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Leafs Front Office 2026-27

As pleased as I am that he's gone, it also doesn't inspire confidence that decision makers let this buffoon run the trade deadline.
 
Arn said:
I sort of lean this way - but with a caveat of maybe not BRAND new. I think I said it elsewhere. I liked the Dubas hiring for the reasoning he was new. But he was a little too new and it took him a while to adapt some of his beliefs. So if we could get someone new who has maybe done a bit of that adapting/maturing.
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On the coaching side, I'm not against the idea of Bruce Cassidy.

I quite like a lot of how he had his Boston and Vegas teams play, too.

But I'd obviously like the new GM in place to get alignment on their philosophy between GM and coach etc.
 
President of Hockey OPS: Doug Armstrong
General Manager: Bill Scott
Assistant General Manager (if applicable): Chris Pronger
Head Coach: Bruce Cassidy
Assistant Coach (if applicable): Bruce Boudreau


This is a mix of my "who I think they'll go for" along with some creative/wishful thinking
 
Zee said:
It's painfully obvious the Shanahan decision to fire Dubas and hire Treliving was the worst decision of his entire presidency. The fact that Shanahan banked on the core-4 for so long, the ultimate downfall of this entire era.
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It's pretty crazy. 3 years later Shanahan is gone, Trevling is gone, Leafs are a mess, and Dubas is taking a team almost everyone predicted would finish at the bottom of the Metro to the playoffs.
 
Arn said:
I sort of lean this way - but with a caveat of maybe not BRAND new. I think I said it elsewhere. I liked the Dubas hiring for the reasoning he was new. But he was a little too new and it took him a while to adapt some of his beliefs. So if we could get someone new who has maybe done a bit of that adapting/maturing.
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Sunny Mehta would be an interesting name. Analytics guy who was a total outsider to hockey at first. But has now worked for 4 NHL teams over 10+ years including holding the AGM job with the Panthers while they won their two Cups.
 
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CarltonTheBear said:
Sunny Mehta would be an interesting name. Analytics guy who was a total outsider to hockey at first. But has now worked for 4 NHL teams over 10+ years including holding the AGM job with the Panthers while they won their two Cups.
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Mehta would be an interesting hire, for sure, and very much in the vein the team should be looking at - up-and-coming AGMs/executives who haven't sat in the big chair but otherwise have NHL experience. Don't go for a "name" or anything like that. Just like with coaches, there are very few GMs in NHL history that have won the Cup with multiple franchises (IIRC, the number there is also 3). Don't look for a resume full of trophies. Find the next guy, not a previous guy.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Dubas is taking a team almost everyone predicted would finish at the bottom of the Metro to the playoffs.
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I heard Seravalli on the radio maybe a week or 2 ago saying emphatically that he gives no credit to Dubas for the position that the Pens are in.

I'm not saying I agree I just think that's kind of a funny position to take.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Sunny Mehta would be an interesting name. Analytics guy who was a total outsider to hockey at first. But has now worked for 4 NHL teams over 10+ years including holding the AGM job with the Panthers while they won their two Cups.
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I don't really know enough about names around the NHL so couldn't have put a name to what I was trying to say, but having had a read around this is exactly the kind I meant.

Even Pridham to an extent kind of fits the bill, but I think he might be "tainted" by being linked to the Leafs so he might need to go do the role somewhere else.

I do wonder if the Leafs are too "big" or scared to take a "risk" and feel like they need a "name" in the role.

I apologise for using so "many" quote marks in this post.
 
Joe S. said:
I heard Seravalli on the radio maybe a week or 2 ago saying emphatically that he gives no credit to Dubas for the position that the Pens are in.

I'm not saying I agree I just think that's kind of a funny position to take.
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Yeah, I mean, that's insane. Obviously the guys leading the charge were there before him (Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Rakell, Letang to a lesser extent) but I'm pretty sure nobody else on the team was there pre-Dubas.
 
Arn said:
Even Pridham to an extent kind of fits the bill, but I think he might be "tainted" by being linked to the Leafs so he might need to go do the role somewhere else.
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Yeah I think regardless of whether Pridham is fully deserving of a GM gig the team needs a fully fresh face right now.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Yeah, I mean, that's insane. Obviously the guys leading the charge were there before him (Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Rakell, Letang to a lesser extent) but I'm pretty sure nobody else on the team was there pre-Dubas.
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Good for them that they're in the playoffs but I don't see them going on a run with that goaltending. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson are all in the twilight of their careers. Let's see what happens when they leave, then we can assess the job he's done.
 
Bender said:
Good for them that they're in the playoffs but I don't see them going on a run with that goaltending. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson are all in the twilight of their careers. Let's see what happens when they leave, then we can assess the job he's done.
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Dubas is restricted by ownership. Penguins ownership told Dubas they want to go for another cup with Crosby and Malkin.

If these owners and board members are so smart at building a cup champ, what do they need GM's for?
 
Bender said:
Good for them that they're in the playoffs but I don't see them going on a run with that goaltending. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson are all in the twilight of their careers. Let's see what happens when they leave, then we can assess the job he's done.
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Sure but I think it was pretty clear his marching orders were to get Crosby back into the playoffs before his career ended, and so at the very least he's succeed there.
 
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CarltonTheBear said:
It's pretty crazy. 3 years later Shanahan is gone, Trevling is gone, Leafs are a mess, and Dubas is taking a team almost everyone predicted would finish at the bottom of the Metro to the playoffs.
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There's no secret, you need great top end players, and then the right "mix" of supporting cast. Pens still have the top-end talent (although they are aging rapidly), and the supporting cast is working out for them now. I'm sure had Dubas stayed and been allowed to trade Marner for more than Roy, we would be further ahead right now.
 
Bender said:
Good for them that they're in the playoffs but I don't see them going on a run with that goaltending. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson are all in the twilight of their careers. Let's see what happens when they leave, then we can assess the job he's done.
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Like others have pointed out, Dubas has to do what ownership wants of him. Their orders are "make the playoffs at all costs while we still have Sid" so that's what he's trying to do. I'm sure he knows they need a rebuild, but he's not allowed to do it.
 
Bender said:
Good for them that they're in the playoffs but I don't see them going on a run with that goaltending. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson are all in the twilight of their careers. Let's see what happens when they leave, then we can assess the job he's done.
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That's fair. I don't think anyone sees them as cup contenders. He came in knowing a rebuild/retool was in order and so far, he hasn't sacrificed any of their future.
 
Joe S. said:
I heard Seravalli on the radio maybe a week or 2 ago saying emphatically that he gives no credit to Dubas for the position that the Pens are in.

I'm not saying I agree I just think that's kind of a funny position to take.
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Frank Seravalli making dumb proclamations? I, for one, I am shocked.

By no means am I a Dubas fan, but let me list the good moves the Pittsburgh team has made in the last 12 or so months (this is off the top of my head and might not contain all of the details)

  • Trading Jarry for Skinner
  • Signing Anthony Mantha
  • Signing Justin Brazeau
  • Trading Brent Kulak for Sam Girard and a 2nd round pick
  • Trading a 5th? for Connor Dewar and Connor Timmins
  • Trading Connor Clifton for Connor Timmins
  • I'd even include not trading Erik Karlsson as a good move

Now compare that to the Leafs management where I'm not sure they have made a good move in the Last 12 months. I guess trading Roy for Colorado's 2027 1st was good. I dunno. Short list. Signing Bo Groulx.
 
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