Leafs hire Kyle Dubas as assistant GM, Loiselle and Poulin Dismissed

[Coco-puffs]

Oh my.... Craig Button is PISSED on TSN1050.  Hilarious stuff.  Not sure if this link will work:

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#id=34817  &id=13

 

[Fanatic]

This appears to be a very sharp hire by the Leafs. The consensus is that this is a very bright young hockey exec. The consensus also seems to be that Loiselle and Poulin (who both had 3 years left on their contracts) were just taking up space. I do not know if that is true, but it is interesting that with all the GM jobs that have come open in the past year or so, neither of these guys got beyond the interview stage.

This is clearly a Shanny move and it solidifies him as more than a figure head. He is in charge. Nonis never would have made this move without Shanny.

Randy Carlyle is going to have to change or he will be out. I would be surprised if he is the coach a year from now.

This all plays nicely with my hope for the Leafs which is to continue to grab draft picks and acquire young assets while maintaining a core of guys like Bernier, Kessel, JVR and Lupul and then in 2 years take a big leap forward when Stamkos decides he is coming home...... just a hope.... nothing more. 

 

[bustaheims]

Oh my.... Craig Button is PISSED on TSN1050.  Hilarious stuff.  Not sure if this link will work:

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#id=34817  &id=13

Good. Further evidence that the Leafs made the right decisions today.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Seems like a good move, I'm optimistic about it. I like that a young hockey mind with different views is coming on board. I've never heard of him, like others, but I also like what I read about him.

I'm hoping that Shanny doesn't fiddle with the amateur scouting department though, I think we already have the right guy there in Morrison. I don't have hard stats on his tenure, but if you look at the drafting history in relation to NHL games played, you can see some improvements starting in 2006. I didn't count all the games, but NHL'er production appears to be trending upwards.

 

[Redleaf]

Is this the equivalent of Billy Beane hiring Peter Brand?

 

[bustaheims]

I'm hoping that Shanny doesn't fiddle with the amateur scouting department though, I think we already have the right guy there in Morrison. I don't have hard stats on his tenure, but if you look at the drafting history in relation to NHL games played, you can see some improvements starting in 2006. I didn't count all the games, but NHL'er production appears to be trending upwards.

As much as I like Morrison, the numbers don't look good for him. 2006 was a good year for the team - mostly because of their European scouts - but, since then, only 2 players drafted outside the top 7 have played at least 100 NHL games (though, a 3rd should join their ranks this season).

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I'm hoping that Shanny doesn't fiddle with the amateur scouting department though, I think we already have the right guy there in Morrison. I don't have hard stats on his tenure, but if you look at the drafting history in relation to NHL games played, you can see some improvements starting in 2006. I didn't count all the games, but NHL'er production appears to be trending upwards.

As much as I like Morrison, the numbers don't look good for him. 2006 was a good year for the team - mostly because of their European scouts - but, since then, only 2 players drafted outside the top 7 have played at least 100 NHL games (though, a 3rd should join their ranks this season).

A lot of his picks haven't had the chance yet, but compared to years previous to Morrison, he looks to have a better record.

I don't want to turn this into a Morrison thread, but I think they should keep him, that is unless there is a better option.

 

[bustaheims]

A lot of his picks haven't had the chance yet, but compared to years previous to Morrison, he looks to have a better record.

While there's some truth there, a lot of his picks haven't had the opportunity because they haven't earned it (especially his earlier picks) and, truthfully, I don't think he stacks up much better to than the years before he joined. The team found at least 1 full time NHLer in just about every year before Morrison came on board, without the benefit of top 7 picks.

 

[freer]

Oh my.... Craig Button is PISSED on TSN1050.  Hilarious stuff.  Not sure if this link will work:

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#id=34817  &id=13

Who?. Does not matter, it is the beginning of a change.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

While there's some truth there, a lot of his picks haven't had the opportunity because they haven't earned it (especially his earlier picks) and, truthfully, I don't think he stacks up much better to than the years before he joined. The team found at least 1 full time NHLer in just about every year before Morrison came on board, without the benefit of top 7 picks.

Maybe I'm projecting a bit too much, but other than the 2007 draft where he had only 1 pick in the first 3 rounds, I think there is potential there in the drafts after that. His 2011 and 12 drafts look promising, the latter with potential to be closer to the 2006, than the 2007 IMO.

 

[Boston Leaf]

Oh my.... Craig Button is PISSED on TSN1050.  Hilarious stuff.  Not sure if this link will work:

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#id=34817  &id=13

I can't listen to this in the states..What is he upset about?

 

[Kin]

Is this the equivalent of Billy Beane hiring Peter Brand?

Probably not. Peter Brand is a fictional character.

 

[Boston Leaf]

Is this the equivalent of Billy Beane hiring Peter Brand?

Probably not. Peter Brand is a fictional character.

He must mean Paul DePodesta who the character was based on

 

[Kin]

Oh my.... Craig Button is PISSED on TSN1050.  Hilarious stuff.  Not sure if this link will work:

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#id=34817  &id=13

I can't listen to this in the states..What is he upset about?

It sounds like he sort of resents someone being hired without any previous NHL experience. Also he seems to have a problem with the way that people are broken down into either being "pro-analytics" or "anti-analytics" which he's probably got a point about.

 

[Zee]

I'm amazed that Shanahan was able to make a move of this significance without any rumors in the press at all.  Steve Simmons went from tweeting about John Voight last night to hearing about this move in the morning. 

 

[Boston Leaf]

Oh my.... Craig Button is PISSED on TSN1050.  Hilarious stuff.  Not sure if this link will work:

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#id=34817  &id=13

I can't listen to this in the states..What is he upset about?

It sounds like he sort of resents someone being hired without any previous NHL experience. Also he seems to have a problem with the way that people are broken down into either being "pro-analytics" or "anti-analytics" which he's probably got a point about.

thanks Nick..Button always seems anti-Leaf to me

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Couldn't care less what Craig Button has to say about anything other than prospects he scouts.

Anyways,

@mirtle

Shanahan: "I'm just looking for talented people." Calls Dubas an extreme talent. "He's not tied to any old ideas."

Shanahan says he learned things from Dubas he didn't know.

Shanahan says Leafs analytical approach needed improving. Likes that Dubas is logical,  intelligent.

Dubas says analytics in hockey are very primitive right now. Excited at future possibilities.

Shanahan says there have been words and ideas people in the organization have been afraid of and Dubas can help change that.

Dubas will also be on TSN 1050 at 2:15.

 

[bustaheims]

mirtle: Dubas says "culture change" is just a buzz phrase that he doesn't put a whole lot of stock in. "There's no quick fix."

I like him already.

 

[Kin]

mirtle: Dubas says "culture change" is just a buzz phrase that he doesn't put a whole lot of stock in. "There's no quick fix."

I like him already.

Button said more or less the same thing in that linked interview.

Seems like the only big proponents of the "culture change" as a path to improvement are the people actually running the Leafs.

 

[bustaheims]

bradyfan590: Told explicitly Shanahan had hoped to clean house in front office & hire Dubas NEXT summer. Another Eastern team was set to hire him now.

I did get the feeling that this season was going more of a transitional year than a building year.