Kyle Dubas is new Leafs GM

[herman]

Today is Kyle's first birthday as an NHL GM. Y'know what would be a great way to celebrate the milestone?

Finally locking down that Fortnite floss,

[herman]

Pierre LeBrun got a chance to sit down with Dubas yesterday following the group chat.
https://theathletic.com/719474/2018/12/18/lebrun-qa-with-kyle-dubas-on-the-nylander-negotiations-deals-for-matthews-and-marner-and-offer-sheets/

It's mostly softball reiterations of what was asked in the bigger scrum, but I can't believe how much mileage Dubas can get out of stating the obvious obviously:

Your fan base is excited about this season, the chance to win, and the years beyond as well, which gets me to this question: you have a lot of flexibility at this year’s trade deadline, really to do whatever you want, and yet you also know what lies ahead in the years to come (cap-wise). I suppose the easiest thing would be to go get a rental player, although you kind of hate giving away assets for a guy who won’t be around after this year?

Sure. And I think going back to those contracts (Matthews, Marner), if we have some certainty or some relative certainty about where the contracts for Auston and Mitch are going to come in, and we have more certainty at that time for where the salary cap will be for next season, we may be able to add players that are more than just rentals, that do have some term, whether it’s one, two or however many years left on their contracts. I think all those pieces kind of have to fit together. I don’t really look and see many pure rentals that really change the dynamic of our group. So anything that we’d be looking at would be players that probably have some term. That’s why it’s important for us to continue to work on those agreements with Auston and Mitch so we can have some cost certainty with them, so that we can look to improve our team this season and beyond.