The Toronto Maple Leafs need a new General Manager.
On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Lou Lamoriello would not be returning as the team’s GM. Meanwhile, they did not make a subsequent announcement about who will be taking the reins of the team.
This has led to a lot of speculation. Everyone is ‘pretty sure’ that Assistant General Manager Kyle Dubas will be hired, but we’re also confused about the delay.
If Dubas is a shoe-in, what’s with the delay? Does this mean their deciding between him and Hunter? Pulling an audible? I wrote about the mystery here.
Candidates
In reality, the most likely thing is that Brendan Shanahan probably has to convince the board of directors that if he’s going to hire a rookie that he’s thoroughly vetted some other candidates to ensure he gets the best man for the job.
This hasn’t stopped people from putting forth some truly ridiculous candidates. Here’s a list;
Old Damien Cox suggested Shanahan himself. This didn’t make any sense, however. If Shanahan has the power Cox outlines in the article, why would he risk that by naming himself when he can hire someone and overrule them at will? If Shanahan already has the power of a normal GM, why give himself the title and make himself a lightning rod? I think Shanahan knows what he’s good at and will delegate the role of GM to someone else (almost certainly Dubas).
More from Editor In Leaf
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson Healthy and Ready
- Ryan Reaves Will Have Zero Impact on Toronto Maple Leafs
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Playing Max Domi In Top-Six a HUGE Mistake
- Top 10 Scandals in the History of the Toronto Maple Leafs
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Results from the Traverse City Prospects Tournament
Various people have suggested Chuck Fletcher. To this I say: Are you made? Cliff Fletcher is terrible and his son is worse. The Leafs aren’t teasing a forward thinking 32 year old only to go with hockey’s version of the Bushes. Get real.
I saw someone say Ken Holland. I don’t think Mike Babcock would like that, and I don’t think that anyone else would either. Holland who dined out on a bunch of late round picks turning randomly into Hall of Famers has been pretty terrible of late. He’s hockey’s Eminem – an early career hall of famer whose later work looks like the work of a bad celebrity impersonator.
Someone else said Brian Burke. It was me! Hahahahaha just kidding. That guy needs a barber, a skin specialist and perhaps an anger management professional, but what he does not need is another job in the NHL. The thing about Burke, however, is that he’s about as much of a candidate as anyone else not named Kyle Dubas.
Next: Mark Hunter's 2015 Draft
The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to hire Kyle Dubas as their next general manager. If they don’t it will be the most surprised I’ve ever been about a move in the NHL. But it’s fun to speculate.