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The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of decisions and potential changes on the agenda and there seems to be some impetus to get things moving on at least one front. GM Kyle Dubas ruled out the possibility of going to another NHL club after his contract expires at the end of June, but did not rule out taking time off after a trying season.
“For me to commit to anything without having a fuller understanding of what this year took on them is probably unfair for me to answer where I am at.… Dubas said on Monday at the Ford Performance Centre. “What I will say is that I definitely don’t have it in me to go anywhere else. It will either be here or it will be taking time to recalibrate and reflect on the seasons here.… According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, the MLSE board has shaken off their hesitancy of giving Dubas a contract extension after choosing not to before the start of training camp last season and would like to get things done in short order.
Everything is essentially on hold until the Dubas situation is resolved, and the direction of the franchise will either continue or will have to quickly pivot.
The Leafs GM’s comments were the strongest in terms of recognizing that the club had some shortcomings that he has ever made and that he would be open to almost anything.
“I would consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup, so I would take nothing off the table at all,… Dubas said. I think everything would have to be considered.…
What that will mean will be pondered over the next few weeks, but before any of that happens, everything is in limbo until a decision is made about the future of the Leafs GM.
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Joseph Woll, after an impressive two-game performance at the end of the Florida series, was sent back to the Toronto Marlies on Monday. The Marlies face elimination on Wednesday, down 2-0 to the Rochester Americans in the best-of-five AHL North Division Final.
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The Leafs announced that they have signed goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa to a three-year, entry-level contract with an average annual value of the contract is $851,660.
The 20-year-old was selected in the sixth round (185th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft and posted a 13-19-6 record, 2.34 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in 40 games with Ak-Bars Kazan’s VHL club during the 2022-23 season.
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