Did ex-Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas and his agent have conflict of interest?
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The company Kyle Dubas keeps could matter in both his past negotiations with the Maple Leafs and seeking his next job, at least to the NHL Players’ Association.
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A spokesperson for the NHLPA confirmed Thursday afternoon that the union is reviewing whether Dubas being represented by the Los Angeles-based Wasserman talent agency is a conflict of interest, as the firm also handles NHL stars such as Leafs sniper Auston Matthews.
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Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff first reported the NHLPA’s concerns. Dubas is represented by Chris Armstrong, a fellow Brock University grad who usually handles pro golfers out of Wasserman’s Toronto office. But the company also has Matthews, whose point man for coming negotiations as the last year of his contract approaches is Judd Moldaver.
NHLPA regulations stipulate that agents cannot work for league personnel and though Armstrong is not a certified NHLPA agent, Moldaver is.
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Daily Faceoff quoted an anonymous agent who insisted that union rules are quite clear — reps for a company that handles players are prohibited from taking management clients. That is a condition of certification explained to all agents in 2022. Dubas was himself an agent for a brief time.
An attempt to contact Armstrong was not immediately returned. On Wednesday night, Wasserman posted a tweet celebrating it receiving the annual Sports Business Journal award for best talent representation for a second straight year with clips of its golf, soccer, MLB and NFL clients, including Matthews. He and Connor McDavid are among the roughly 10% of all NHLers in the Wasserman stable.
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