Insider Reveals Former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas Almost Traded a Core Four Leaf

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Tyler Ball
November 27, 2023 (8:03 PM)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs made a big change this past offseason firing Kyle Dubas.

Today a new report from an insider reveals his big plans for the team before being let go.

Dubas Was Looking To Move On From Core Four Says Insider

Toronto Maple Leafs reporter and insider Jonas Siegel joined TSN1050's "First Up". On his segment the group decided to discuss Kyle Dubas.

Siegel took listeners inside Dubas' last few months as GM and his potential plans for the future of the Maple Leafs.

"I think they would look totally different. We got the indication from Kyle Dubas just before he was let go where he indicated maybe looking at a trade of a core player, so I think that's on the table. You can narrow it down to who that might be and what it might look like. So that's one of those players potentially gone which is significant. Obviously you would get considerable pieces back for that player whoever it is," said Siegel regarding Dubas' want to move a core member.

With calls for the core four to be split up from the fanbase throughout his time in Toronto Dubas' would've finally been pulling the trigger.

Despite this information being known which player was on the chopping block will remain a mystery.

Treliving Takes The Team In A Different Direction

Siegel then continued to talk about the rest of the offseason moves made by Brad Treliving.

He thinks that Dubas if still in charge would've considered signing Tyler Bertuzzi. However, he thinks the rest of the signings had too specialized of a role to entice Dubas.

It's possible if Kyle Dubas was the general manager, that they would have signed Tyler Bertuzzi. Everybody else, I just don't see it. I don't think there's any way they sign John Klingberg. There's zero chance they sign Ryan Reaves to a three-year contract. Maybe Max Domi, but I don't really see it... I didn't like the fact they lost so much utility with some of the guys they brought in. None of those guys kill penalties, none of those guys are the kinds of players you want to put on the ice when you're defending a lead.

Siegel instead believes Dubas would have tried to find players who could play up and down the lineup in various amount of roles.

Look at what Dubas did at the trade deadline last year. He acquired players who had utility, who were competitive, so I think that's the way they would have leaned had he remained general manager, but they obviously didn't do that. The team has major issues to sort out."

Regardless of Dubas' plans for the Maple Leafs he is now in Pittsburgh and Brad Treliving is left to sort out the conundrum he put himself in with his offseason moves.

It will be interesting to watch as Treliving makes his next set of roster changes over the next couple of months.

As Read On Maple Leafs Daily:
Leafs reporter reveals what the team may have looked like had Dubas returned