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Kyle Dubas is new Leafs GM

herman said:
https://twitter.com/dcmahiban/status/999321253642162176
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Just in case anyone is looking to attribute this news to a decision that Dubas has just made, Middleton was made aware the Leafs weren't signing him a couple of months ago.
 
Frank E said:
herman said:
https://twitter.com/dcmahiban/status/999321253642162176
Click to expand...

Just in case anyone is looking to attribute this news to a decision that Dubas has just made, Middleton was made aware the Leafs weren't signing him a couple of months ago.
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I was aware that the Leafs weren't signing him a couple of years ago.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Frank E said:
herman said:
https://twitter.com/dcmahiban/status/999321253642162176
Click to expand...

Just in case anyone is looking to attribute this news to a decision that Dubas has just made, Middleton was made aware the Leafs weren't signing him a couple of months ago.
Click to expand...

I was aware that the Leafs weren't signing him a couple of years ago.
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LOL...so true.
 
Yeah, that whole draft screamed of a number of questionable picks like Middleton.  Guys with size who lack skill.
 
L K said:
Yeah, that whole draft screamed of a number of questionable picks like Middleton.  Guys with size who lack skill.
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There will be no more Middle men or Middle tons on this team, it all runs through Don Dubas.
 
https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/999703109243826176

If he said "How's that?" at the end, he'd have that Babcock impression down.
 
herman said:
https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/999703109243826176

If he said "How's that?" at the end, he'd have that Babcock impression down.
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I'm glad Kyle didn't say "real gud pros" or then we'll all know that Babcock has gotten to him.
 
herman said:
https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/999703109243826176

If he said "How's that?" at the end, he'd have that Babcock impression down.
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https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/999767310318555136

He's like a Babcock/Lou hybrid.
 
https://theathletic.com/342641/2018/05/25/built-in-the-soo-the-kyle-dubas-story/

Huge Dubas profile by Jonas Siegel.
 
https://theathletic.com/367039/2018/05/24/mirtle-maple-leafs-continue-to-go-new-school-in-filling-out-their-front-office-with-gilman-pridham/

I posted this article earlier in the Gilman thread, but it bears repeating here for perspective and a slightly different pullquote.

The other thing that people around the league have pointed out is that none of the Leafs? top three executives ? below the president ? have pro playing experience. Pridham is probably the closest, having played Junior A briefly before blowing out his shoulder.

All three men are university educated, with Gilman holding a law degree from the University of North Dakota.

That is still fairly uncommon in the NHL ? I?d be surprised if the top three hockey ops people on many teams didn?t play even major junior ? but it has become more the way of things in other leagues, especially MLB and the NBA.

Gillis said he could see that becoming a trend. Or, at the very least, that it should become one.

?The last few years, I?ve done a lot of work with people in organizational science,? Gillis explained. ?Analyzing how high-functioning organizations work. I think you need a variety of different people who bring a variety of perspectives to any situation for it to be high functioning.

?Whether hockey will go this route, I?m not sure. I think there?s that possibility. It?ll take time. But I do think there?s a need for a highly diversified group of young executives to come into the business and add perspective and add a level of different experiences.?
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The triumvirate have a lot of overlap in personality and characteristics, and each of their respective strengths help mitigate the potential flaws of the other, as well as complementing Babcock. Philosophically aligned (find whatever way works to win) but each bringing different perspectives.
 
Well, whatever the Old School model is it hasn't worked for us for 50 years so what the hell.

My resume, featuring a MFA in Comparative Literature, is en route to KD's desk as we speak.  I think I can bring  unique and valuable contextualization skills to the team, should they need a pullquote from Hamlet for a press release and the like.
 
Kevin Papetti @ PPP put together a trade target piece on Jared McCann, and it led to this old interview Dubas gave with CanucksArmy re: McCann's selection by Vancouver.

Targeting centres like McCann is cool and all, but what I was actually interested in was Dubas breaking down his thought process and the game philosophy of the Soo Greyhounds.

3) You mentioned strong zone entry numbers. Sheldon Keefe seems to be a forward thinking coach, so are these numbers due to Sault Ste. Marie?s system emphasizing carry-ins and aggressive play at the bluelines, or is McCann uniquely good at winning the neutral zone? How do his ZE numbers compare to his teammates (and the rest of the OHL, if you have those stats)?

Jared?s controlled zone entry rate was 70% this season which was behind just Bryan Moore (77%), Tolchinsky (73%) and Watling (71%). Obviously, the style of play utilized and coached by Sheldon lends itself to high controlled zone entry numbers but being able to execute that style and not reverting to old habits requires speed, skill and game intelligence to make plays through the neutral zone. To that end, I would say Jared?s ability match up so well with the system taught and put in place by Sheldon. On the defensive side, Jared?s controlled zone entry against rate was 49%, 2nd on the team to Fritsch (48%). Collaborating the totals in both regards paints the picture of a terrific neutral zone player for you.
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5) After adjusting scoring rate of recent 1st round picks for age and era, McCann?s boxcars compare most closely to Nick Foligno and Alex Burmistrov among OHLers. Do you think that McCann has more to give offensively in junior? Why might McCann?s offensive upside be higher than the players he most closely compares to?

[...] Jared also missed the net with his individual shot attempts more than anyone on our team by a wide margin. I would equate it to a young pitcher with just electric stuff that deals with control issues early in his career. He is one of the rare prospects in this draft that could flat out beat a goalie with his wrist shot from just inside the blue line regularly. As he works on his shooting accuracy, which he will tell you is a major priority, his numbers are going to drastically improve. His highlight reel from the past season shows what he is capable of with regards to end to end tantalizing offensive play when at his best.

The other thing that hinders Jared (and all of our centres production) is the system we deploy in the defensive zone. The centres must come very low (to the goalie) to provide the D a controlled option low in the zone. He cannot cheat ever or leave the zone, thus you will never see him slide behind the opposition D for easy chances and often has the puck with 5 members of the opposition in front of him versus 2 or 3 if he got the breakout pass from the winger off the wall as many others do.
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One of the things I'm hoping to see is Dubas' appointment giving Keefe a larger voice in tactics meetings with Babcock. Keefe is a bit more offensively-driven in his structure, compared to Babcock's 'defense-wins-championships' instinct.
 
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