When Lou Lamoriello left the Toronto Maple Leafs there was uncertainty around whether his successor Kyle Dubas would be able to fill one of the biggest roles in hockey. The then 33-year-old was one of the youngest faces in the league and with a young Leafs team with stars on the rise.
Dubas entered the league with a bang, bringing home superstar centre and hometown hero John Tavares on a massive eight-year deal. He entered his first season as Leafs GM with one of the most iconic press conference moments in recent NHL memory with the, “We can, and we will,” moment which set the tone for the next era of Leafs Hockey.
With Dubas trying to tread waters in another passionate hockey market in Pittsburgh, and the recent issues regarding Tristan Jarry, it’s a good idea to look back at some of the best and worst moves he made as Leafs GM. His time in Toronto was filled with the ups and downs of a great regular season team that continuously struggled in the playoffs.
While it is undoubtedly true that Maple Leafs brand was modernized under his tenure, with improvements to the in-game atmosphere and much of the important work that the team has done within communities around the city, his legacy will be remembered by the on-ice performances and lack of playoff success in the Matthews, Maner, Nylander and Tavares era. Let’s take a look back Dubas’ tumultuous tenure as General Manager of the Maple Leafs.
The bad and the ugly
Signed Petr Mrazek—3 years, $3.8M AAV
With the 2020–21 season coming to an end, it was becoming evidently clear that Frederik Andersen was not going to sign with the Leafs. This led Dubas to search for a goalie who would join their tandem alongside Jack Campbell. At the time the signing took place it looked like a good deal, with Mrazek having a .923 SV% with the Carolina Hurricanes and having a steady few years before that. Having this track record the expectation was that he would be a serviceable back up alongside Campbell.
The reason this signing makes the list is because Mrazek, in his only season here, had a .888 SV% in 20 games all while battling injuries which would make him virtually unusable throughout the season. In the end, the Leafs would have to give up a 1st round pick to get rid of him. Fortunately, it would not be all bad news as they were able to draft Fraser Minten who is looking to be quite the prospect.
Letting McCann go in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft
It was once again time for an expansion draft in the NHL with the creation of the league’s newest team, the Seattle Kraken. According to the league’s rules the Leafs had two options: either they can protect seven forwards, three defencemen, and one goalie, or four forwards, four defencemen, and one goalie. The Leafs chose to go with the second option. That means they chose to protect guys like Alex Kerfoot and Justin Holl over Jared McCann.
McCann wasn’t much of a household name at the time, but looking back at the trade, it was ugly. He went on to score 40 goals in his first season in Seattle and has continued to become a solid depth forward while guys like Kerfoot and Holl struggled to find their place in the lineup. The Leafs still continue to have struggles when it comes to finding consistent bottom six scoring, and McCann is the one that got away.
Trading away Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche
It is always tough to see a fan favourite leave, especially when it is someone as impactful as Nazem Kadri. It was understandable why this move was made at the time, with Kadri coming off consecutive playoff suspensions against the Boston Bruins. Looking back, though, the Leafs seemed to have rushed this trade by getting rid of quality centre depth which is a position they still struggle to find to this day.
The issue was the Leafs got a weak return package for a player of that calibre, in what seemed like a rushed trade. The full package ended up being Leafs acquiring Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot and a 2020 3rd-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Nazem Kadri, Calle Rosen and a 2020 6th-round pick. Tyson Barrie was supposed to be a solid puck-moving defencemen, but was not able to work it out with the Leafs in his one year on the team. While they got a few good years out of Alex Kerfoot, he never found a spot where he truly fit anywhere in the lineup.
The good
Leafs trade to acquire Muzzin
With the Toronto Maple Leafs having a lethal offence with the fresh addition of John Tavares the offseason prior, it was clear that the Leafs needed an upgrade at the defensive position. The package to get Jake Muzzin was not going to be cheap, but he filled a spot in the lineup that the Leafs defensive core desperately needed.
In exchange for Carl Grundstrom, Sean Durzi, and a first-round pick in 2019, the Leafs were able to acquire a defencemen who brought much need toughness, grit, experience and leadership to a young Leafs locker room
The signing of Ilya Samsonov for one-year, $1.8M
Goaltending in Toronto was always a fluid position, with the team having seen a decent amount of turnover during the last few years. In the summer of 2022, the Leafs took a chance with Washington Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov. In his first season, he quickly became a stable sound option in net entering the 2023 playoffs with a .919 SV% in 42 games and quickly becoming a fan favourite as he led this era Leafs team to the second round after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
The 2023 trade deadline
Kyle Dubas and the Leafs management team went on an absolute spending spree in the 2023 trade deadline, as they were looking to upgrade both the defence and offence. The Leafs were able to bring in five new players in Luke Schenn, Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Sam Lafferty, and Jake McCabe. Acciari and Lafferty both became exceptional depth pieces that overperformed in their position. O’Reilly was able to bring much-needed playoff-winning pedigree to a forward group that had much to learn.
The team ended up falling short to the Florida Panthers in the second round, ultimately failing to achieve what they were hoping for in a deep playoff run. While most of these players ended up leaving, McCabe has become an integral part of the defence corps and it showed that Dubas was willing to do what was needed to set this team up for success.
