Penguins hire former Leafs GM Dubas as president of hockey operations
The Pittsburgh Penguins have named former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas its new president of hockey operations, the club announced Thursday.
The Penguins say Dubas, 37, will oversee all aspects of the team's hockey operations department including establishing the strategic vision and philosophy for the franchise.
The hiring comes just weeks after the Penguins dismissed general manager Ron Hextall, director of hockey operations Brian Burke and assistant general manager Chris Pryor after the club failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.
The Maple Leafs fired Dubas on May 19, less than a week after the team suffered a second-round playoff defeat to the Florida Panthers.
Dubas, who had been Toronto's GM since 2018 and didn't have a contract beyond June 30, suggested at an end of season news conference May 15 he wasn't sure he wanted to remain in the role -- at least in part because of the stress on his young family.
Former Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving was named Toronto's general manager Wednesday.
Dubas takes over a team that still believes it can compete for a Stanley Cup if it builds properly around the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. While Crosby and Malkin were excellent for much of last season while Letang dealt with multiple setbacks -- including a stroke and the death of his father -- Pittsburgh struggled to gain any real momentum during much of the 2022-23 season and stumbled down the stretch to snap the longest active playoff streak in major North American Sports.
"Throughout his career, Kyle has proven himself as a forward-thinking hockey mind and embodies all of the qualities -- integrity, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to building a winning culture -- that we value in a leader at the Penguins and within Fenway Sports Group," FSG principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner said in a statement.
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas speaks to reporters after a locker clean out at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, on Thursday, April 25, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov)
Dubas comes to Pittsburgh after nine seasons with the Maple Leafs organization, including the last five as general manager. Toronto won a postseason series for the first time since 2004 this spring before falling to Florida in the Eastern Conference semifinals in five games.
While the Penguins remain one of the NHL's marquee teams, they also haven't advanced out of the first round of the postseason since 2018. Dubas takes over the NHL's oldest team, one with several players with no-trade clauses and a handful of onerous contracts that could be difficult to move. Pittsburgh's farm system is also in need of a major upgrade after the team spent years dealing prospects for more established players as part of a "win-now" mindset.
Dubas helped build the Maple Leafs into a regular-season power during his tenure. Toronto set single-season records for wins and points, and went 221-109-42 in his tenure. Dubas also didn't shy away from big moves -- he fired Stanley Cup-winning coach Mike Babcock in November 2019 and replaced him with Sheldon Keefe -- but struggled to find the right mix in the playoffs until this spring.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.