In response to speculation around his departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs, former general manager Kyle Dubas released a statement that may leave more questions than answers.
onward. pic.twitter.com/kHlCfe8Q0a
— Kyle Dubas (@kyledubas) May 23, 2023
His statement comes off the heels of a press conference team president Brendan Shanahan held on Tuesday where he explained why he changed his mind about retaining Dubas.
#LeafsForever President Brendan Shanahan explains why they moved on from Kyle Dubas as GM. pic.twitter.com/hcAUYIsG7Q
— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) May 19, 2023
Depending on who you blame for the team's shortcomings this year, either Shanahan's "clarity" or Dubas' noncommittal has muddied the waters in Toronto for the foreseeable future. Just three weeks after the franchise's first playoff series win since 2004, there's still an unsettled feeling around the Leafs thanks to the five-game thumping they took from the Florida Panthers in Round 2.
With the Leafs looking for their third GM in eight seasons, Shanahan and whomever he hires will have plenty of decisions to make in another critical offseason. The most pressing will be trying to sign an extension with last season's league MVP Auston Matthews, who has one year remaining on the five-year, $98 million deal he signed in 2019. Yet there are also the futures of key players such as Mitch Marner and William Nylander to consider, and a decision on head coach Sheldon Keefe.
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