Kyle Dubas wants another Leafs executive and what he's building in Pittsburgh should concern every Toronto fan
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Penguins - NHL.com
Kyle Dubas wants to seemingly build the Toronto Maple Leafs of old, as he reportedly is seeking to steal Darryl Metcalfe away to join him in Pittsburgh.
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, they turned things around in a flash. After hiring Dan Muse to lead their team over Mike Sullivan, the team completely disposed of last year's disappointment and found themselves in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A lot of that has to do with the team that Kyle Dubas has built, and while it hasn't been perfect he still made some very good signings and trades while getting vintage performances from Sidney Crosby and surprising contributions from Yegor Chinakhov and Anthony Mantha.
Kyle Dubas wants to steal another Toronto executive to build his Penguins powerhouse
Dubas has come over from Toronto and turned the Penguins into a contender and there's a lot of excitement in Pittsburgh, and he's got a solid team behind him — many are from his old flame, the Maple Leafs.
But while he already took the likes of Jason Spezza, Wes Clark, and Scott Roque; it seems he has another name he wants to bring in and it's not a small one either:
Darryl Metcalf...will he go Pittsburgh at some point and join Kyle Dubas and company? - David Pagnotta
Metcalf has been with the team since 2014-15 where he was an analyst, worked his way up to Director of Hockey Research and Development, then a Special Assistant to the GM, and finally Assistant GM. It's a 'rags-to-riches' story arc where Metcalf started from the bottom and became a focal point in the front office.
To boot, he was just a guy who loved to analytics and enjoyed it as a hobby before being scouted and picked up by the Maple Leafs. He was never looking for fame and now he's got a lot of attention.
Maple Leafs getting poached may be a good sign in the end
Though it may be a little frustrating to hear yet another name getting stolen away, it could be a positive when all things are said and done.
If the Maple Leafs want to make those sweeping front office changes, then getting rid of Metcalf who has been around over a decade would be a start; and Dubas taking him off their hands helps a lot plus it allows Toronto to bring in a new face for Hockey Development.
Let Dubas take who he wants and bring in some fresh blood who can make a difference, and there's going to be more issues if Toronto keeps the same people in the background and only changing the facade; the problems are deeper.
There's not too much more to say with regard to Dubas poaching another Maple Leaf executive. It's the same story every year, and now it's just a matter of when — not if — Metcalf makes his way to Steeltown.
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