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Toronto Maple Leafs Announce Kyle Dubas As Next GM

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As many expected, the Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that Kyle Dubas will be the team’s next GM. Dubas will take over for Lou Lamoriello, who has been moved to a senior advisory role that might not last very long.

Dubas, 32, will become one of the youngest GMs in the league with his appointment, but he comes with more experience than many his age. At just 25 he was named the GM of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, where he turned around the program and hired Sheldon Keefe—now head coach of the Marlies and potential NHL candidate—to lead the junior team. After just a few seasons in the OHL, Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan brought him in as an assistant GM and tasked him with reorganizing the team’s player development model.

With Toronto, Dubas has created a baseball-like system with several tiers of development. Players like Martins Dzierkals, Jeremy Bracco and Mason Marchment haven’t just been pushed into AHL games right away, but left to develop away from game action or even in the ECHL. That system—along with a relentless search for new talent—has led the Marlies, under the management of Dubas, to become an AHL powerhouse in recent years. The team is heading to their second Eastern Conference final in three years, after sweeping the Syracuse Crunch recently.

While it may be easy to point to Dubas and think of him as an analytics-based manager that will throw conventional hockey knowledge out the window, many of his peers believe something much different. Justin Bourne, a former video coach with the Marlies, wrote for The Athletic recently how Dubas is far from just a number-cruncher and thoroughly understands systems and traditional scouting techniques.

Still, many have questioned whether Mark Hunter will remain in his current position now that Dubas has been given the keys to the castle. Hunter, another assistant GM with the Maple Leafs, is famous for his scouting propensity and was another candidate to take over as the GM when Lamoriello stepped down. Whether he’s willing to stay and work under Dubas has been the topic of much debate recently, but nothing is clear at this point.

So the Maple Leafs head into a new era of management while the on-ice product is at its best in over a decade. Dubas will be tasked with making the necessary adjustments to push them from playoff to Stanley Cup contender, all while navigating contract negotiations for some of their best young players. If Lamoriello or Hunter (or both) depart, he may have to do it without the help of experience by his side.

Atlantic Notes: Boston’s Injuries, Lamoriello, Red Wings

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As is common following a team being eliminated from the playoffs, the list of players that played through an injury gets revealed.  Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston provided that list for the Bruins and it’s quite a lengthy one.  Most notably among them is center Patrice Bergeron, who revealed that he has been dealing with a lingering groin issue and while he hopes it will clear itself up with rest and rehab, he did acknowledge that surgery this summer is a possibility.

Other players that could be headed under the knife are defenseman Zdeno Chara (shoulder) and center Riley Nash (hip) while winger Noel Acciari (hernia) confirmed he will have surgery.  Meanwhile, defenseman Torey Krug’s fractured ankle will have him in a walking boot for the next two months so his postseason would have been over even if the Bruins had advanced.  On top of those, David Backes (concussion), Brad Marchand (groin), and Jake DeBrusk (shoulder) have injuries that won’t require any offseason surgeries.  It’s quite the list of walking wounded in Boston.

More from around the Atlantic:

  • While now-former Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello publicly stated that he intended to fulfill the advisory role in his contract, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports (subscription required) that he has no real intention of doing so. This comes on the heels of speculation earlier this week that the Islanders could be a landing spot for the 75-year-old, something that Staple suggests is a possibility as well.  If that indeed happens, Toronto will not be entitled to any compensation as that was put to an end back in January of 2016.
  • The Red Wings have a vacancy to fill between the pipes this summer and Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that Blues netminder Carter Hutton is someone that they have interest in. Hutton is coming off of a career season that saw him post a 2.09 GAA and a .931 SV% in 32 appearances and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.  However, he’ll undoubtedly be seeking a significant raise on the two-year, $2.25MM deal he just completed and Detroit is a team that is typically close to the Upper Limit of the salary cap so it will be interesting to see if there is a number that would work for both sides.

Offseason Keys: Vancouver Canucks

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While the playoffs are ongoing, many teams have already started their offseason planning.  What storylines lie ahead around the league?  Our Offseason Keys series continues with a look at the Vancouver Canucks.

