Kyle Dubas has earned extension, regardless of playoff success

Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has been aggressive ahead of the NHL trade deadline, adding on both ends of the ice. The 37-year-old has made a Stanley Cup contender better and if Toronto stumbles again in the playoffs, the responsibility should fall on the players and Dubas should receive a contract extension for his work regardless.

Video Transcript

- If I had a nickel for every time someone tweeted Kyle Dubas is cooking, I'd have a lot of nickels. But it's true. And again, the beginning of the season we wanted Kyle Dubas to go for it. You know, this is the year to make those deals and I think it's fair to say that he's done that. Has he earned his contract extension? Yes. For me, he absolutely has. Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, he has earned that contract extension. Now whether he takes it, I don't know.

But like, you can't look Kyle Dubas in the face and say he hasn't done his job this year. He added more defensemen. He added more grit and toughness. He added more playoff experience. He's traded picks. He's kept the prospects that are going to be important long term. If he has taken from the roster, it's, again, to address a need or to try to advance the team. He's done everything. Honestly, he's done everything that he can. And heck, there's still more that he could do.

Who knows? So I think, at this moment, Kyle Dubas is earning an extension. And if you don't think so, I don't know what to tell you. I mean, a GM can only do so much. And yes, Dubas has really, like, you know, hitched his wagon to this core and he said over and over again that he believes in this core, but I don't think he's wrong to do that. And again, he's given them the best opportunity to get over the hump. If they don't do it this year, it's on the players. 100% it's on the players.