Grading Kyle Dubas' offseason moves
As we have passed the quarter mark and near the midway point of the 2021-22 season, it's time for a mid-term grade for Kyle Dubas and the offseason moves that he made after another disappointing postseason.
The Leafs GM had a very busy off season with some big decisions to make, however, we're not going to go through every little transaction. Instead, we'll just highlight the important ones. For time's sake, we are also going to leave out moves that happened after the season started.f
On July 28th, Frederik Andersen, Zach Bogosian, Nick Foligno and Zach Hyman all became UFAs. The decision to not bring these players back could not have been easy, with the exception of Foligno, who was thought to have been a rental anyway.
Andersen was the Leafs' starter for 5 seasons. Bogosian was a rock on the 3rd pair and brought a lot of size, toughness and experience to the blueline, and Zach Hyman had given the Leafs 6 years of 110% effort. Dubas elected to replace each of these players, and it appears as though it may have been the right decision. Losing Zach Hyman without getting anything for his rights was less than ideal, but given how everything has worked out this season, we can't be too hard on him.
Outgoing UFAs - C+:
While Dubas did a great job in replacing a lot of these guys, the fact that he wasn't able to bring back Zach Bogosian and then gave up multiple assets for a banged up Nick Foligno and then failed to bring him back on the cheap are probably the two worst misses.
Many may look at the fact that he did not acquire anything at all for the rights to Zach Hyman and Frederik Andersen as an indictment on his ability to be an effective GM, but it's worth noting that if you're giving teams the opportunity to get a max 8-year term on these guys to reduce their cap hit, that's worth something. The fact that other GM's didn't want to pony up is not Dubas' fault.
Now for the player signings. This is where Dubas really shined, despite the fact that his first big move is largely looked at as a failure due to Mrazek's inability to remain healthy. Until we get a longer look, the jury is still out on that one. Here we go.
Petr Mrazek - $3.8Mx3, expiry: UFA
So far, the Petr Mrazek era in Toronto has comprised of 2 and a half games of seriously sub par goaltending and a long time on the injured list. His 4.13 GAA and .880 sv% are, well, embarrassing. There's no way to sugarcoat it. A swing and a miss for Dubas at this point, especially when James Reimer was available for over a million and a half dollars less. Of course, we'll never know if Reimer would have wanted to come back after how his last tenure with the Leafs had ended.
Ondrej Kase - $1.25Mx1, expiry: RFA
If Mrazek was a swing and a miss, Kase has been a Vladdy Guerrero Jr sized home run. The Bruins must be kicking themselves for letting Kase go right now. He's been fantastic since joining the Leafs, scoring at nearly a 50 point pace and contributing on the PP and PK as well. His game is not easy on the body however, and we have seen him wincing on the bench at least once a game. If he can stay healthy though, this signing may be the best of the off season for Dubas.
Nick Ritchie - $2.5Mx2, expiry: UFA
Ritchie looked fantastic in the pre-season. Scoring, hitting, fighting, it all looked very promising for another former Bruin. Unfortunately, his time on the top line led to, well, nothing in terms of production. A couple of assists, no goals, not much of anything. It seems that Ritchie just doesn't have the hockey IQ to play with Marner and Matthews.
Since being placed in the bottom six, Ritchie has looked better, but still not excelling, even against weaker competition. He was a healthy scratch in the first game that the Leafs had a fully healthy forward group, which tells us that even the coaching staff recognizes that Ritchie is failing to live up to the expectations that come along with making $2.5 million, especially with Michael Bunting producing more on a cheaper deal.
Michael Bunting - $950Kx2, expiry: RFA
If the Kase signing was a home run, the Bunting contract is an absolute moon shot. The feisty 26-year-old quickly climbed up the depth chart on the left side, primarily due to Ritchie's struggles, and once he reached the top, he showed he belongs there.
The Scarborough native seems to be a blend of Zach Hyman and Nazem Kadri. A hard worker, a relentless forechecker, good hands, a decent shot, and a penchant for drawing penalties and getting under the opponent's skin. The value he's providing for his meagre cap hit is absolutely fantastic. This is a big win for Dubas.
David Kampf - $1.5Mx2, expiry: UFA
Who is this guy and why are we paying him $1.5 million? This sentiment was shared by many Leafs fans when the Leafs signed the former Blackhawk in free agency. Dubas and Keefe both seemed excited to have him though, and we soon found out why.
Kampf has been a fantastic shut down centreman for the Leafs. The team had lacked a full time, defensive centreman on the PK for years and they've finally found one. With Kampf on the PK the Leafs have enjoyed an 82% kill rate, top 10 in the league and number 1 in the ultra competitive Atlantic Division. Kampf isn't a fancy signing, but he's been an excellent one in his role. Maybe not a star, but checks a lot of boxes.
Player signings: A
Not every swing can be a home run, but Kase, Kampf and Bunting have been so good that they really do cover for the disappointment of Mrazek and Ritchie through 31 games.
Extensions:
Travis Dermott - $1.5Mx2, expiry: RFA
Dermott signed a "show me" deal this offseason. He's been good enough to avoid his cap hit being scrutinized, but he also hasn't exactly excelled. It seems his roster spot as 3LD has been usurped by 2018 first round pick Rasmus Sandin, forcing him over to the right side.
His new slot at 3RD is also under threat from 2017 first rounder Timothy Liljegren. Dermott's only path forward at this point is to show the Leafs he is worth more to the team than Justin Holl. If he can grab ahold of roster spot and not look back, this deal could end up being a good one. If not, he may be used as a trade chip for an upgrade elsewhere.
Jason Spezza - $750K x1, expiry: UFA
No long winded write up needed here, we all know. Vintage is awesome, his cap hit is awesome, love the guy.
Player Extensions: B
Not a lot of work for Dubas here, but good work nonetheless
Overall: B+
The loss of Hyman and Andersen had the potential to derail the team, Jack Campbell has saved the Leafs from any type of goaltending woes, and Dubas was able to patch 3 lineup holes with the money he would have spent on Zach Hyman's new deal. On the whole, Dubas was very good this offseason and the team is poised to be competitive both this year and next, provided he can find a way to retain Jack Campbell's services.