This past season was yet another rough one in Vancouver as they failed to pass the 75-point mark for the third straight year while finishing seventh in the Pacific Division for the second time in a row.  As a result, the Canucks now find themselves in a full rebuild mode as they head into what should be an interesting summer.  Here are some keys to their offseason.

Replace The Sedins

Back in April, both Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin decided that they would be hanging up their skates at the conclusion of the season.  This is the end of an era as the twins were key cogs in Vancouver’s attack for 17 seasons and have been the faces of that franchise for a long time.  The nostalgic element aside, the two are core players that will need to be replaced.

With both carrying $7MM cap hits on their last contracts, the Canucks now have a lot of cap room this summer.  If they want, they can be active on the free agent market or perhaps try to leverage their space in a trade and add a younger asset or two in exchange for taking on a big contract from a cap-strapped team.

That said, even though they can go this route, should they?  As a team that has made a stated commitment to a youth movement, perhaps they would be better served letting some of their younger players and prospects take on a bigger role for 2018-19 to see how they handle the extra responsibility. Vancouver has quietly assembled an intriguing group of prospects up front and some are likely ready for the challenge.

Whichever way they decide to go, this is a decision that will need to be made sooner than later, if it hasn’t already.  Once the trade activity starts to pick up closer to the draft, they’ll need to have made their choice on how they plan to replace the Sedins to know how (or if) they’ll be utilizing their cap space.

Explore A Boeser Extension

Considering he has played all of 71 career games in the NHL, it seems strange to think that winger Brock Boeser has now completed two seasons out of his three-year, entry-level deal which makes him eligible to sign a contract extension as of July 1st.  After tying for the team lead in scoring in 2017-18 despite missing 20 games due to a back injury, it’s safe to say that the Canucks are going to want to lock him up to a long-term deal.

The big questions here are going to be how much will it cost and is it worth it for Boeser to sign now considering he has less than one full season under his belt?  A duplicate performance in 2018-19 would only boost his value in talks a year from now if no extension is reached.  Accordingly, Boeser holds a lot of leverage here as unless Vancouver comes to the table with a significant offer, potentially in the $6MM-$7MM range, he can just wait until next summer and still land a big second contract.

Defensive Decisions

In terms of free agents, the Canucks don’t have many players to re-sign (just Troy Stecher and Derrick Pouliot, both restricted free agents).  However, they have a trio of decisions to make when it comes to their back end.

The first one involves Alexander Edler.  The oft-injured veteran is set to enter the final year of his contract and considering where the team is in its rebuilding cycle, the time may be right to move him.  However, Edler has been loyal to Vancouver in the past so an extension isn’t out of the question either.  If they do decide to try to trade him, doing so in the offseason makes a lot of sense as they should get better value for him now than in an in-season trade.  He will, however, have to waive his no-trade clause should a trade be agreed upon.

Then there’s Chris Tanev, who has also battled significant injury trouble the last couple of years.  He has a couple of years left on his contract but again, with the team rebuilding, does he have more value to a contender than he does in Vancouver?  Teams have called on him before and that’s likely to happen again this offseason.  GM Jim Benning hasn’t wanted to move him yet but there’s a chance that could change in the coming months.

The other player is Ben Hutton.  He had a particularly rough season, going from a key cog on their back end to a frequent healthy scratch while seeing his numbers drop across the board.  He has one year left on his deal before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency but a repeat performance from 2017-18 would make him a non-tender candidate.  His trade value is lower now which will make a decision here a bit trickier.  Is it better to move him for a lesser return now or see if he can play his way back into a regular role, knowing that if he struggles again, they could lose him for nothing by not qualifying him?

