Maple Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas is focused on the Toronto Marlies pursuit of a Calder Cup Championship (which begins in Bridgeport, CT on Saturday) and not becoming the NHL youngest general manager since Harold Ballard hired Gord Stellick in 1988.
“Very bluntly put, I don’t believe that I’m ready to be an NHL general manager. I believe that I have a lot to learn and I believe that Toronto is the best place for me to learn that.… Dubas said at Ricoh Coliseum on Wednesday.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week that the Arizona Coyotes had inquired about Dubas for their vacant general manager position after dismissing Don Maloney, but the 30-year-old was not interested in pursuing a position outside of Toronto.
Dubas is completing his second season with the Leafs, serving as an assistant to Dave Nonis and Lou Lamoriello, co-interim GM with Mark Hunter after Nonis was fired in April 2015 and general manager of the Marlies, who posted a AHL-best 54-16-5-1 record.
“With everything that is going on here now, this is not a place that I want to leave and I don’t believe I’m ready to leave.… Dubas said. “Last year, before Lou came on, I had the opportunity to work with Mark Hunter and learn the role and do part of the role as we got through the Draft and went to the GM’s meeting and frankly speaking what I learned is that I still have a lot to learn.…
The Leafs are poised to be on the upswing after finishing 30th in the NHL, with a large amount of cap space and adding a top prospect this June to a young core group that includes William Nylander and 2015 top pick Mitch Marner, which has to be a positive for Dubas to further enhance his resume over the next few seasons and find a more advantageous opportunity than the struggling Coyotes or to take over in Toronto after Lamoriello’s contract expires.
The veteran GM showed no signs of slowing down this season, pulling off a number of trades and setting up the Leafs with 20 draft picks over the next two seasons, but is said to be taking things on a year-by-year basis.
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