Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas Explains Silence on Leaving Toronto
The Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas explained why he hasn't publicly opened up on his departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a new interview with The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
Pittsburgh Penguins President and GM Kyle Dubas Explains Why he Hasn't Shared Specific Details About his Departure From the Toronto Maple Leafs
The National Hockey League is currently holding its annual general managers' March meeting. It is expected that many interesting topics will be discussed, such as video reviews and coach's challenges. This meeting is always a great opportunity for media to meet with GMs, who are often generous with their time and answer many questions.
In such an interview, Pittsburgh Penguins' President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas revealed that he didn't specifically talk in detail about his exit from the Toronto Maple Leafs because of a few things: he wanted to focus on his new job with the Penguins, the two organizations to be successful, and he believes it wouldn't have been beneficial for anyone in the long run.
As seen on The Athletic:
"Before we wrapped up our interview, we ventured down a path that Dubas hasn't been willing to go down yet with the media. One thing he hasn't really commented on was his parting of ways with the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, and specifically not addressing Brendan Shanahan's detailed explanation of events that led to Dubas' firing in a news conference that won't soon be forgotten in Toronto.
For one, Dubas felt it important to immediately focus on his new job in Pittsburgh and put all his energy there. But there's also another reason he hasn't wanted to comment on it.
"I think it's more that I just simply don't want to create any waves in my wake because they impact a lot of people who I care about and loved working with [in the Leafs organization] � and I want to see them have success," Dubas said.
"Unloading my personal feelings is what a lot of people want � and it may make me feel good in the short run � but it's not of any benefit to the Pittsburgh Penguins or the dozens of players and staff in Toronto who I want to see have success." - Kyle Dubas to Pierre LeBrun, on his departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs during an interview. Kyle Dubas Will Share His Thoughts About Brendan Shanahan's Controversial Press Conference "Deep in the Future"
The Penguins' President left Toronto after a five-year tenure, in which he won one playoff round. When the Maple Leafs' President Brendan Shanahan announced the organization's decision to not renew Kyle Dubas' contract in a press conference, he shared a lot of details about the negotiations with Dubas. Among other things, he had publicly talked about the compensation packages involved in the discussions and Dubas' desire to have a direct line with the board, bypassing Shanahan.
This clearly didn't sit well with Dubas. Considered one of the best general managers in the league, he deserved to be compensated as such, and have the freedom he required for making moves. Shanahan was widely criticized for this, as it shed light on the fact that he had blocked trades that season.
There's still hope for the Maple Leafs' fans to get to know Dubas' side of the story. At the end of the interview, the Penguins' manager told LeBrun that he would reveal more about his experience "deep in the future".
As seen on Maple Leafs Daily - Kyle Dubas asked point blank about his dismissal in Toronto; his answer may surprise you
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