2023-05-20 21:08:27
When a team has a formula with a president of hockey operations and a GM, it opens the door to friction. After all, there is one that is above the other.
In Montreal, for example – oh no: officially, Jeff Gorton is a VP, not a president.
Brief. All that to say that at the Maple Leafs, Brendan Shanahan is the president and Kyle Dubas was the GM. He was, in fact, the fourth CEO to work under Shanahan.
And clearly, Shanahan didn’t mind. After all, as we can read on The Athletic, the president of the Maple Leafs sometimes blocked transactions that his GM wanted to make.
On the fallout in the Maple Leafs front office. And what comes next @TheAthletic
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) May 20, 2023
And that might have changed the course of the club in the playoffs.
According to some sources, he would also have imposed certain transactions on his CEO in order, according to him, to make the club progress. Dubas didn’t always agree with his boss, of course.
What’s interesting regarding all of this is that the format basically appealed to Shanahan. After all, he is the boss and he was the one who decided what happened in general terms.
But presumably Dubas was uncomfortable – and that justified his hesitation at a press conference this week. For what?
‘Cause the guy had to take the blame for things calls of his boss. Because he probably felt a bit taken. Because he probably didn’t like being told what to do.
There is a rumor that Dubas was asking for carte blanche for his next contract – in addition to the money. This makes sense if we consider the facts we have just discussed… and this forces us to wonder if he will want, in a future job, to be the #1 guy in hockey operations.
Among those believed to have got 2nd RD interviews for Pens GM job include Eric Tulsky, Dan MacKinnon, Steve Greeley, Jason Karmanos and Matthieu Darche.
Still a fluid process.
And there’s the question of whether or not Kyle Dubas would have a change of heart if Pitt called…— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 20, 2023
Recall that it was this week that Shanahan decided to change direction and fire. Did this happen following requests from Dubas? Logically, yes.
We will probably never know what really justified the change.
Prolongation
It forces me to wonder regarding what’s next. For what? Because Shanahan said an experienced GM would probably be prioritized for the future.
Will a veteran want to be checked? The question is valid.
Per @mirtle
Shanny to ask Gary Bettman for suggestions/guidance on next GM… pic.twitter.com/q1yWtuAgTq
— Adam Wylde (@AdamWylde) May 20, 2023
1684621297
#Brendan #Shanahan #blocked #trades #Kyle #Dubas #wanted
