The Maple Leafs were able to win a first-round playoff series for the first time since 2004, but that still won't be enough to save Kyle Dubas' job.
Toronto was eliminated in five games by the Florida Panthers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After that, speculation about Dubas' future grew louder and louder, and the 37-year-old is now out as the Leafs' general manager.
Dubas wasn't fired, per se. His contract is set to expire on June 30 and Toronto simply isn't renewing it.
But why isn't Dubas coming back despite the team's semi-successful and sustained run in the Eastern Conference? Here's what to know about the latest change in leadership for the Leafs.
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Why is Kyle Dubas leaving the Maple Leafs?
Dubas is leaving the Maple Leafs because Toronto has chosen not to renew his contract. The team announced that would be the case in an official statement on Friday.
"I would like to thank Kyle for his unwavering dedication over these last nine seasons with the organization, including his last five as General Manager," Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said. "Kyle fostered a great culture within our dressing room and staff, and consistently pushed to make our team better season over season.
"We wish Kyle and his. family the best moving forward and thank him for his valuable contributions."
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 19, 2023
Dubas enjoyed a successful five seasons as the Maple Leafs general manager, as the team made the playoffs each year under his watch. Overall, Toronto had posted a strong regular-season record of 221-109-42 with Dubas at the helm, but the team enjoyed very little playoff success under him. They won just one series, so the Maple Leafs evidently felt it was time for a change.
Dubas did a good job of acquiring talent and swinging trades during his time in Toronto. Most notably, he acquired Ryan O'Reilly ahead of the trade deadline in 2023 to try to push the team over the hump.
That said, Dubas had some trades that ended up being dubious, like the one that sent Nazem Kadri to the Avalanche. The Maple Leafs received Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot and a 2020 sixth-round pick in that deal — which also sent Calle Rosen and a 2020 third-round pick to Colorado — only to see Kadri become a star for the Avalanche as they won the Stanley Cup.
As such, it's understandable that the Maple Leafs would want a change. After all, Dubas had been with the team for half a decade and hadn't quite built the roster into a fully consistent contender. The team is also facing an offseason full of key decisions about the 10 unrestricted free agents it has on its roster, so it may want a new voice to help make those choices.
And with Dubas' contract expiring, it was a convenient time for the two sides to make the change. It doesn't seem like the 37-year-old will mind the change of pace either.
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What's next for Kyle Dubas?
It doesn't seem like Dubas is going to be an NHL general manager again, at least not for the 2023-24 season. He held a news conference a few days before the Maple Leafs announced they wouldn't be renewing his contract and said that he wouldn't be taking on a job like this with another team.
"It will either be here, or it will be taking time to recalibrate on the season here," Dubas said when asked about his plans for 2023. "You won't see me next week popping up elsewhere, I can't put [my family] through that."
So, what else could Dubas do? He could take on consulting work for any NHL team or he could venture into the TV world as an NHL front-office analyst. If he is personable enough, any network would be happy to have him.
But either way, his time as a general manager seems to be over for now. And so too is his time with the Maple Leafs.