Most of Vancouver’s back end is under contract but there are still quite a few decisions that Benning will have to make in the weeks to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Hunwick, Pitlick, Stars

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Matt Hunwick’s first season in Pittsburgh did not go according to plan. After signing a three-year, $6.75MM contract with the Penguins at the opening of free agency, the expectations were that Hunwick would be a capable everyday defenseman. Yet, by the trade deadline Hunwick had missed 18 games due to injury and a few more due to healthy scratches and had just five points on the year to show for the games he did play in. Less than a year in to a three-year pact, GM Jim Rutherford was searching for a way to move his contract. When he couldn’t, Hunwick ended up watching 26 of the Penguins final 29 regular season games and each game of the postseason from the press box. These disappointing results are not lost on Hunwick though; the veteran defenseman was honest in his self-criticism when speaking to the gathered media yesterday, reports The Athletic’s Seth Rorabaugh. Hunwick did attribute some of the blame for his poor play to injury and a Penguins system that was difficult to adjust to, but largely took responsibility for the campaign by admitting his lack of a mental edge. “I don’t think I played with enough confidence throughout the season…Maybe (confidence was) part of the reason (for struggling)”, Hunwick said, adding ““I’d hope to play a lot better (next season). I’d like to be more assertive and be more confident right out of the gate. Now knowing the system and the guys, I think that should happen.” Maybe that will happen for Hunwick, but that is assuming he remains in Pittsburgh to begin next season. Rutherford still faces the pressure of the salary cap crunch and an overpaid depth defenseman is an ideal target to move out, if possible. Hunwick has proven to be a capable player over his career and he very likely would improve in year two with the Penguins, but he may not be afforded the opportunity after a rough start this year.

  • On the other end of the spectrum is Dallas Stars forward Tyler Pitlick. In grading out the roster after a frustrating end to the season – a late-season collapse that cost the team a playoff spot – Sportsday’s Joshua Friemel calls Pitlick a highlight of an otherwise disappointing season. In fact, Friemel states that Pitlick may have even been a better off-season addition than big-name acquisitions Ben Bishop, Marc Methot, or Martin Hanzal. The Stars spent right up to the cap in 2017-18, but paid Pitlick only $1MM and got 80 games and 27 points back in return. Friemel points out that his 14 goals were good enough for sixth on the team and they were also more than Jason Spezza and Antoine Roussel combined, who together made $9.5MM. Pitlick also contributed on the penalty kill and was one of the Stars’ more physical and effective two-way players. Better yet, Pitlick still has two years remaining on his deal at that same bargain rate. The underutilized Edmonton Oilers prospect may have been little more than a waiver when he signed in Dallas and may have flown under the radar this season, but going forward his value will no longer go unnoticed.
  • Staying in Dallas, Stars owner Tom Gaglardi made the rare cross-organization reassignment today. The Kamloops Blazers, the WHL team that Gaglardi shares ownership in, today announced several front office changes, including the assignment of GM Stu MacGregor to the Stars organization, as Gaglardi also owns both Dallas and AHL Texas. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro clarifies that MacGregor has been transferred to the Stars’ amateur scouting department, where his experience with junior hockey can be put toward a different purpose. With the Blazers finishing with the fifth-worst record in the league this season, changes were expected, but it’s a shrewd move by Gaglardi to replace his GM for one team without losing an asset by instead strengthening his other team.

Latest On Toronto Maple Leafs’ Pursuit Of Igor Ozhiganov

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For several months, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the expected landing spot of KHL defenseman Igor Ozhiganov. That feeling has stemmed from the visit that Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock took in August of 2017, to meet with Ozhiganov and attempt to recruit him to Toronto. It’s the same playbook they used to land Nikita Zaitsev in the summer of 2016, a player they quickly extended after a solid first season.

Ozhiganov’s agent Dan Milstein had recently said that no decision has been made on where the defenseman will play next season, and now he’s clarified things even further. Darren Dreger of TSN passes along that it is either the Maple Leafs or KHL for Ozhiganov in 2018-19, with no other NHL teams being options for the 25-year old.

