There may be at the least one crew within the NHL — probably as many as three — paying shut consideration to Kyle Dubas’ standing as common supervisor of the Maple Leafs.
Dubas, who’s engaged on the final 12 months of his contract in Toronto and was not re-signed final summer season when crew president Brendan Shanahan needed to re-up his chosen GM. And now, with Dubas’ standing probably tied to imminent Maple Leafs playoff success, there are greater than whispers that different golf equipment across the league have taken the place of ready to see whether or not Dubas will, in actual fact, be accessible on the finish of the season.
You are reading: SIMMONS SAYS: GM Kyle Dubas could be hot commodity if let go by Maple Leafs
A type of groups is regarded as the Pittsburgh Penguins, the place common supervisor Ron Hextall is in issue and the standing of membership president Brian Burke is unsure. The Pens have comparatively new possession in Fenway Sports activities Group, which incorporates LeBron James as a minority shareholder, together with larger cash gamers like John Henry and Tom Werner.
The GM world of the NHL has been in flux within the wake of Philadelphia firing Chuck Fletcher, of Barry Trotz changing the retiring David Poile in Nashville on the finish of the season, and with every kind of uncertainty in Pittsburgh, Ottawa (with new possession on its approach), Philly, Calgary, with GM Brad Treliving on the finish of his settlement, and unknown circumstances probably in Winnipeg and Columbus.
Phrase across the NHL now could be this: If the Leafs don’t select to retain Dubas as common supervisor, he received’t be out of labor for lengthy.
THAT AND THAT
The hockey fan’s chorus: If the Leafs don’t beat Tampa Bay within the opening spherical of the playoffs, Dubas might be gone as GM. My response: In the event that they don’t beat the perfect goalie on the earth and perhaps the perfect coach on the earth, and so they select to not maintain Dubas, who would they substitute him with? Who higher to do the job than him? … That is the last word dilemma of the Leafs’ playoff circumstance. They’ll win one spherical, however may they win a second spherical towards Boston? Will anybody try this? And do you maintain a GM, a coach, the president, all of them, accountable for doing what won’t be attainable? This can be a Leafs crew able to taking part in for a Stanley Cup. Getting there — now that’s the problem. These are the Stanley Cup circumstances for any crew within the Atlantic Division … Barring an harm, an unlikely stoop or a late-season relaxation, Mitch Marner will turn into the primary Leafs winger in historical past to hit the 100-point mark. Heading into Saturday evening in Ottawa, Marner wanted 13 factors in 14 video games to get to 100. He’s been scoring at 1.27 factors a recreation on this, his most full season. Corridor of Famer Dave Andreychuk, then on Doug Gilmour’s line, had 99 factors for Toronto in 1994 … Marner’s in powerful, although, to retain his spot as first all-star proper winger. Nikita Kucherov, David Pastrnak, Mikko Rantanen and William Nylander will all get season-ending votes … The very best a part of March for the Leafs: The return to type of each Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly. Each have had sub-par seasons, contemplating what they’ve achieved up to now. Rielly has been sharp and assured recently and Matthews is trying just like the Hart Trophy winner of a 12 months in the past, with 4 targets and 9 factors and quite a few shut calls up to now 5 video games … Is it necessary for all hockey color commentators to explain targets as “hitting the again of the online?”
HEAR AND THERE
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The reality about Michael Jordan as an NBA proprietor — he has been somewhat disastrous as the person accountable for the Charlotte Hornets. ln 12 years of proudly owning Charlotte, the crew has received three playoff video games. Made the playoffs twice. The reality about Jordan as a businessman: He purchased the Hornets with companions for $275 million. He’s about to promote the crew for $1.6 billion, which equates to about six occasions greater than he paid for the membership … What Denver coach Mike Malone likes greatest about O.G. Anunoby as a defender. “His legs,” mentioned the son of former Raptors coach Brendan Malone. “Have you ever seen his legs?” … Time was, Rudy Bratty was the form of energy dealer round Toronto who received just about something he needed. Now, his Remington Group, together with his son Christopher in cost, is favoured with partnership from actor Ryan Reynolds to wind up with the Ottawa Senators … The extra I hear from Aaron Rodgers the much less I wish to hear him. He’s one of many biggest quarterbacks I’ve ever seen. I simply want he’d play and stop the day by day drama already … The primary Raptors nice, Damon Stoudamire, has left the Boston Celtics to turn into head coach at Georgia Tech, the place Chris Bosh performed his solely season of faculty basketball … Some genius at Rogers Sportsnet ran a graphic for St. Patrick’s Day with photographs of the best inexperienced uniforms in sport. They only occurred to disregard the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the once-dynastic Edmonton Elks of their picks. By the best way, there are extra inexperienced items of clothes, per capita, toques, jackets, jerseys, and scarfs in Saskatchewan than any crew in any league in anyplace, anyplace.
