Kyle Dubas Reveals He Nearly Became Another Team's GM Instead Of The Maple Leafs

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has revealed that his career. and perhaps the recent history of two NHL franchises could have looked dramatically different. 

Speaking on the Cam & Strick Podcast, Dubas shared that in 2017, while serving as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ assistant GM, he was in the running for the Colorado Avalanche general manager position.

🚨🎙️ Former Leafs GM, and now president of hockey operations and GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kyle Dubas, was recently on the Cam and Strick Podcast and went over a variety of topics, including how he steered away from a job with the Avalanche while working with the Leafs and… pic.twitter.com/poD0Ny2nKF

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) August 12, 2025

According to Dubas, the opportunity was real, but then-Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello strongly urged him to stay in Toronto. Lamoriello’s reasoning was simple: Dubas already knew the roster, staff, and inner workings of the organization, and that familiarity could be the foundation for long-term success.

The Path Taken

Dubas heeded Lamoriello’s advice and remained in Toronto, eventually replacing him as Leafs GM in 2018. Over his five-year tenure, Dubas made bold moves, from signing John Tavares to an $77 million deal, to inking high-priced extensions for Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner. 

While those contracts secured Toronto’s core, they also created long-standing cap headaches and drew criticism for overpaying without playoff success.

Kyle Dubas credits Mike Babcock for turning the Leafs into a perennial playoff team. #Leafsforever ⁦@CamandStrick⁩ pic.twitter.com/z6cYavGa4U

— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) August 13, 2025

His tenure featured both hits and misses. Nylander’s breakout validated Dubas’s early faith, but moves like the costly Nick Foligno trade and losing Jared McCann in the expansion draft were heavily criticized. By 2023, Toronto opted not to renew his contract, paving the way for his move to Pittsburgh as president of hockey operations and GM.

What Could Have Been in Colorado

In 2017, the Avalanche were coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history (22-56-4), but their rebuild would quickly accelerate. Under Joe Sakic, they drafted Cale Makar and won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Dubas admits he wonders how things might have played out if he had taken the job, whether he could have been part of that championship run or led the Avs down a different path entirely.

Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images