Toronto Maple Leafs: Rating Kyle Dubas Off-Season Performance

Ruben Gasee

Every offseason there are winners and losers and this year, the Toronto Maple Leafs are sure-fire winners. Going into the offseason, the biggest need for this team was grit and blue line help and Kyle Dubas addressed both those needs.

He was able to sign Wayne Simmonds to a cheap $1.5 million deal who will be able to provide grit by protecting the best players. Even though he’s known for his toughness which is the reason why he was brought in, he can also provide some quality hockey for the Leafs when he’s on the ice.

On the blue line, they brought in T.J. Brodie who Dubas has been targeting for a while. While he shoots left, Brodie will be stationed on the right side and has experience playing with Mark Giordano, one of the best defensemen in the league who won the Norris Trophy last season.

Brodie will be the best partner Morgan Rielly has ever been paired with which should lead to more defensive success for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Zach Bogosian was also added on a one-year, $1 million deal who will be a to put on the second or third pairing and comes with grit.

The other additions Dubas made can’t be overlooked too. Jimmy Vesey was signed for $900,000 and if he can be on the ice with Alexander Kerfoot, his former college teammate, that could bring out the best in him. They have two veteran leaders in Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza who was re-signed while bringing in Travis Boyd and Aaron Dell for depth purposes.

A huge win for Dubas and the Maple Leafs.