The Kyle Dubas era with the Toronto Maple Leafs to end soon?

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Jeff Drouin
September 21, 2022 (2:35 PM)

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Next season will be the fifth of the Kyle Dubas era in Toronto, and it could very well be the last. According to Jonas Seigel of The Athletic, the GM, who is in the final year of his contract, is on the fence about a contract extension.

"Kyle Dubas will soon become the Maple Leafs' longest-serving GM in 25 years.

The upcoming 2022-23 season will be Dubas' fifth as Leafs general manager, a run that has lasted longer than Brian Burke, Pat Quinn and all the other predecessors before him since Cliff Fletcher was fired in 1997."

Did loyalty cost Dubas his job?

"Dubas has been loyal, perhaps even to a fault. He went above and beyond to protect his core guys, to make them feel happy and comfortable. He never issued harsh criticism in public. He never changed the leadership group like the Winnipeg Jets just did."

The fact that the Maple Leafs have not entered into contract negotiations should strike fear into the heart of the general manager and may say a lot about the plans of organization president Brendan Shanahan. If Dubas is let go in the next few months, the organization already has the perfect candidate in its ranks to succeed him. It is the newly retired Jason Spezza.

Spezza officially announced his retirement last May after playing 1,248 games in the NHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs wasted no time appointing him as a special assistant to General Manager Kyle Dubas on the same day. His leadership off and on the ice makes him a leader, not to mention his expertise in the hockey world. A year of learning the trade could make him a solid hockey manager.