Cathy Squires

You're not supposed to. You're supposed to hate them or be bitter about them or jaded or resigned to them being so Leafy ha ha. You're not supposed to just like them.

This is in the early stages, but the context for this news comes as Mike Babcock is confirmed to be the head coach in Columbus once his Maple Leafs contract ends at the end of this month and other teams are finalizing coaching searches.

Kyle Dubas built a team that was competitive and if they keep trying eventually they'll get the bounces and they'll win. He didn't build a team to go for it and win the Cup. Okay. How do you know? Because they lost x times in a row. Ergo...

Just add water and stir. The takeaway noodles you can make at home!

The first media availability of the Maple Leafs new General Manager is live in this post – will be replayable later. Scheduled start time is 11:00 am.

There has been talk all summer that multiple NHL teams were interested in Carbery as a head coach, giving him a step up to the next rung on the career ladder – the way most teams fill open positions.

Leafs news (there is none) and chat. There is some NHL news, though.

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.