After four consecutive seasons of opening playoff-round exits, Kyle Dubas enters the final year of his contract as GM. It's never been clearer that changes will be made if history repeats itself.
Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas met with team president Brendan Shanahan late in the summer to discuss the upcoming season.
The end result of the conversation was to let things play out.
For the 36-year-old father of two, that meant Dubas enters the 2022-23 season in the final year of his original contract as GM, a scenario not typically seen in Toronto among front-office staff.
"Frankly, that's what I expected and the reality is I've fully acknowledged we haven't gotten it done at the end of the season," Dubas admitted. "I would much rather be evaluated on the full term anyway."
There is no debating Dubas' regular season success. The Maple Leafs have combined for a 171-88-31 record in that span. Expectations were set higher last season after the club set franchise records for both wins (54) and points (115).
But the Tampa Bay Lightning spoiled those plans with a hard-fought series to win it in seven games,
Sure, the Maple Leafs were close to pulling it off. And they probably should have if you go by the underlying stats in both of the last two years. But it seems like now is the time where excuses are running out and there is a full acknowledgment of it.
"We're an organization that preaches accountability. And in my position, I don't view myself as any different," Dubas said at the team's media day. "In fact, I believe, I have to be held the most accountable. With that said, I fully expect to be judged on the full body of my work over the five-year term of my contract."
Sheldon Keefe was hired by Dubas to become head coach of the Leafs in Nov. of 2019. His record under Dubas, the GM he worked for at the OHL and AHL level, is 116-50-19. But despite a couple of early playoff exits against the Columbus Blue Jackets (2020) and Montreal Canadiens (2021), the coach was quietly granted a two-year contract before his original one was set to expire.
Although Dubas has served in his role for a longer period than his coach, the same could have been extended to him by Shanahan, who has been President since 2014 and granted a six-year extension in 2019.
That didn't happen this time. Even when dismissing personnel with term remaining has been commonplace with the Leafs.
"I have full belief in our players, in our staff and our group that we're going to have a great season and my focus every single day will be continuing to support them," Dubas said. "I think anybody that truly knows me or that it's ever worked with me, knows that that's all I'll do every single day is pour every single thing I have into doing what's right for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In continuing to set the team up for success in the short and long run."
Will the lack of a contract be a distraction?
Dubas answered this in one sentence by saying it won't be because he won't let it
"His focus is on the end goal which is to help this team succeed and win a Stanley Cup," Keefe said of his GM. "Whether it's contract negotiations or other things we have been through, he's never allowing it to be a distraction to both to the group or to himself personally with the job he has to do."
The sentiment was echoed by players.
"We obviously have great belief in Kyle and believe he's done a tremendous job with what we have going here," Maple Leafs captain John Tavares said. "We (have) to go out there and take care of business and get better every day and keep believing in ourselves."
With the roster largely constructed, the Maple Leafs largely resemble the club that overcame some early struggles in the first couple of weeks, to finish fourth overall. Minus an experimental goaltending situation that could an issue, they should contend to be near the top of the standings again.
Time will tell. And for Dubas, the time has never been more than now.