If Toronto does sign him, it may complicate things somewhat for their roster next season. Currently the team has only Zaitsev under contract as a right-handed defenseman, while Connor Carrick (RFA) and Roman Polak (UFA) head to free agency. Toronto used Ron Hainsey almost exclusively on the right side this season, but need to upgrade the position if they’re to take another step forward next year. While it’s hard to imagine Ozhiganov being given the same opportunity that Zaitsev was when he first came to Toronto, it seems unlikely that he’d be leaving Russia to play in the AHL. That means he’d have to take up the third spot on the right side, which is a risky proposition for a team looking to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Still, there is a long way to go before the ice is set for the 2018-19 season, and getting Ozhiganov under contract gives you another talented defenseman to work with. Whether through trade, free agency or something else, the Maple Leafs need to strengthen their defense corps and solidify their biggest weakness.

One has to wonder if part of the hold up for Ozhiganov is the potential departure of Lamoriello, who was moved out of the GM spot recently and has rumors circling around him. If Lamoriello was who sold the Maple Leafs organization to Ozhiganov in the first place, perhaps his absence would push the young defenseman back to the KHL.

Colorado Avalanche Re-Sign Mark Alt

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The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed Mark Alt to a two-year, two-way contract. Alt was claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers at the end of February, and played seven games for the Avalanche down the stretch. The contract will carry an average annual value of $725K in the NHL.

A 26-year old defenseman, Alt was originally selected 53rd-overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010. By the time he finished his junior year at the University of Minnesota his rights had been traded to Philadelphia, where he signed and joined their minor league system. Though he made his NHL debut in early 2015, he wouldn’t suit up for the Flyers again until this season.

Alt does have some qualities that can lead one to believe he could take over a full-time role, but it still seems more likely that he’ll spend the year in the AHL. The 6’4″ defenseman has a crisp first pass and some offensive upside, but hasn’t really been able to grow those skills into a consistent presence.

The Avalanche already have several defensemen under contract for next year, and a few more scheduled to become restricted free agents. There would have to be quite a bit of turnover for Alt to secure a regular role out of camp, though he’ll provide a solid depth option should injuries arise.

AJ Haefele of BSN Denver broke the news on Twitter.

Poll: Who Should Be The Carolina Hurricanes Captain?

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Yesterday when the Carolina Hurricanes announced Rod Brind’Amour as the team’s next head coach, one of the first questions he answered was if the team would continue to employ two “co-captains” in 2018-19. The Hurricanes allowed Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk to share the duties this season, while Jeff Skinner was named an alternate.

Brind’Amour made it clear that there will be just one, and that he already has an idea who will be his team’s captain, but will talk to the leadership group before making that decision public. He should have a pretty good idea of the dynamic inside the dressing room, after serving as an assistant coach for the last seven seasons.

Staal and Faulk remain the obvious candidates, but it’s not a guarantee that Brind’Amour will give it to one of them. Justin Williams is the elder statesman on the club and was brought in for his steady performance and experience in the playoffs. Williams has won three Stanley Cups in his career, including Carolina’s only championship in 2006.

Jaccob Slavin though only 24 years old, logged the most ice time on the team each of the past two years and is signed longer than anyone else on the team. He’ll start into his seven-year extension next year, and is a steadying presence on the blue line.

Skinner himself is an option, though there are rumors of a potential exit from Carolina this summer if a trade can be found. The 25-year old sniper is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, and has garnered plenty of interest from around the league.

Who should be named captain for the team? Is there a chance that the eventual captain isn’t even on the roster yet? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Jordan Kyrou Wins OHL Most Outstanding Player

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The St. Louis Blues may have missed the playoffs this season, but they received some good news today when Jordan Kyrou was named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player and awarded the Red Tilson Trophy. Kyrou, a Blues second-round pick from 2016, registered 109 points in just 56 games this season while also winning a gold medal at the World Junior Championship.

Kyrou is an outstanding skater who dominated the OHL this season, finishing just six points behind Aaron Luchuk for the scoring title despite playing in 12 fewer games. His 70 assists were tied with Morgan Frost for the league lead, helping him become the first Sarnia Sting player to ever win the Red Tilson. The trophy is a prestegious honor, with plenty of past recipients going on to long prosperous NHL careers. Alex DeBrincat, Mitch Marner, Connor McDavid, Connor Brown and Vincent Trocheck are the past five winners, with other names like John Tavares, Eric Lindros and Doug Gilmour all having taken a turn.

