Kyle Dubas costs the Leafs the ability to move their 2026 first round pick
Kyle Dubas has handcuffed the Maple Leafs even worse than originally thought, as Brad Treliving doesn't even have the option to trade his 2026 1st round draft pick.
When Dubas left the Maple Leafs organization back in the spring of 2023, he left his successor, Brad Treliving, with very little in the way of meaningful draft capital for the following 3 seasons.
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Leafs after it was pointed out that they may not even be able to move their 2026 1st round pick, due to the conditions of the Jake McCabe trade.
Per the conditions of the McCabe deal in 2022, the Leafs' 2025 1st round pick could actually slide to 2026, as the 2025 pick they sent to Chicago was "top-10 protected".
Are the Leafs actually going to be a bottom-10 team in the league this season? Well, no - they likely won't be. However, as long as it's mathematically possible for the Leafs to drop into that bottom-10 range, it appears as though they won't be able to move the pick.
Obviously, with the firepower that exists in Toronto, there's no way Dubas actually believed the Leafs would be a bottom-10 team. Still, it seems like a silly condition to include for a draft pick that was probably never going to be in that range to begin with.
There's no way this was intentional, but Dubas continues to hamper the Leafs in unique ways, even long after he's gone.
Source for McCabe trade information: Sportsnet
Maple Leafs acquire Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty from Blackhawks
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 10 | 652 ANSWERS Kyle Dubas costs the Leafs the ability to move their 2026 first round pick Where will the Maple Leafs finish in the Atlantic Division next season? | ||
| 1st | 153 | 23.5 % |
| 2nd-3rd | 422 | 64.7 % |
| 4th-6th | 60 | 9.2 % |
| 7th or 8th | 17 | 2.6 % |
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