Kyle Dubas to blame for the Maple Leafs missing out on Jacob Markstrom

Brad Treliving appears to be in the market for a starting goalie this summer after Ilya Samsonov's wildly inconsistent 2023-24 season and Joseph Woll's myriad of injury issues throughout his young career.

Jacob Markstrom, who originally reached a 6-year deal worth $6M per season with Treliving in Calgary a few years back, complete with a full no-movement clause, was believed to have given the Calgary Flames permission to speak with the Leafs, Devils and Senators this off-season. Ultimately, when push came to shove, the Devils put together the best package in Calgary's eyes.

How does Dubas come into play in all of this? Well, it's quite simply really. Dubas is the one who cleaned out all of the Maple Leafs' draft picks prior to his departure for Pittsburgh.

In the end, Markstrom was dealt to New Jersey in exchange for a 1st round pick in 2025 and young defenseman Kevin Bahl. Had the Leafs had their 1st round pick in 2025, a package of that pick and young defenseman Topi Niemela could have netted the Leafs Jacob Markstrom and solved their problems in net at least temproarily.

Dubas' asset management in Toronto has left many fans scratching their heads. Not only did the team not achieve any real, tangible playoff success after Dubas parted with a slew of picks and prospects, but even after he's gone, the effects of his moves are being felt by the organization in a negative way.

Obviously, the Leafs have some work to do in terms of filling some pretty big holes this summer, but it sounds like Treliving is trying in earnest to repair the damage left by Dubas. Hopefully he can make some headway on this during the next couple of weeks between the draft, free agency and the trade market.

Source: TSN
Flames trade G Markstrom to Devils for Bahl, 2025 first-rounder