Toronto Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares has finally spoken about Kyle Dubas, the man who brought him to Toronto, and his firing. <h3>Tavares Speaks on Dubas</h3> John Tavares was a landmark signing in NHL history when he signed with hometown Toronto on July 1st 2018. The seven year, 77 million dollar deal was expected to usher in a new dynasty of Leafs hockey, but expectations have not been met. Since Tavares was brought in, his Leafs have only managed to win one round in five years, and the $11 million AAV for Tavares looks to be an anchor on the Leafs salary cap. Kyle Dubas, who brought in Tavares, was fired in June of this year by Brendan Shanahan and was replaced by former Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving. <h3>Tavares Gives his Thoughts</h3> Tavares spoke about his ex-GM's firing and expressed understanding of the situation. <q>You guys know the impact Kyle has made on me & the role he played when I was a free agent & convincing me why this opportunity was the right one ... we understand that's the business of the game and things happen,</q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/koshtorontosun/status/1679675364774141953'> </a></blockquote></div> Dubas was unsure about returning to the Leafs for next season, and that was a major catalyst for the Leafs going in a new direction. <h3>New Era</h3> Dubas' firing starts a new era of management, both for himself and his former team. After his firing, Dubas landed on his feet quickly and was hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins as President of Hockey Operation and Interim GM. The Leafs pivoted quickly to Treliving, whose record in Calgary was decidedly mixed. On Treliving's agenda will be figuring out how to maximize Tavares, an aging player who still has oodles of skill, but his lack of foot speed may force a move to the wing. It is imperative for the Leafs to get the most of their captain, or else that mammoth contract Dubas gave him all those years ago will end up as on of the most disappointing in franchise history. As Seen in Maple Leafs Daily - <a href='https://www.mapleleafsdaily.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/Leafs-captain-John-Tavares-publicly-comments-for-the-first-time-on-the-Dubas-firing-Treliving-hiring' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Leafs captain John Tavares publicly comments for the first time on the Dubas firing, Treliving hiring</a>