Five players thriving in new homes prove Kyle Dubas' flaws as Leafs GM

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Tyler Ball
March 30, 2024 (11:00 PM)

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Kyle Dubas' tenure as the general manager of the Leafs was filled with controversy. He added plenty of stars but he also let several quality players go. Today we will take a look at some of his biggest misses.

The Toronto Maple Leafs parted ways with former general manager Kyle Dubas last summer. One season removed from his tenure the reasons he was relieved of his duties are becoming more and more clear. In particular, five players that Kyle Dubas let go are key pieces of other teams around the NHL.

Dissecting Kyle Dubas' biggest mistakes during his Maple Leafs tenure

First up is quite possibly the most obvious of the group because he eclipsed the 50-goal mark this season Zach Hyman. He was sent packing by Kyle Dubas in the 2021 offseason. A valuable complimentary player for the Maple Leafs that could never really be replaced after his departure Zach Hyman is now doing the same for the Edmonton Oilers with 51 goals and 70 points in 70 games.

Next up is longtime Maple Leaf forward Nazem Kadri. After a decade in Toronto Kyle Dubas decided a change was needed and traded Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche for Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot, and a draft pick. He of course would go on to make his first All-Star appearance and win the Stanley Cup during his time in Colorado.

Third is Jared McCann who the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for prospect Filip Hallander. He would then be immediately exposed and taken in the Seattle expansion draft. Since being taken by Seattle Jared McCann has had a 40-goal season in Seattle and three 50-point seasons. While he never spent time in Toronto not giving him a chance to provide depth to the team and protect him was clearly the wrong choice.

Fourth is Trevor Moore who was with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2016 to 2020 at which point he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. During his Maple Leafs tenure, Trevor Moore had good AHL numbers but was never given extended looks in the NHL. Now two of the four years since joining the Kings Trevor Moore has eclipsed 40 points and has been a reliable middle-six player for them.

Finally, we get to former Maple Leafs forward Mason Marchment. This case is likely the most excusable of any so far. Mason Marchment spent five seasons in the Maple Leafs organization. During that time he was a solid but not outstanding AHLer. He was given a four-game NHL stint before being traded to the Florida Panthers for Denis Malgin. Since being traded Mason Marchment has broken out to be a top-six forward for both the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars.

As happens with any General Manager Kyle Dubas had some hits and misses when it comes to roster moves. In his case, the misses tended to be worse than the hits were good. In each one of these cases, he gave away a top-of-the-lineup player for practically nothing. Now the Maple Leafs lineup is trying to recover from the damage done during the Kyle Dubas era.

Source: Hockey Patrol - Five former Leafs prove Kyle Dubas mishandled the Toronto Maple Leafs