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Jay on Leafs. Weaponizing Loyalty: Why Kyle Dubas is the Key…. |
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Why Kyle Dubas is the Key to a Leafs Blockbuster
To fix their pressing roster issues, the Toronto Maple Leafs will need to get creative. But what if the solution lies with a very familiar face?
If one word defines Kyle Dubas, it’s loyal. Throughout his tenure in Toronto, Dubas proved to be one of the most supportive GMs in the league, backing his players almost to a fault. Now, that same loyalty presents an opportunity that current GM Brad Treliving could weaponize.
Trade rumors have swirled all summer, connecting the Leafs to Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and, most notably, Erik Karlsson. While either player would be a welcome addition, the price must be right. The real leverage for Toronto, however, might be the players Dubas wants back—the ones he personally drafted and signed.
This theory gains traction when you remember that last summer, Dubas poached Wes Clark, Toronto's former Director of Amateur Scouting. Armed with an intimate knowledge of the Leafs' prospect pipeline, Dubas and Clark may be prone to overvaluing the very assets they once acquired for Toronto.
Reports indicate both men hold 23-year-old goaltender Dennis Hildeby in high regard, pegging him as a future NHL starter. They were also said to be major proponents of Noah Chadwick, a smooth-skating defenseman who has taken massive strides since his draft day.
With increasing chatter that Karlsson is itching for a new home to chase a final Stanley Cup, the conditions are ripe for Treliving and Dubas to strike a deal. In a full-circle twist of fate, the man who built the modern Leafs could become the key to solving their biggest puzzle. Stranger things have happened.
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