NHL Analyst Calls Kyle Dubas Out for Cowardly Press Conference

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Aaron Itovitch
February 10, 2023 (6:00 PM)

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It was a bit of a shock when Kyle Dubas revealed he had no intention of trading for a big piece at this years' deadline.

It's a tricky situation - Dubas, on one hand, has no contract for next season. It can be assumed that if the Leafs have another first-round exit, Dubas will be done for in The Six.

However, if he makes a big move, trades significant assets, and loses in the first round, the situation will only be worse.

NHL analyst and insider Craig Button commented on Dubas' decision, and he was unsurprisingly decidedly against it:

"I'm gonna go back to the end of the season press conference last year.. 'we believe in our players, we believe that we're close, we believe that we're in a position now to compete, we think we've learned lots'.. they've shown that they deserve that belief - they've shown that. Now go out and help them. So I think this is on Kyle Dubas. I don't think it's on the players showing me anything - I think it's about Kyle Dubas saying 'ok, what can we do here?'... The players have done everything you could have ever asked them to do in my view. This is now on Kyle Dubas."

He believes that Dubas owes his team a trade. It's a sign of faith in the group when a team is willing to make the jump.

We will see if this direction provides results - if it doesn't Dubas will be a free agent next season.

Source Maple Leafs Daily:
Analyst publicly calls out Kyle Dubas for not helping his team out enough