After a weekend of speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins could speak to Dubas, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman confirms that permission was granted by Maple Leafs ownership group Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
After a weekend of speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins could speak to Dubas, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman confirms that permission was granted by Maple Leafs ownership group Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
Despite reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins were nearing completion of their search for a new president and general manager comes word that another candidate has entered the chat.
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Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday night the Penguins were expected to ask for permission to speak to former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas.
"As we tape this early Sunday evening after Game 2 of the Western Conference Final (between the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights) that they do have permission to speak to Dubas," Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. "If this is going to go anywhere, I think we're going to find out pretty quickly.
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Dubas was dismissed by the Maple Leafs on Friday following a nine-year tenure with the club and serving the last five years as the team's general manager.
Friedman noted that the Penguins ownership (Fenway Sports Group) was close to ending their search at the time of Dubas' dismissal.
There has already been fallout following Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan's decision to dismiss Dubas, whose contract with Toronto expires on June 30.
Special assistant to the GM, Jason Spezza, tendered his resignation from the club in the aftermath of Dubas' firing.
Friedman described the vibe in MLSE from a source inside who described it as "like the Hunger Games".
Autonomy and "Streamlining"
It's been reported that Dubas didn't like the reporting structure and pitched "streaming" the decision-making process. Friedman reports that in Dubas' negotiations on a new contract, he proposed a faster process in the decision-making process, particularly with what lies ahead with the team's roster for the 2023-24 season.
"He believed in the way their reporting (structure) worked, it wasn't going to get done," Friedman said. "He was worried things were going to get out (in public). He was worried that decisions could not be made quick enough."
According to Friedman, people inside MLSE told him "that request was not well-received."
The next week should give a clear indication of what the future of Toronto's front office looks like. It's been described as a group divided between Dubas loyalists and others who see room for advancement.
As one employee told The Hockey News over the weekend.
"It's just getting started."
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