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A ‘welcome back’ video or scoreboard shoutout for Kyle Dubas would be apropos when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit on Saturday night.

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But what people really want is any hidden camera footage of just what happened between him and Brendan Shanahan six months ago in their final meetings that soured their relationship and altered the future — and furniture — in the general manager’s Bay St., suite.

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Club president Shanahan is the only one to have gone into great detail — his version — on how the contract extension for his hand-picked hockey ops boss became a firing within a few days in an apparent power grab by Dubas.

In his post-dismissal statement, Dubas claimed he was in the midst of assessing his future in Toronto — taking into account family considerations — when the axe fell.
However, he added that he respected the club’s right to make a change at that stage.

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He spoke warmly of his nine years in Toronto, heaping plaudits on his staff, some such as lieutenant Jason Spezza joining him in Pittsburgh.

“We roll from here,” concluded Dubas, who has indicated to the media he’ll not be talking during the team’s short stayover in Toronto, as was the case when the Leafs visited Pittsburgh on Nov. 25 and lost 3-2.

But it hasn’t been going smoothly for his new or old teams. Earlier this week, Dubas had to give a vote of confidence to coach Mike Sullivan after a four-game losing streak, which was then reversed with wins over Arizona and Montreal.

Brought in to prevent the aging Penguins from sliding out of the playoffs a second straight spring (the Leafs never missed the dance when he was GM), Pittsburgh is separated from its division basement by only Columbus.

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Speaking of which, the Blue Jackets beat the Leafs in overtime on Thursday, with Toronto needing to score five goals in a hairy third period to tie it up after being booed off of the ice.

Catcalls following a poor period have become a frequent occurrence, despite being just four points back of Atlantic-leading Boston.

Brad Treliving’s four big off-season acquisitions — John Klingberg, Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Ryan Reaves — have either been hurt or earned mixed reviews in their short tenure, while less-publicized pickups such as Noah Gregor, Martin Jones, Simon Benoit and William Lagesson, have filled gaps.

Treliving also took Ilya Samsonov to arbitration rather than a multi-year deal, which is, so far, the right course as the goalie lacks last year’s form.

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Treliving has inherited two problems from Dubas — lack of blueline depth and salary cap hell. William Nylander is due a huge raise, with the Core Four forwards already being paid north of $40 million US.

PRACTICE IMPERFECT

Perhaps it was to beat the flu bug, or because injuries would’ve disrupted lines and defence pairs, or just that he has no idea what to say to his loosey-goosey team any more.

But head coach Sheldon Keefe cancelled Friday’s practice after all of Thursday’s dramatics. Had the Leafs not responded in the third when down five, against yet another bottom-five foe, with Scotiabank Arena in full Scrooge mode, Friday’s workout deserved to be a Roman galley-slave exercise with Keefe holding the whip.
When they do huddle on Saturday morning, the Reaves leg injury will be addressed and, while Matthew Knies should be ready after a bout with flu cost him two games, a Marlies callup is possible.

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There could also be an update on defenceman Timothy Liljegren’s return, though Keefe did hint it won’t be until he gets in a full practice.

And all signs point to Jones in net to try for a 3-0 mark as a Leaf in what would be his first home start.

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

The league had to root through the record book to declare the Jackets the first team to win after surrendering a five-goal, third-period lead.

Had the Leafs come all the way back, they’d have been the fourth side ever to claim victory after overcoming the same deficit, in regular season or playoffs, and the first in 23 years.

Auston Matthews, who scored twice in the rally to take back the league goal lead with 23, was asked about the mood in the room after two periods, with jeering from the crowd audible throughout the rink.

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“No sulking, no turning on each other,” he said. “This is our building. Quite the effort to come back from 5-0.”

And quite something to fall in that hole in the first place.

KIRTON CREATES NHL ALS FUND

Former Leaf Mark Kirton, who carried the banner for ALS awareness long before the tragedy of the disease struck home in Toronto with Borje Salming’s death, has unveiled a fund-raising initiative with all seven Canadian teams.

The clubs’ collective ALS Super Fund will feature 50/50 draws, auctions, skills competitions and merchandise sales.

‘It’s taken me about seven months to bring this campaign to fruition,” said Kirton, diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 2018. “What sets this disease apart from others is not only does it not have a cure, but is underfunded and in a lot of ways underexposed.

“Numbers across Canada are in the vicinity of 4,000 to 5,000, versus the 3,000 we’ve heard for years. I’m also witnessing in greater numbers ALS families unable to afford what’s needed to care for the patient. That is very sad.”

[email protected]

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