When Brendan Shanahan was hired as the new president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, many of the team’s faithful thought as though this current offseason would be one in which a crew of star-studded players would finally make their way to “The Big Smoke” via free agency. However, much to the chagrin of the average stubborn fan of the Leafs, there haven’t been any signs of any major signings thus far, and this notion doesn’t appear to change anytime soon. Instead, Shanahan has seemingly put all of his cards down on an analytics-obsessed Kyle Dubas, the club’s new assistant general manager.
The 28-year old hockey guru was a surprise hiring by Shanahan, and although still very young in terms of front office experience, Dubas apparently knows his stuff. Although it’s unclear of the impact Dubas will make on the club’s roster in the immediate future, it’s easy to see what type of team he will help build for the future. The stats man will most likely strive to help construct a club that is well-balanced in each aspect of the game. Money Ball? Precisely.
Dubas himself is a massive fan of baseball and appreciates those that choose to look at stats all across the board rather than those that the average fan pays attention to. Before any drastic measures are taken to reshape the product that the Leafs put on the ice, Dubas will take the beginning of the 2014-15 season and perhaps beyond to learn what the current team has to offer and go from there.
As far as the roster goes and how it will be affected due to his presence, time will tell as far as this upcoming season goes. If the Leafs are in playoff contention come the trade deadline, I wouldn’t expect them to do much to reshape what they already have going for them, especially after the epic meltdown the team experienced down the stretch of last season. However, if the Buds find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, expect them to become big-time sellers on Dubas’ quest to make this team a legitimate contender.
Dubas prides himself on looking at things such as metrics and overall puck possession to improve a team as a whole, thus making him a unique breed when it comes to the world of NHL teams front offices. Any changes he does have a say in won’t effect the Leafs roster in the immediate future. However, if he is given the opportunity to lend his young but seemingly effective expertise at some point during this season, his decisions will most likely effect the Leafs further down the road. When you think Kyle Dubas, think Billy Beane or even Theo Epstein. He is well aware that patience is a virtue and it’s not just the players on the ice that win the game. Whatever Dubas does bring to the table, he will make a positive effect on the future of this team.