[I may not have immediately been convinced that things were going to be improving but it would at least come off as stable and forthright decision making.]

And for what it's worth when the subject of keeping Dubas came up I said pretty clearly I wasn't all that fussed either way. If, after the season, Shanahan had just come out and said "We weren't happy with where the team was so we're going to go in another direction" I may not have immediately been convinced that things were going to be improving but it would at least come off as stable and forthright decision making.

That sums it up pretty well for me, TBH.

Just to echo this - having a drop dead date, and planning for the worst are two things that seem like huge gaps here. It's management 101 regardless of your industry. Shanahan lost all control of the situation without those things in place - and unless there's way more to the story than we're being told in terms of how far down the road they are in a GM search, I'd have some serious concerns about Shanahan's "plan" if I were his boss.

As a fan, it feels like we're back in sideshow land without a competent person at the wheel.

Is this really all that different from any team firing their GM, other than the fact the Leafs were hoping to bring Dubas back? I have to imagine they approached this from a similar fashion as they would hiring a new GM - identify their top choices and go from there. Dubas was their top choice, but, obviously, that didn't work out, so they need to move on to the rest of the list. The only real difference here is that they have to conduct interviews after missing out on their top choice instead of conducting them all before making a decision - but, that's par for the course when you're hoping to extend an existing employee.

I can't imagine a scenario where Shanahan and the board didn't have a backup plan in place. They were clearly hoping they wouldn't have to execute it, but I'm confident it was there.

Honestly, I don't get the handwringing about all of this. Yes, things haven't played out how many of us would have liked them to, but the jump to suddenly the team doesn't have competent leadership feels like a huge stretch and a surface level media narrative. Anyone who has been around the league (or any business) long enough would have contingency plans in place, and I'm sure Shanahan and MLSE do.

Like I said - it's possible (and likley) the narrative is lacking a whole bunch of context, but I can't shake the "wow, that feels like a knee jerk reaction" for a decision that would have been ideally made quite a bit further upstream. If the goal is a cup, giving yourself a couple weeks to find the ideal candidate to be a GM for a pretty pivotal point for the club isn't ideal and doesn't scream competent management to me. I'm not saying Shanahan's incompetent, to be clear, but I don't feel like he's competently handled this situation - and it plants a seed of doubt going forward.

[if accurate]

All the personnel decisions ended two months ago - at the deadline. Whatever thoughts he might have had on autonomy or the decision approval process should have been pretty well developed.  And Dubas couldn't figure that out until last Monday? Really?

This is just a hypothetical... but let's say there was a trade that Dubas felt would make the Leafs a better team at the deadline or before and one way or another it got blocked. Either through Shanahan directly saying no or due to time running out on a deal because of Toronto's current chain of command when it comes to big deals (Dubas -> Shanahan -> board -> back to Shanahan - > back to Dubas). Let's say Dubas is watching the Florida series and the entire time thinking "man, if I was able to acquire so and so he could have made a drastic difference in winning this series and potentially winning the Cup".

Would it not be at least somewhat reasonable for Dubas to think he's justified in attempting to re-open the "autonomy" conversation one last time post-elimination?

This is a pretty extreme hypothetical obviously but I do think it's not completely unreasonable for Dubas' thoughts on what his next contract should and should not include would change over the course of a playoff run. Just like it would be possible for the Leafs to have ignored their post-deadline contract talks with Dubas and just fired him if the Leafs got swept 4-0 in the first round. Nothing was set in stone at that point.

Dubas was paid millions of dollars for nearly five years as General Manager after being paid well to serve about four years as assistant GM. The part I'm having trouble with on the autonomy/decision making process complaint/concern (if accurate) is: "Why did you, Dubas, wait 4+5 years to raise the grievance?" If he answered "I was just following my contract", I'd fire him on the spot. No company has perfect procedures, job descriptions and employment contracts. The General Manager has the responsibility to sort out those issues and not wait 4+5 years to resolve them when his contract comes up. If that is what went down, I'd have zero sympathy for Dubas as it is a pretty clear cut dereliction of his duty.

If they had been in discussions for two months as Shanahan maintained and Dubas lobbed a 50% increase in pay last Thursday, I'd be put off by that too. Should have come much sooner.

As for Shanahan, I'm not too thrilled with him either. He needed to establish a date they needed a GM decision by so they had time to go through a hiring process. That date was somewhere close to shortly after the trade deadline. "We need a finalized contract with you, Kyle, by the middle of March. If not, we have to move on." Shanahan messed up too.

Just to echo this - having a drop dead date, and planning for the worst are two things that seem like huge gaps here. It's management 101 regardless of your industry. Shanahan lost all control of the situation without those things in place - and unless there's way more to the story than we're being told in terms of how far down the road they are in a GM search, I'd have some serious concerns about Shanahan's "plan" if I were his boss.

As a fan, it feels like we're back in sideshow land without a competent person at the wheel.

Biggest disappointment was it took Game 4 and 5 to play like they wanted it

They were pretty good in game 1 and 2. It just didn't go their way.

They had 1xbad game, that's it.

They had one bad game, which went to OT, and by the end were playing their #3 goalie(Who did everything you could want him to but it wasn't enough). They lost three one-goal games. It's a tough beat and the spark Knies gave them, to me, was a real indication of how they really do need more young talent on the team so they don't have to rely on the ZAR's and Lafferty's of the world but overall I think the team made solid progress this year and I think they've got something to build on for next season.

Winning a round is more than they've done in previous years. Lots of good to take away. Is it enough? No. We're all dissapointed and I can't imagine heads won't roll (roster and management) as a result.

But I also think you're on point re: Knies and younger players. Work to be done.

Overall this team is just too GD soft

Said it a thousand times but funny thing is some don't think so. But each year we are always back in the same position and questioning the teams toughness. That and lack of scoring again.

How can you possibly question their toughness in this series?  They went toe to toe.  They stuffed Tkachuk pretty much.  They had all kinds of big hits.  Toughness wasn't the problem.  Scoring, or lack thereof, absolutely.

Same bull#$#% from the same posters. Don't waste your time. No heart, not tough, blah blah blah. They're all happy now because they feel they're justofied. The difference between winning and losing is so tight. Leafs ended up on the wrong side. Oh well.

We can absolutely have the core didn't produce enough finish discussion but they certainly produced enough chances.  Our worst defenseman was a guy who is an important piece of our top 4 moving forward although I though McCabe was good the last two games. 

Toughness absolutely should not be a discussion we are having right now. 

Bingo.

Tough end to the game. They deserved to win this one.

Great kill

I thought they don't call that if it goes over the bench?

Same. I'm not clear on the rule, but what a rough time to find out eh?

For the love of God...

... If broadie is called for that...

Good hussle from schenn.

Good save by Woll.

Have to give Woll his due. Stopping 34 of 36 in such a big game.

He settled super well. I feel confident with him in net.

I guess the refs have put their whistles away.

Except when the puck's in the Florida net.

To be fair, they didn't whistle then either. Ha!

Unless they used the Roy Kent whistle...

WHISTLE!

I guess we can gripe about the disallowed goal but it's over.  The game is there for them to take it.

Yup. No need to play the victim on this, they control their destiny still.