Rumors swirling around Dubas even with Leafs in middle of 1st round

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is busy preparing himself and his team for what I'm sure he is expecting to be a lengthy playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. But behind the scenes there are rumblings that he already has his next job lined up.

Dubas' contract with the Leafs is up after this season and President Brendan Shanahan has stated publicly that the Leafs won't consider renewing his contract until the 2022-23 season concludes. In other words: If they crap the bed again, Dubas is hisotry.

Pittsburgh Penguins insider Rob Rossi reports that the Penguins are interested in Dubas however and that they'd give him "full power" to do what he wants with the team.

More from Rossi:

Does Dubas want it?

FSG would offer him whatever he wants — and not just money and power.

The Penguins are part of an FSG sports portfolio that also includes the Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club and RFK Racing. Dubas, long reported to see hockey and soccer as different sides of the same coin, is said to cherish an opportunity to learn from teams and leagues outside the NHL. He can do that now with Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto Football Club. FSG, though, is a global sports entity.

Perhaps most importantly, FSG could offer control.

Two sources familiar with the Penguins’ ongoing search told The Athletic that FSG would give Dubas full power with the Penguins. He wouldn’t be a GM reporting to Brendan Shanahan, as is the case with the Maple Leafs. Rather, in Pittsburgh, Dubas would be GM with the influence of a president of hockey operations, even if that’s not his title.

- Rob Rossi

Honestly... I could see it happening. The thing is, it's just odd timing is all. Frankly, this is awfully close to tampering assuming that Rossi is reporting on information that he has received directly from Penguins stakeholders.

On paper it's a move that makes a lot of sense and if indeed the Leafs fall flat on their faces again, I could definitely see Dubas as the Penguins' new GM.