Kyle Dubas addresses his silence over exit as Toronto Maple Leafs GM and President

It has been a rollercoaster of a season for Kyle Dubas, the Pittsburgh Penguins president and general manager.

He recently had an honest chat with Pierre LeBrun from The Athletic about leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs, discussing his new role and also his future with the Penguins.

Regarding his departure from Toronto, Kyle Dubas stressed that it's important to not let personal feelings mess things up and distract from what both the Penguins and the Maple Leafs are trying to achieve.

"Unloading my personal feelings is what a lot of people want, and it may make me feel good in the short run, but it’s not of any benefit to the Pittsburgh Penguins or the dozens of players and staff in Toronto who I want to see have success," Dubas said (via Athletic.com)

Dubas' contract with the Maple Leafs was cut short after a five-year stint. Before leaving, he had talked about not being sure of wanting to stay, noting the pressure the job put on his family.

"Had a good long relationship with Brendan and the owners," he said in a press confernece. "I’ll speak to them in the coming days.

"I’ll speak to my wife Shannon and my family and see how we want to proceed with anything. It’s been a taxing year on them, and that’s important to me."

Dubas was accompanied by his assistant Jason Spezza as he moved form Toronto to Pittsburgh.

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Kyle Dubas on trading Jake Guentzel and Pens future

One of the significant topics Kyle Dubas addressed was the trade involving forward Jake Guentzel.

"I wasn’t there the whole time with him, but I could feel internally the disappointment in seeing Jake walk out the door," Dubas said, “It’s tough when you have to make those decisions."

Dubas added:

“But you have to always do what you believe is best for the long term of the organization"

The Penguins have struggled for consistency, as they are 30-29-9. So, Dubas will hope that his choices improve the team's fortunes.