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Hunter Will Not Return Either

Geez, not even staying for the draft.  I guess we get to see Dubas up at the podium making picks
 
https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/998916054150623232

Makes sense. Although it says a lot to me that he wouldn't even stay past the draft... not that I'm complaining.
 
It's for the better.

Not sure why Lou doesn't also have that clause (probably because he wasn't that involved in the data gathering and analysis).
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Zee said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Hunter leaves the team just 10 days before the Leafs' rights to Keaton Middleton expire.

Is this good or bad?  Explain.

Neither, just funny. Middleton was one of three hulking-but-not-good defencemen that Hunter took in 2016.

Yeah I recall it was one of those "off the board" picks that nobody could understand.  Either it was a genius move or just a shot in the dark hoping he'd turn into something.  I guess it was the latter since I haven't heard much about Middleton since he was drafted.
 
What if he goes with Lou to the Islanders?  They axe Garth Snow, Hunter becomes GM and Lou is director of hockey ops?
 
Zee said:
Yeah I recall it was one of those "off the board" picks that nobody could understand.  Either it was a genius move or just a shot in the dark hoping he'd turn into something.  I guess it was the latter since I haven't heard much about Middleton since he was drafted.

I think they were taking a handful of swings at landing someone that might develop into a Parayko-type player: huge, but mobile puck-moving defenseman who can break a cycle. At worst, a Roman Polak, who also has value around the league if not here.

Desrocher (gone)
Greenway
Middleton
Mattinen
Rasanen
Gordeev
O'Connell

7 out of 27 picks is not too crazy, and only Rasanen (2017 59th) used up a top 60 pick. Everything after that top third of the 3rd round is moreorless an equal shot in the dark.
 
Zee said:
What if he goes with Lou to the Islanders?  They axe Garth Snow, Hunter becomes GM and Lou is director of hockey ops?

I was going to make a joke about how Dubas would trade them Zaitsev, Martin, and McElhinney but then I realized that he might actually be able to pull that off.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Zee said:
What if he goes with Lou to the Islanders?  They axe Garth Snow, Hunter becomes GM and Lou is director of hockey ops?

I was going to make a joke about how Dubas would trade them Zaitsev, Martin, and McElhinney but then I realized that he might actually be able to pull that off.

Hug you if true.
 
The one pretty consistent issue the Leafs have had since the mid 70s (the era of Sittler/McDonald/Williams/Salming/Turnbull et al) is their drafting (when they kept their picks and most notably hitting on later rounds) and certainly the development of these picks. Hunter seemed to instantly turn this around in the drafting area and I think Dubas on the development side. But you can't develop a player without drafting the right talent.

I know Hunter was not the only person in the scouting side but I had a pretty high confidence level in his ability.

It's a sh**ty deal for the Leafs and I hope that Shanahan knows what he has done.

I also hope I'm underestimating Dubas' contribution to what has happened the last 3 years but at least on the drafting side
but I don't think I am. 
 
I think these moves have been tremendous.  Likely gone are the days of players like Polak and Martin.  Dubas knows the game is changing.  Lou didn?t appreciate it fully, and he kept feeding Babcock players that shouldn?t have been on the ice.  Fully on board with Dubas as the man.
 

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