Leafs reporter reveals what the team may have looked like had Dubas returned
The last time Kyle Dubas spoke publicly as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he said that nothing was off the table in terms of trading a member of the "Core 4". Unfortunately, Dubas was unable to show us what he meant by that as he was fired shortly after his final press conference with the Leafs. Instead, the Leafs brought in Brad Treliving while Dubas went off to join the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he made a blockbuster of a trade to bring in Erik Karlsson.
On TSN1050's "First Up" this morning, Leafs reporter Jonas Siegel explained just how different this Leafs team would look if Dubas was still in charge and had the opportunity to make the changes he wanted to make.
"I think they would look totally different. We got the indication from Kyle Dubas just before he was let go where he indicated maybe looking at a trade of a core player, so I think that's on the table. You can narrow it down to who that might be and what it might look like. So that's one of those players potentially gone which is significant. Obviously you would get considerable pieces back for that player whoever it is," said Siegel regarding Dubas' want to move a core member.
Siegel also went on a rant about the off-season signings made by Brad Treliving once he arrived and doesn't believe Dubas would have made most of them and would have preferred to retain some of the players he brought in at the trade deadline last season, such as Noel Acciari and Ryan O'Reilly.
"It's possible if Kyle Dubas was the general manager, that they would have signed Tyler Bertuzzi. Everybody else, I just don't see it. I don't think there's any way they sign John Klingberg. There's zero chance they sign Ryan Reaves to a three-year contract. Maybe Max Domi, but I don't really see it... I didn't like the fact they lost so much utility with some of the guys they brought in. None of those guys kill penalties, none of those guys are the kinds of players you want to put on the ice when you're defending a lead... Look at what Dubas did at the trade deadline last year. He acquired players who had utility, who were competitive, so I think that's the way they would have leaned had he remained general manager, but they obviously didn't do that. The team has major issues to sort out."
Siegel makes a very good point here about the direction of the team and how the players they brought in don't fill the voids left by the likes of Noel Acciari, Ryan O'Reilly and even Alexander Kerfoot, simply because it has limited Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe's options when it comes to penalty kill, last minute situations and overall line combinations. I understand that the rookies and prospects have to be given the opportunity to show what they can do and if they can fit within the team structure, but having guys like O'Reilly and Acciari would allow Keefe to shelter the likes of a Matthew Knies a bit more and not have to play him on the penalty kill in his first full season.
Siegel mentioned that the Leafs have some major issues to fix right now and given where they are cap-wise, he is unsure of how they will fix them. Having Klingberg on LTIR would normally be a start to fixing them, but until they have clarity as to if he will be able to return this season or not, they are handcuffed. If Klingberg is out for the season, then the Leafs will have some much needed cap space to add whatever players Treliving believes will help fix their defensive woes and take pressure off of the "Core 4".
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 27 | 491 ANSWERS Leafs reporter reveals what the team may have looked like had Dubas returned Do you think Kyle Dubas would have traded one of the Core 4 if he remained with the Leafs? | ||
| Yes, it had to be done | 208 | 42.4 % |
| No, it was just smoke and mirrors as always | 239 | 48.7 % |
| No comment | 44 | 9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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