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Friedman: Dubas window closed

May 26, 2017, 4:57 PM ET [25 Comments]
Rick Sadowski
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Three days after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Avalanche were granted permission to interview Maple Leafs assistant general manager Kyle Dubas for an unspecified position, Friedman now believes the window for that opportunity has closed.

Friedman said Friday on Sportsnet 960 The FAN that he thinks Dubas, 31, an analytics expert, will remain in Toronto.

“I think it’s over,” he said. “Whatever window was there since I reported it – and one of the things I said on Tuesday when I mentioned it is I’m not exactly sure where it stands. Sometimes when you actually go to air with something or write something, it brings even more clarity, and that’s the case here.”

The Avalanche aren't commenting.

"I believe the window is closed. I don’t think he’ll be going,” Friedman said. “And I believe that Toronto closed the window. That initially they were willing to let him go, and then they weren’t. And so I think that’s kind of where it stands here.”

Joe Sakic is currently Avalanche GM, and Craig Billington and Chris MacFarland are assistant GMs.

Leafs president Brendan Shanahan hired Dubas in July 2014. A former player agent, Dubas was GM of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. He's currently GM of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

“There was some pushback from Colorado at the beginning in saying that (his original report) wasn’t accurate and it didn’t happen,” Friedman said. “And I think that it’s possible that there were people in Colorado who didn’t know that it had happened.

“But there was definitely contact. There was permission given. And for whatever reason -- and only Toronto knows, and you’ve got a better chance of getting the nuclear codes than probably this information out of Toronto -- but I think Toronto revoked permission and I don’t think he’s going.”

*****

The Colorado Eagles, who are the Avalanche's ECHL affiliate, begin Kelly Cup championship play Friday and Sunday against the South Carolina Stingrays, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar's former team.

The first two games of best-of-seven series will be played at the Budweiser Events Center, the Eagles home rink. Games 3-5 are scheduled June 4-5 and June 7 in North Charleston, S.C.

Bednar won three championships with the Stingrays, in 2009 as coach, and in 1997 and 2001 as a player.

Three Avalanche draft picks are playing for the Eagles -- forward Julien Nantel and defensemen Sergei Boikov and Mason Geertsen.

Nantel has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 16 playoff games with a plus-2 rating and four penalty minutes. Boikov has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 14 games with a plus-4 rating and eight penalty minutes. Geertsen has four points (one goal, three assists) in 15 games with a plus-4 rating and 34 penalty minutes.

All three played for the AHL San Antonio Rampage in the regular season.


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