TORONTO --Kyle Dubas will not return as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.
Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan said they "decided to part ways with Dubas," whose five-year contract will expire June 30, despite attempting to come to an agreement on a new deal throughout the past week.
"No I wouldn't characterize it as breaking down over money," Shanahan said Friday. "Knowing and recognizing on Monday after the (end-of-season) availability, when a general manager is playing out the last year of his contract, there's always the contingency that you might need a new general manager, he might choose to go to another team. I think I felt I had got a little bit closer and had some indications we were going to work this out.
"I would say after the press conference on Monday, I was less sure and I thought there was a real possibility he might not want to do this and as he said, take a step back. At that point, I hadn't ruled Kyle Dubas out, but I certainly had to make sure I was thinking of other options."
Dubas was promoted to GM on May 11, 2018, taking over for Lou Lamoriello, after joining the Maple Leafs on July 22, 2014, as an assistant GM. He was 221-109-42 as Toronto GM, a position he assumed at 32 years old.
At locker cleanout day, three days after Toronto was eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Florida Panthers in five games in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Second Round, Dubas said he intended to speak with his family prior to deciding whether he wanted to return as GM.
"My family is a hugely important part of what I do, so for me to commit to anything without having a fuller understanding of what this year took on them is probably unfair for me to answer where I am at," Dubas said. "We haven't been able to have those full discussions yet, but it was very hard, the year on them, and thus it's tough for me."
Shanahan said he approached Dubas after the NHL Trade Deadline on March 3 and said he wanted him to be the GM going forward. Dubas told Shanahan to negotiate with his agent since he didn't want to be distracted during the end of the regular season.
Shanahan and Dubas' agent started working on a contract, and the day before breakup day, Shanahan gave Dubas the offer.
"On Sunday, we had the team photo and went up to my office," Shanahan said. "I had another good conversation with Kyle. I presented him with what I thought was a framework that reflected what his agent and I had talked to at a good finishing place in the effort to get this done as soon as possible. Kyle took it, he seemed fine, he seemed pleased to receive that news so quickly."
However, on breakup day, Dubas said he wasn't sure he wanted to continue as GM, and Shanahan said he started looking for other options.
"I think we discussed the day before it was a concern for him," Shanahan said. "I didn't expect he was going to go out and put that to the public, but nevertheless, it made it all more real and all more serious and presented certainly lots of questions. I have no issue with Kyle's honesty, Kyle's emotions. I think Kyle is an honest person. … I do think it is a massive privilege to be able to play or work in the National Hockey League but that's not to underscore that it is difficult for all athletes in all cities and management as well."
On Thursday, the agent called Shanahan and presented a new financial package. Dubas also emailed Shanahan on Thursday saying he wanted to return, though at that point, Shanahan suggested his thought process had changed.
"A gap had risen within the contract status, but nevertheless the email I received from Kyle, I just felt differently, and I felt the long-term future of the Maple Leafs may have to change," Shanahan said. "I woke up [Friday] morning, drove to his office and told him we would not be renewing his contract.
"This was ultimately my decision."
Dubas had been linked to other NHL jobs in recent weeks but took himself out of the running Monday for any job except for remaining with the Maple Leafs.
"What I would say is I definitely don't have it in me to go anywhere else, so it will either be here or it will be taking time to recalibrate and reflect on the seasons here," Dubas said. "But you won't see me next week pop up elsewhere. I can't put [my family] through that after this year."
Shanahan said there is urgency to fill the position sooner rather than later. He suggested his preference would be to hire someone with experience as a GM but that he would not limit the search to candidates of that nature.
"Not going to do it in a hastily way, but I do think it's a priority and it has to happen rather soon," he said. "I'm going to be open-minded to who that person can be. Certainly having an experienced general manager would be an attractive quality. … I'm not ruling anybody out at this point. I've told you some of the things that would be attractive to me but I'm not ruling out any possibilities in a future general manager."
The Maple Leafs had the fifth-highest points percentage in the NHL since Dubas took over (.651) and qualified for the playoffs in each of his five seasons as GM but only advanced past the first round this season.
"I don't see Kyle coming here as a failure in any way," Shanahan said. "Kyle was instrumental in where this organization is today. I've got to think about how do we get where we want to go in the the future and what are the best ways for us to be better. What are new ideas and new thoughts?"
Dubas said losing to the Panthers was difficult after the Maple Leafs defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the first round for their first series win since 2004.
"It's disappointing to be here," Dubas said. "We feel that the group had substantial opportunity to continue on this spring and unfortunately did not execute to the level we would all like. It's another hard lesson for all of us in the entire organization."
Toronto made several key additions prior to the trade deadline, acquiring centers Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari in a three-team trade with the St. Louis Blues, forward Sam Lafferty and defenseman Jake McCabe from the Chicago Blackhawks, and defenseman Luke Schenn from the Vancouver Canucks.
But the Maple Leafs' "Core Four" of forwards Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander struggled to generate sustained offense during the postseason, particularly in the second round against the Panthers; Nylander had two goals, Marner had one and Matthews and Tavares, who combined for 76 goals during the regular season, failed to score in five games against Florida.
Matthews, Marner and Nylander are 1-7 in playoff series since they began playing together with the Maple Leafs in 2016. Tavares, who signed a seven-year, $77 million contract ($11 million average annual value) on July 1, 2018, in one of Dubas' first moves as GM, is 1-5 since then.
Matthews, who has one year remaining on a five-year, $58.17 million contract ($11.6 million AAV), said Monday he'd like to stay in Toronto for the long term. Tavares also said he wants to remain and indicated he would not waive his no-movement clause if approached.
"I'm responsible," Dubas said. "The decisions on trades, roster anything, that's on me. I feel like should sit and take responsibility for them. I don't need anybody else to be shielded with me."
Shanahan said significant roster decisions and the job status of coach Sheldon Keefe are not likely to be made until a new GM is hired.
"I think some of those decisions have to be the responsibility of the new general manager," Shanahan said. "I think in the meantime, I'm going to lean heavily on (assistant GM) Brandon Pridham and we are going to get through this time."