SCENE AND HEARD
I’m $50 richer at this time than I used to be on Thursday. I forgot to enter my son’s NCAA basketball pool … The NHL rookie of the 12 months award will in all probability go to Matty Beniers of Seattle but it surely shouldn’t be a slam dunk. It’s straightforward to vote for the participant with offensive numbers. However the form of years that Owen Energy has had in Buffalo and Jake Sanderson has had in Ottawa, ought to get them some consideration. And don’t overlook, Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner is a rookie, additionally … Watched Felix Auger-Aliassime play towards U.S. Open champion Carlos Alcaraz the opposite evening. Alcarez received an unimaginable match. If that is the way forward for tennis, together with Daniil Medvedev, then tennis ought to be doing simply wonderful when Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic comply with Roger Federer into retirement … Think about a Canadian Olympic basketball crew with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, Andrew Wiggins, R.J. Barrett, Lu Dort, Ben Mathurin, Kelly Olynyk, Dillon Brooks, Cory Joseph, Dwight Powell and Chris Boucher. The previous roommates Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort have, and so they wish to be in Paris in 2024 … There may be deep concern over the place Wiggins occurs to be with the Golden State Warriors. He has left the crew for private causes. Relating to privateness, Wiggins is lots like his mother, Marita Payne, the previous Canadian Olympic sprinter. Extraordinarily personal … Sidney Crosby, 18 years within the NHL, a exceptional 18-straight point-a-game or extra seasons. Wayne Gretzky performed 20 NHL seasons: His first 19 years have been point-a-game or higher.
AND ANOTHER THING
The late Leo Cahill, who coached the Argos after they led the CFL in attendance — they’re now final in attendance — didn’t get elected once more to the builder’s class of the Canadian Soccer Corridor of Fame. However Jacques Dussault, who coached the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Soccer to a 6-14 file has been elected, as has former league commissioner Larry Smith, who operated the CFL via the embarrassing U.S. growth years … Glad to see the late Chris Schultz get Corridor recognition for his media work however he ought to be in for his taking part in years as nicely … Vladimir Guerrero received injured understanding in Florida. Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux tore his proper knee up working the bases in a spring coaching camp. So for all these screaming concerning the World Baseball Basic, blaming it for Edwin Diaz’s fluky season-ending harm, think about this: Pitcher Jose Quintana as soon as reduce himself, injuring his hand, washing dishes … I like the WBC, particularly the environment, and the gamers certain appear to find it irresistible, additionally … Indianapolis columnist Bob Kravitz confirmed up at a Purdue observe the opposite day sporting a Maple Leafs ballcap. This was seen by 7-foot-4 centre Zach Edey, who occurs to be from Toronto. Edey requested: “When did they final win a playoff spherical?” Kravitz, a hockey nut, answered: “2004.” “I used to be two years outdated,” mentioned Edey. And that was earlier than No. 1 seed Purdue received beat by Fairleigh Dickinson in Spherical 1 of the match … Little trades make me glad, just like the New York Giants choosing up Raiders tight finish Darren Waller for a third-round decide. The prediction right here: that’s a steal for the Giants … Glad birthday to Zdeno Chara (46), Cito Gaston (79), Tyler Bozak (37), Jack Valiquette (69), Man Carbonneau (63), Hedo Turkoglu (44), Andre Rison (56), Clayton Kershaw (35), Ingemar Stenmark (67), Rick Martel (67) and Sting, the wrestler, not the singer (64) … And, hey, no matter turned of Bryan Little?
ALL EYES ON THE QMJHL AFTER FIGHTING BAN
The Ontario Hockey League, and by extension, the remainder of junior hockey in Canada is watching the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League carefully in an try to find out how precisely the newly declared ban on combating might be applied.
This wasn’t, by the best way, a hockey resolution to ban combating in Quebec. It was a call made by the provincial authorities and primarily handed on to the QMJHL.
If there are particulars as to how this can work and be administered, they haven’t been shared with the remainder of junior hockey. “This can be a vital resolution,” mentioned OHL commissioner Dave Department. “It’s actually a part of a pure evolution within the recreation. The sport has been trending that approach for a while.”
The OHL plans to observe the Q and see how the combating ban will work starting subsequent season. Somewhat than guidelines coming from the NHL on down, which is commonly how change occurs in hockey, on this case, it’s juniors setting the agenda for extra hockey security and that would trickle as much as the NHL as nicely.
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There is no such thing as a combating in Olympic hockey. There is no such thing as a combating in U.S. faculty hockey. There may be subsequent to no combating within the Stanley Cup playoffs. It is smart, contemplating the information on head trauma, to eradicate combating in any respect ranges.
“We’re going to take a look at it and see the way it works,” mentioned Department, who didn’t promise he would comply with Quebec in any approach. “You study from watching others. I want extra data on this to find out the place, if anyplace, we go subsequent.”
HOCKEY FANS LOSE AS NHL TEAMS CONTROL THE MESSAGE
Evening after evening within the Nationwide Hockey League the dressing rooms are all however empty post-game.
There are reporters standing round, taking a look at one another, ready to see which participant or gamers might be introduced out to talk to.
The times of getting conversations with hockey gamers, post-game, which was once essentially the most accessible and accessible of all skilled athletes, is mainly over for everybody however rights-holding tv networks. The NHL and its member groups found in the course of the COVID-19 protocols that it may management its personal atmosphere. And groups have adopted that tight management now that these protocols are not any extra.
In New York this season, there have been complaints concerning the restricted availability of Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin. In Winnipeg lately, those that cowl the Jets complained that the distinguished gamers on a struggling crew have been not often made accessible when wanted. Within the Edmonton Oilers dressing room not way back, the gamers who made vital errors that led to a defeat in Toronto weren’t introduced out to talk to reporters.
The complaints are coming from skilled reporters, some Corridor of Fame recipients, and from those that know from expertise how restricted entry is at this time.
Time was, the dressing room opened 10 minutes after the sport ended to media and most gamers remained at their lockers, undressing at the moment. At the moment, the room nonetheless opens at concerning the 10-minute mark, however subsequent to no gamers are within the room anymore.
As a substitute, it’s one participant at a time, one boring interview at a time, nothing resembling context or perception most nights. Who loses out on this?
Greater than anybody, the hockey fan does.
