It's also interesting that Dubas got the job of president in Pittsburgh and not just GM. Something he was likely shooting for in Toronto. Hence the sudden departure and firing by Shanny.

Shanahan made it crystal clear he gave Dubas a good recommendation to Pittsburgh. Lol

Maple Tree-Living. For now at least. Let's see how this all unfolds over the summer ... and how many Leafs have dropped come the fall.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/brad-treliving-to-be-hired-as-toronto-maple-leafs-general-manager-1.1967141

Marner took enough grief from his last contract that out of all of them, I could see him signing a team friendly (er) deal. He won't be easy to replace- the leafs record with him out of the lineup is worse that any of the top 4.
 Nylander goes through very uninspired stretches, especially defensively.

I could see Nylander wanting to cash in hard on his last season results. I say he's the one the leafs should jettison for balance. Target a true 1st pairing defenseman.

^ This.

Yeah. I don't see them trading Marner . I think the target to move is Nylander anyways.

Here's hoping the return is exactly what the team needs !

Treliving really does seem like a pretty run-of-the-mill GM type - he'll do some good, some bad, and a lot in between. He won't likely screw things up terribly, but he also won't likely improve them significantly. If the team is just looking for someone as a steward, he's fine. But, teams are typically looking for more than that.

Also, when it comes to looking at a GM's drafting record, anything past the 1st round is probably giving them too much credit. From the 2nd round on, it's typically the head of the scouting staff making the determinations on who to draft. The GM will often set parameters or identify certain traits they want to prioritize, but they're rarely making the decisions on the names being called.

The word 'stewart' doesn't sit well with me, unless you also include the word 'placeholder' in reference to Treliving. Maybe (if he's the best of few options) sign him to a 1-2 year contract until better options become available.

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2023/05/26/evaluating-brad-trelivings-candidacy-for-maple-leafs-gm/
At least he has the same glasses

Good article. Thanks for sharing.

I don't know if I came away from that feeling better about Treliving as a candidate or worse though. Lol.

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.

While, I'd have to agree with you on the way the media has handled the story. I'd also have to believe that any, and all contingency plans would've been placed so far back on the back burner (and with hardly enough consideration to be of any real benefit ) given Dubas coming back was almost a forgone conclusion.

Are these serious suggestions for the coach that not only helped cover up sexual abuse, but wrote a glowing reference for the perpetrator to go on and do it again to another kid?

Did not know that. Let me change my coaching suggestion to Boudreau :)

Not giving autonomy to the future GM is going to cost us chances at the very best candidates. And I mean, it already has.

I agree, but already has meaning Dubas? It'll be hard to see a power struggle like this if Lou was in charge. I think the team needs an experienced GM who they feel like they don't have to watch so closely.

Which reads to me like, Shanahan kept the guy that wasn't a threat to him, until he became one.

Agreed.

GM: George McPhee
Coach: Joel Quenneville
2C: Ryan O'Reilly
Which Core 4 to sacrifice on the altar of doing something: Nylander
His trade return: Top pairing defenceman 

To be clear.  Dubas absolutely plays a big part in this.  That press conference was truly bizarre for a guy running an organization.  I would have been looking at him as unreliable after that presser.  But given that, the time to fire him was Tuesday not Friday

I don't have a problem with what he said on Monday. I can understand others thinking otherwise but that's just me. Having a framework for a new contract completed last weekend and then asking for a presumably hefty increase on Thursday is a pretty odd move on Dubas' part though (assuming that Shanny is being 100% truthful regarding that).

I'm surprised about that too. It's a pressure tactic on Dubas's part. Announce to the media you need time to think about whether or not you want the position, and then when the team says they need a signature now, up the ante.

This is a tough pill to swallow.

Incompetence from both sides here. Dubas wanted back by all accounts and the Leafs wanted him back but...it didn't get worked out ???

Yeah. I'm very concerned we've taken some steps backwards in the steady progression of this team today. Man, I hope I'm wrong and bringing in a new GM is just what the doctor ordered, but I'm not holding my breath.

Is there a bet available on Bet365 for who wins the cup first , Dubas with his next team or the Leafs?

I'm betting Dubas