While it may be unlikely for Kyrou to duplicate some of those careers, many believe he’s poised to become a difference-maker at the next level. The Blues have several top end prospects ready to break onto the professional scene, with Kyrou leading the charge next season. Whether he begins the year at the AHL level or cracks the Blues out of training camp is still to be seen, but there is little doubt that the spotlight will follow him next season.

Amazingly, it’s not just Kyrou’s offense that is remarked on when scouts take in one of his games. Relentlessly effective in his own zone, he’ll be challenged at the next level to keep up his excellent defensive work ethic and become the two-way player many believe he can be. Junior hockey can sometimes fail to expose weaknesses in players who have a standout ability as Kyrou does in his skating, only to be revealed in the professional ranks against similarly skilled players.

Regardless, the Blues will be happy that Kyrou took the necessary steps forward this season to win the award. Many believed from the start of the year that he would challenge for the scoring title, and had he not spent time away with the Canadian national junior team, he likely would have. Though the Sting were eliminated in the second round of the OHL playoffs, Kyrou will have plenty of other chances in what is expected to be a long career.

Morning Notes: Bruins, Wild, Kane

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The Boston Bruins will have several players head to unrestricted free agency this summer, and today GM Don Sweeney spoke about the chance of re-signing them. Though Anton Khudobin has already made it clear he wants to re-sign, and Rick Nash is open to the possibility, Sweeney doesn’t sound confident everyone will be back.

Haven’t definitively ruled anybody out…we would like to bring everyone back, but that’s not realistic in cap environment.

The Bruins currently project to have between $12-15MM in space next season depending on where the cap ceiling lands, but have to make sure they don’t get into any undesirable long-term commitments. With five forwards taking up over $32MM combined for the next three seasons, and new contracts due before long for Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Ryan Donato and Jake Debrusk, bringing back Nash—or even Riley Nash, who is also set to become a UFA on July 1st—may be out of the question.

  • The Minnesota Wild have not made their final decision on who will become GM, as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports they have a round of interviews scheduled for next week. Paul Fenton of the Nashville Predators and Tom Fitzgerald of the New Jersey Devils will both be involved in those interviews, while Bill Zito (Columbus), John Ferguson Jr. (Boston) and Dave Nonis (Anaheim) have all sat down with Wild owner Craig Leipold at one point or another. The Wild are not rushing a decision, and Brent Flahr is currently overseeing day-to-day operations for the club.
  • The San Jose Sharks have made it clear they intend to try and re-sign Evander Kane, and he made it clear today what his three priorities are. Kane told Sportsnet that money, lifestyle and a chance to win are the “common sense” priorities for any free agent, but wouldn’t go into how he personally ranks them. The 26-year old winger found immediate success with the Sharks, but will cost the team an extra asset to re-sign. San Jose would be forced to upgrade the pick sent to Buffalo to a first-round selection should Kane re-sign this summer.

Charlie McAvoy Joins Team USA For World Championships

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As Team USA prepares to duel against Latvia this morning at the IIHF World Championships, they’ve announced a huge addition for the rest of the tournament. Charlie McAvoy will join the squad tomorrow in Denmark, fresh off his recent elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. The club’s biggest weakness on paper has been a shaky blue line, something that McAvoy should strengthen tremendously after an outstanding rookie season in the NHL.

McAvoy put up 32 points in his first full season with the Boston Bruins, but was part of a shutdown unit with Zdeno Chara that was one of the league’s best. The 20-year old defenseman has always looked poised beyond his years, even as a freshman at Boston University or leader on the US World Junior team. Rarely rattled or thrown off his game, he’ll no doubt be one of the best players on the international stage once again.

It’s not clear whose spot he’ll take on game day, but it could mean the end of a run for young Quinn Hughes. The 18-year old draft-eligible defenseman has actually played more than many expected so far in the tournament, logging two points through the first three games. As well as Hughes has played so far, McAvoy would obviously be an upgrade in the defensive end. Neal Pionk could also lose some time on the US powerplay, as though McAvoy isn’t known exclusively for his offense he certainly can contribute with the man advantage.

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