Metro Division notes: On Dubas joining the Penguins and the Rangers' coaching search

Although not much is happening with the Devils right now, there's plenty going on within the division.

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The New Jersey Devils have a lot of items on their off-season to-do list. While GM Tom Fitzgerald is yet to really get started in terms of checking them off, there’s a lot happening elsewhere in the division.

Let’s take a closer look.

On Kyle Dubas heading to Pittsburgh

The Penguins’ window has been teetering on the brink of closing for a couple of years now. It’s not necessarily because the core is too old – Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and co. are still playing great hockey – but rather because they have not had adequate support. Those guys, while still fantastic, can’t will the team to success alone. They need help; and previous GMs have not been able to find it.

I think Dubas is a great hire and someone who can really aid in that quest. I know the Maple Leafs didn’t meet expectations during his tenure but, for his faults, he was consistently able to bring in meaningful contributors on value contracts.

Michael Bunting provided the Maple Leafs with 46 goals and 112 points over the last two years while earning less than $2 million total.

Eyeballs were raised when David Kampf was handed a two-year, $1.5M AAV contract in free agency. All he did was excel chewing up the most difficult minutes Sheldon Keefe could throw at him, posting GARs of 5.0 and 6.50 over his two years with the team.

Calle Jarnkrok, another Dubas free agent signing, makes $2.1 million annually. He scored 20 goals in 73 games while also serving as one of the team’s primary penalty killers in his debut season with Toronto. And the list goes on.

Obviously Dubas had some misses along the way – such as Petr Mrazek – but he deserves a lot of credit for routinely adding quality pieces at cost efficient prices to support his high priced core.

That’s what the Penguins need to get back into contention. They can’t afford anymore Jeff Carters or Mikael Granlunds. They need to hit on their mid-range swings and find some diamonds in the bargain bin as well. Dubas can help them do that.

I also think his progressiveness, and willingness to trust the numbers, can help in drafting and developing, which the Penguins will need to do a much better job of if they want a remotely seamless transition from the Crosby/Malkin/Letang era into whatever comes next.

The Metro got better with Dubas at the helm in Pittsburgh.

On New York’s coaching search