One of the things I mentioned in yesterday’s story about revelations, reported by “Hockey Night in Canada” ace Elliotte Friedman, about Kyle Dubas possibly becoming the next GM of the Avalanche was how many unknowns there still were.
Well, 24 hours later, based on Friedman’s follow-up reporting (and a little of my own), it appears Dubas-to-the-Avs isn’t going to happen.
I made a couple of calls to sources around the Avalanche end I felt might know something, and the word I got was: We don’t think it’s going to happen. Friedman, who is very dialed in to the people in Toronto and where it appears this story might have been leaked first (don’t know that for a fact, but just sayin’) today threw lots of cold water on the chances of the Avs landing the young, up-and-coming management person.
Appearing on Dean “Boomer” Molberg’s Sportsnet FAN 960 radio show this morning, Friedman said the following about the Dubas situation:
“You know Dean, this has been a weird story. Like, there’s been a lot of twists and turns here…
“First of all, I think it’s over. That whatever window was there since I reported it – and one of the things I said on Tuesday when I mentioned it is I’m not exactly sure where it stands. Sometimes when you actually go to air with something or write something it brings even more clarity, and that’s the case here.
“I believe the window is closed. I don’t think he’ll be going. And I believe that Toronto closed the window. That initially they were willing to let him go, and then they weren’t. And so I think that’s kind of where it stands here.
“It’s an interesting situation. There was some pushback from Colorado at the beginning in saying that it wasn’t accurate and it didn’t happen. And I think that it’s possible that there were people in Colorado who didn’t know that it had happened.
“But there was definitely contact. There was permission given. And for whatever reason – and only Toronto knows, and you’ve got a better chance of getting the nuclear codes than probably this information out of Toronto – but I think Toronto revoked permission and I don’t think he’s going.”
You can listen to Friedman talk here (conversation on Dubas begins at about the 11-minute mark).
Avs GM Joe Sakic, nor anyone else with the Avs, is talking right now. Obviously, when Sakic decides to hold his next press conference, whenever that is, he will be asked about this. This is something the Avs probably will want to get out ahead of at some point soon I imagine. Does Sakic want the perception to permeate out there that the team is looking to shake things up with his job, or that he’s looking for help and/or needs help? Does he want it to look like, based on Friedman’s reporting, that the Avs might have “lost” again, in this case trying to land Dubas?
I’m sure we’ll all know more at some point soon.
