"No, I don't think whatsoever," Dubas said. "We're happy with overall where the team is at. You can get immersed in the short term both when things are going great and then not to the level you expect in terms of wins and losses, but it's a good time to reflect on how the team is playing, what we can improve on, and gives the group a good time to reflect on how we can rely on each other and help to pull our way out of it."
The trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 25.
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"I'm comfortable with the makeup (of the team)," Dubas said. "I think they've earned the right for us to explore ways where we can continue to make the team better so we're trying to do that. If there are things that are fair, and we feel it fits for us in the short and long term, we continue to explore all that."
The Maple Leafs will try to avoid a season-high three-game losing streak when they host the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN, SN360). It's their final game before the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend followed by the mandatory five-day break.
Toronto (29-17-2, 60 points) is second in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.
Dubas views the struggles as a chance to gain experience working through adversity.
"I think especially with our group being a younger group, where the core of the guys is young, it's just a great opportunity to show how they can lead the group out of it and develop their own leadership," Dubas said. "We've had some games where we've played well and the puck just hasn't gone in, whereas earlier in the year we had some games where we didn't play very well and the puck was going in at those times. So in life and in hockey, it all seems to balance out."
The Maple Leafs and forward William Nylander haven't been getting desired results of late. Nylander has four points (one goal, three assists) in 20 games since missing the first 28 games of the season; the restricted free agent was without a contract until he agreed to terms on a six-year contract (average annual value of $6.9 million) Dec. 1, just before the 5 p.m. ET deadline to play in the NHL this season.
Toronto is 9-9-2 since Nylander made his season debut in a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 6.
"He's handling it very honestly," Dubas said. "When you miss that much time, training camp and then two months and you come back, it's difficult and it's hard to catch up.
"That's what we've tried to tell him, that it's not going to be an overnight process where he's going to go back to being the player that he always has been. We have to remain patient and he has to continue to stick to his own development plan and he'll do that. He works very hard, he's a very good young person and I've got a lot of faith he'll work his way out of it. It may not be on the timeline everybody wants but he'll get there and we're excited to help him do that."
