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Contrasting comments may offer hints of upcoming changes for Leafs

May 18, 2022, 3:51 PM ET [381 Comments]
Mike Augello
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If you compare what was said by Toronto Maple Leafs Team President Brendan Shanahan and GM Kyle Dubas on Tuesday to what they uttered after losing to Montreal, you can read between the lines that there is some recognition that there have to be changes and perhaps more than just the natural attrition that goes with a team close to the cap.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe did not really offer any further insight into the seven-game loss to Tampa, other than trying to explain his comments about the Lightning showing more respect to the Leafs in handshake alley.

As for Shanahan, his full-throated defense was more focused on his belief in Dubas and Keefe and where the club could be going into their fourth season at the NHL level together.

“You would like to start mixing in quite soon those victories that pull you closer together, but for me (the loss to Tampa) just strengthens our resolve to support each other and get the job done,” Shanahan said. “It strengthens my resolve to give them whatever they need to get over that hump, get through those challenges, and get to the place where we want to be.”

12 months ago, both Shanahan and Dubas were adamant about not tampering with the core group after Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner’s disappearing act against the Canadiens, saying that any team would love to have any one of Matthews, Marner, William Nylander, or John Tavares, but the Leafs want to keep them.

But looking through the litany of boilerplate defenses that the club played differently against the Lightning than in the previous five opening-round losses, there was a recognition that the Leafs still are short on killer instinct.

“In the past couple of seasons, when we have had an opportunity to eliminate a team, we got back on our heels. One of the things that I liked about this year’s process, despite the result, was that our team was on its toes. I liked their starts. I liked their comebacks. I liked the fight that they showed and the embracing of those moments. They just didn’t get the job done.” Shanahan said. “We are still seeking that killer instinct, but we were doing a lot more of the things that you need to do in order to get that job done than I have seen in the past couple of elimination games where I felt like we looked a little bit more on our heels.”

Dubas was more ambiguous in addressing whether the club will tinker with the core group, saying first that they were larger than just the four forwards and that they would explore options available during the summer.

“I don’t view it just as a four. I view the core of the group as much larger than that. It is my job at the end of every year to evaluate if we can improve the team. If there is a way to improve the team which involves someone who me, you, or anyone would constitute as core, it is my job to investigate that and determine if it will make us a better team in the short or long run and whether we want to do that.” Dubas said, “Different may gain some applause and some accolades because it is different, but if it is not better, we are going to have a better chance of sitting here disappointed again. Everything that we do will be geared towards improving the group. We will look at everything possible to do that.”

Dubas does not have the luxury of being entirely forthcoming regarding the Leafs possible direction heading into the offseason, since that will put more pressure on him to make a move and lower his leverage in potential trade talks, but the Leafs GM has to know that the vote of confidence he received could be quickly followed by a pink slip if the club does not have success next season.

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