Leafs GM Kyle Dubas vows to make the team tougher to play against
Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has a busy offseason ahead as he looks to improve his club after their fourth consecutive early postseason exit. Long considered an easier team to play against, Dubas met with the media on Monday and has declared his intent to do whatever he needs to do in order to make the Leafs "harder to play against" next season.
This is quite the change in philosophy from what Dubas and company had been preaching over the last few years, previously holding firm to the belief was that speed and skill is just another way to get the job done. Well, just a couple of short seasons later, it appears as though Dubas is willing to admit defeat, at least in part, and is committed to doing what it takes to make the Leafs a difficult matchup for any opponent on any given night.
Dubas does expect some of that "team toughness" to come organically, through the frustration of not qualifying for the playoffs in 2019-20, but he has also committed to seeking out help in that department in the NHL marketplace, whether it be through trade or free agency.
One option that has been noted previously is veteran forward and Scarborough, ON native Wayne Simmonds, who has expressed some interest in potentially signing in Toronto.
At 32 years of age, Simmonds would likely take less to play at home, and while his best playing offensive days are certainly behind him, he can certainly add a physical presence to a Leafs squad who desperately needs it, while also providing some secondary offense in a depth role.
Another intriguing option is defenseman Radko Gudas, who has a reputation for being a nasty, hard-nosed freight train in front of and behind his net. Gudas, 30, may also be available at a reasonable salary and checks more than one box for the Maple Leafs, as he is also a right-handed shot.
It's really anyone's guess who Dubas might target in a trade, but at this point, just knowing that he is committed to elevating team toughness is an encouraging thought for anyone who has tired of the "speed and skill" model and may be more interested in seeing if a more traditional, hard hitting, blood and guts hockey approach yields a better result.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Clayton Keller | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Erik Karlsson | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Matvei Michkov | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Nick Suzuki | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Anton Lundell | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Nick Schmaltz | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Ryan Strome | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Troy Terry | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Boone Jenner | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Connor Murphy | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Philip Broberg | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Keegan Kolesar | 2 | - | 2 | |
| James Van Riemsdyk | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| J.T. Compher | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Logan Cooley | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 60 | 42 | 15 | 3 | 87 | |
Capitals | 59 | 38 | 13 | 8 | 84 | |
Stars | 58 | 37 | 19 | 2 | 76 | |
Golden Knights | 59 | 35 | 18 | 6 | 76 | |
Panthers | 60 | 36 | 21 | 3 | 75 | |
Maple Leafs | 58 | 36 | 20 | 2 | 74 | |
Lightning | 58 | 34 | 20 | 4 | 72 | |
Hurricanes | 59 | 34 | 21 | 4 | 72 | |
Oilers | 59 | 34 | 21 | 4 | 72 | |
Wild | 59 | 34 | 21 | 4 | 72 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||