Kyle Dubas is out as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The team said Friday it is “parting ways” with the 37-year-old executive, whose contract was scheduled to expire June 30.
“I would like to thank Kyle for his unwavering dedication over these last nine seasons with the organization, including his last five as general manager,” Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement Friday. “Kyle fostered a great culture within our dressing room and staff, and consistently pushed to make our team better season over season.”
With Dubas the first domino to fall in what could be a summer of intrigue in hockey’s biggest market, the attention now turns to his replacement, along with the status of head coach Sheldon Keefe and the future of star forward Auston Matthews, who both have close ties with the now-departed executive.
WATCH | Shanahan discusses Dubas decision:
Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan updated the media Friday on the departure of general manager Kyle Dubas.
The Leafs won a playoff series for the first time in nearly two decades this spring when they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning before bowing out to the underdog Florida Panthers in a disappointing second-round showing.
An emotional Dubas said at his end-of-season press conference Monday he wasn’t sure if he would continue on as GM, citing the stress on his young family.
Fans shouldn’t expect Dubas to be joining another club in the short-term.
“I definitely don’t have it in me to go anywhere else,” he added at what turned out to be his last media availability as GM. “It’ll either be here or it’ll be taking time to recalibrate [and] reflect … but you won’t see me next week pop up elsewhere.
“I can’t put [my family] through that after this year.”
WATCH | CBC Sports’ Rob Pizzo on what might come next for Leafs’ GM search:
CBC Sports’ Rob Pizzo discusses the news that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas won’t be returning, and what might come next as the hockey club searches for his replacement.
With Toronto since 2014
Dubas joined the Leafs in 2014 as an assistant GM at age 28 and managed the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies to a Calder Cup title in 2018.
He took over as Toronto general manager from Lou Lamoriello in May 2018 as part of a succession plan under Shanahan’s direction.
The Leafs experienced unprecedented regular-season traction under Dubas — viewed as a young, bright hockey mind with a forward-thinking approach to analytics — over his five years in charge.
The Leafs lost in seven games to Boston in 2019, fell to Columbus in the 2020 pandemic-necessitated qualifying round, and blew a 3-1 lead against Montreal in a disastrous 2021 collapse before showing promise in a tight, seven-game loss to Tampa in 2022 that set the stage for last month’s breakthrough.
Dubas offered unwavering support to Toronto’s so-called “Core Four” of offensive talent consisting of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander.
“As a person, he’s been unbelievable throughout my whole time here,” Marner said of Dubas after the Leafs were eliminated by Florida. “Definitely a special person to have around. He cares a lot for his players and his staff.
“Something that we’re all pretty lucky to have.”
WATCH | Maple Leafs eliminated by Panthers in Game 5:
Nick Cousins scored in the first overtime to give Florida a 3-2 win in game four over Toronto, eliminating the Maple Leafs 4-1 in the series.
Core 4
His first big splash was to lure Tavares, who grew up just west of Toronto, with a seven-year, $77-million US contract in free agency after just a few months on the job.
A tough negotiation with Nylander — the winger missed the first two months of the 2018-19 season — followed before he eventually signed a six-year extension worth $45 million the following December.
That set the stage for Matthews to ink a five-year extension with a value just under $58.2 million in February 2019.
Dubas also made a number of trades and wasn’t shy about changing course, realizing early on that Toronto needed more grit and playoff experience.
He acquired Stanley Cup champions Jake Muzzin in 2019 and Ryan O’Reilly in 2023 with an eye towards helping get the Leafs over the hump.
Tight against the cap, Dubas also found players in the bargain bin, including veteran forward Jason Spezza and hometown product Michael Bunting.
WATCH | Leafs win 1st playoff series in 19 years:
Toronto’s John Tavares scored the series winning overtime goal against Tampa Bay Saturday night giving the Maple Leafs a 2-1 win, and a 4-2 series victory.
Trade deadline renovations
Dubas remade the roster before this season’s trade deadline by adding O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Luke Schenn and Jake McCabe, continuing a trend of draft picks heading out the door for immediate help.
He also had his fair share of misses, namely the signing of goaltender Petr Mrazek and the trade for oft-injured netminder Matt Murray.
Dealing centre Nazem Kadri — twice suspended in the playoffs with Toronto — to Colorado could be justified at the time, but he went onto be a key contributor in the Avalanche’s Cup victory last June.
Dubas appeared to finally get it right this spring in the Leafs’ six-game victory over Tampa that exorcised a generation of playoff demons, but Florida’s emphatic 4-1 triumph in the second round saw most of those good vibes quickly fade.
While he wasn’t able to unlock a winning formula in Toronto, there was never any questioning the GM’s passion.
Dubas was caught on camera jawing with Lightning fans in that series this spring, wildly celebrating the Leafs finally getting past the first round, and throwing a water bottle in disgust during the Panthers defeat.
“I’m an emotional person,” Dubas said in final remarks to the media as general manager. “I’m deeply passionate … I know some people might not like it or care for it.
“But that’s me.”
Marlies coaching staff cut loose
Meanwhile, the Toronto Marlies won’t be renewing the contracts of head coach Greg Moore and assistants A.J. MacLean and John Snowden, the club announced Friday.
The move by the top affiliate of the Maple Leafs came less than 24 hours after the club was eliminated from the American Hockey League playoffs in a three-game sweep by the Rochester Americans.
Moore just finished his fourth season as Marlies’ coach, while MacLean was in his role for the last eight years.
Snowden, meanwhile, had been with the organization for five seasons — three seasons as head coach with the Newfoundland Growlers of the third-tier ECHL and two with the Marlies.