Leafs should get their house in order for next GM
Brad Treliving, or anyone else stepping into the current Toronto tempest, will want a defined chain of command, presumably where he would have autonomy on significant personnel decisions.
There are conflicting reports Kyle Dubas was trying to establish just that with Brendan Shanahan and the MLSE board, seeking more power to “streamline” hockey decisions in his contract extension talks just before Friday’s sudden firing.
Counter arguments suggest Dubas had much of that authority already and other than having his moves rubber stamped, the buck should rest with him if something went wrong.
This bickering is part of an unsurprising schism developing in the Leafs front office after Dubas’ sudden departure, pitting his loyalists against “Team Shanahan.” Keep in mind Dubas hasn’t yet had his rebuttal to Shanahan’s version of how the firing unfolded, when the latter hinted a late change in the framework to Dubas’s extension by agent Chris Armstrong was the deal breaker.
It’s understandable that uber-impatient fans of the Leafs don’t need to hear about more potential impediments to team success, whether the board has every right to sign off on expensive decisions or should shut up and let their chosen GM do their job.
Shanahan is being secondguessed for the way he originally structured the Leafs’ hockey office in 2014, the back-to-front hirings of Dubas, Brandon Pridham, Mike Babcock and finally Lou Lamoriello as GM. But in the case of Dubas and Pridham, there was strong belief that summer they’d be snapped up by other teams if Toronto didn’t act fast.
YOUR MOVE, BRENDAN
Shanahan is torn by the urge to get someone proven in trades and contract negotiations ASAP to handle any hot-button issues with the roster beginning July 1. Topping that is Auston Matthews with his no-move clause that kicks in on the final year of his deal in five weeks, ditto for a no-move clause for Mitch Marner’s final two seasons and William Nylander’s 10-team no-trade clause in his encroaching last year.
Or does the boss actually wait and see who else might shake loose around the league now that the plum high-paying job in Toronto is on the table?
While it’s thought Shanahan is wasting time hoping an established exec such as St. Louis’s Doug Armstrong, would ever leave his team, the long game after June 30, when contracts are up, could change that. It’s also when GM Stan Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville could be permitted to return after an extended time-out by the league, punishment for their inaction in the Kyle Beach case during their time with the Chicago Blackhawks a few years ago.
Treliving offers the best immediate option, praised for nine years of hard work that paid off in just about everything but playoff runs and draft success.
Treliving is 53, born in Penticton, B.C., and isn’t likely to be intimidated in a major Canadian market. He’s had extensive minor league management duty in all facets.
But if coming to the Leafs, he might have to sit on his hands where the June draft is concerned as he’s been privy to Calgary’s junior scouring reports. That was a stipulation had he been interviewed in Pittsburgh.
DUBAS A STEEL?
It’s official that the Penguins have been granted permission to interview Dubas, which almost certainly moves him ahead of a list reported from Steeltown circles that includes Dan Mackinnon, senior vicepresident of the Devils, and Buffalo associate GM Jason Karmanos, both with Penguins’ ties. Also doing well in the first round of interviews, Eric Tulsky, assistant GM of the Hurricanes, Steve Greeley, director of scouting and hockey strategy in Dallas and Tampa Bay Lightning director of hockey operations Mathieu Darche.
As the Fenway Sports Group that owns the Penguins might split the team president’s job from the GM, it could be Dubas gets the higher title and one of the candidates already vetted becomes GM.
Meanwhile, longtime Flames figure Craig Conroy was set to be named Treliving’s replacement as early as Tuesday.