Toronto Maple Leafs: Lou Lamoriello will not return as GM
By James Reeve
The rumours surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello can finally end, with the news that he will not remain in the position next season.
Lou Lamoriello joined the Toronto Maple Leafs three years ago and has helped oversee a strong turnaround of fortunes for the franchise.
In his short tenure in Toronto, Lou has transformed the way the team present themselves off the ice and has helped lure a number of talented players to the team, helping them reach back-to-back playoffs for the first time since the turn of the century.
The 75-year-old has also overseen a number of contract negotiations, seeing the likes of Morgan Rielly, Nazem Kadri and Nikita Zaitsev sign long-term deals with the team.
Brendan Shanahan, President and Alternate Governor of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced today that Lou Lamoriello will not return next season as General Manager of the @MapleLeafs. #TMLtalk
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) April 30, 2018
But now his time has come to an end and he will no doubt step into a senior advisor role, remaining a key part of the team behind the scenes.
This will most likely allow Kyle Dubas to assume the role that everyone associated with the club has expected him to take from day one.
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This offseason will be a testing one for the 32-year-old, with a number of high profile free agents to make decisions on, as well as the NHL draft.
William Nylander‘s contract will set the bar for negotiations with Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews next season, so Dubas must get the best deal for the team.
For the Leafs, there will be a period of uncertainty moving forward.
Will Dubas be able to step up into the role seamlessly, or will there be some growing pains with the huge responsibility of replacing such a revered man?
One thing is for sure; fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs will be forever grateful for Lamoriello’s service and will hope the team can continue to build on the strong foundation he has laid.
Next: Time for Kyle Dubas to make his mark on the Leafs
What do you think Leafs fans? Will you be sad to see Lamoriello go, or are you excited by the prospect of Dubas at the helm? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!