – they only lasted five games against the Panthers in round two.

Dubas also sent former fan favourite Nazem Kadri to the Avalanche…with whom he won a Stanley Cup. The Nylander, Matthews, Marner, and Tavares contracts have also been heavily scrutinized and criticized. How could they not with only one series win in five years?

One of the most intriguing offseasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs begins now.