Brendan Shanahan began the week hoping to keep Kyle Dubas in the fold.
A shocking, roller-coaster five days ended in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ search for a new general manager ahead of what could be a watershed moment for the success-starved Original Six organization.
Shanahan, the team’s president, sacked his general manager on Friday, capping a rocky period that began with Dubas publicly expressing Monday that he wasn’t sure he wanted to continue in the post.
The Leafs announced in a press release soon after 12 p.m. ET that the club was “parting ways” with the 37-year-old, whose contract was slated to end on June 30 after five seasons in charge.
However, in a lengthy opening statement that lasted more than 11 minutes at a press conference three hours later, Shanahan said he decided to hand Dubas his walking papers that morning after days of back-and-forth communication that included contract discussions and at least one face-to-face meeting.
The ultimate decision to fire the GM came despite Dubas sending an email the night before suggesting his want to stay on board — but with a higher compensation demand via his agent, according to Shanahan.
“At that point… I had reached a different conclusion about how I felt about the future,” he told reporters at Scotiabank Arena on Friday. “As difficult as it is to make a huge change to someone you care about, Kyle’s email made me feel differently, and I realized that the Maple Leafs’ long-term future might have to change.
“I slept about it, woke up this morning, drove to Kyle’s office, and informed him that we would not be renewing his contract.”
With Dubas the stunning first domino to fall in what is shaping up to be an intriguing few months in hockey’s biggest market, attention now shifts to his replacement, as well as the status of head coach Sheldon Keefe and the future of star forward Auston Matthews, both of whom have close ties to the now-departed GM.
The Leafs won a playoff series for the first time in over two decades this spring, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning before falling to the Florida Panthers in a heartbreaking second round.
“Throughout the year, the way the club was managed, I had no issues,” said Shanahan, who fielded eight questions from reporters in his first media appearance in a year. “Kyle performed a fantastic job!”
“When the season ended, I told Kyle that night that, as upset as we all were, I think he did a terrific job,” Shanahan said.
Despite all of the adulation, the Leafs are still without a general manager and facing some seismic decisions.
