Cathy Squires

The new Leafs GM is going to be confronted with a big job as soon as they take over. The major remaking of the team was inked into the Leafs' calendar by Kyle Dubas, intentionally I think, to give him – or a new GM – the opportunity to really make the tired, old phrase "run it back" into a lie.

Worlds have ended with some happy Canadians, and for Latvia, happy isn't a strong enough word. The Memorial Cup is moving along too quickly, and soon the hockey will be over again.

The main issue surrounds a conflict that has plagued hockey for years, and has never had a satisfying solution provided by anyone.

Several potential GM candidates have been mentioned in passing, and unlike with Brad Treliving, who the Leafs are definitely interested in, the rest are speculative. A lot of weight got put on Brendan Shanahan's original remarks about "experience", but things can change.

Just in general, Wednesday is a very off day, but it is also a day off at the World Championships.

The meme is that the NHL just recycles the same six guys from team to team, but is that really true? Where do most of the GMs working for NHL teams come from?

The official Dubas family statement on Kyle Dubas's departure from the Maple Leafs.

It was process. It has always been about process and how you only trust a good process, not a flawed one.

Brad Treliving seems to be the only candidate for the job of Leafs GM because he quit his last one. Who exactly is Treliving and is he better than all the rest because he still knows the fax number of the NHL offices?

Holiday weekend chat and doomsayers club.

Two versions of Brendan Shanahan exist. V1 was ready to extend Kyle Dubas as GM of the Leafs. V2 decided on Thursday, shortly after Dubas's agent submitted a new contract offer, that he was firing that guy.

Brendan Shanahan met the press today, five days after the "locker cleanout" media availability he skipped. He embarked on a cringeworthy and embarassing recitation of how he ended up divorced from Kyle Dubas.

With the exit of Kyle Dubas, stage left, I fully expect Sheldon Keefe to dutifully trot off after him any day now. The question is going to be, does the management think the players are enough. And which players precisely?

Multiple reports are saying the Kyle Dubas will not return as Leafs GM. His contract expires on June 30.

Count me out of the group that thinks the Auston Matthews contract just totally must be signed by July 1 or the sky will fall. There is no plausible threat of a trade to hold over his head because Auston Matthews can't have more leverage than he has just by virtue of who he is.

William Nylander is believed to be right behind him, ready to join up.

The final four NHL teams are set, and they are hot like burning. Dallas (average June daytime high of 33°) beat out Seattle last night to take the last spot in the Hot Four. They join Vegas (39°), Carolina (30°) and Florida (31°) in the quest for the Cup.

In a somewhat shocking turn, Kyle Dubas came out and said that he will either return as GM of the Leafs or he won't be working anywhere. He said that this season has been taxing on him and his family, and they will discuss his future in the coming days.

All the player interview videos from the final media availability of the season.

We ask the big questions and give our best answers before we have any idea of what to base them on. As is tradition.

You need some facts before you fantasy trade all the Leafs for stars on other teams. And yes, you could just look this up on Cap Friendly, but here's some things you need to know.

After game three of the second round, when the Leafs had played very poorly for three straight at a very inopportune moment, I went back and read two things from the end of the Montréal series. Both were about Mitch Marner.

Florida wins it in overtime. This is how it happened:

We know the Leafs can win an elimination game, they've done it before. That's just science.

Are the Leafs really on the brink of a long fall, or are they actually at the bottom of a long climb? I don't think that's a question of pessimism vs optimism or realism vs hopium. I think it's a question of point of view.