Kyle Dubas Reflects on Regret of Trading Mason Marchment from Maple Leafs

Kyle Dubas, now the president of hockey operations and general manager for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has opened up about a significant regret from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. During a recent appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Dubas discussed his current team as they gear up for the playoffs while also revisiting some pivotal moments from his tenure in Toronto.

One trade that stands out in Dubas’ mind is the deal that sent Mason Marchment to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Denis Malgin on February 19, 2020. “To me, the one that I regret most is — I’ve said this before openly — Mason Marchment,” Dubas shared. He recalled the journey Marchment took with the Leafs, from being signed to a minor-league deal after his overage junior season to working tirelessly with the development team in the ECHL.

Dubas reminisced about Marchment’s contributions, noting that he had been instrumental in helping the team win a Calder Cup in 2018. After making his NHL debut the following year, Dubas reflected on the trade, which occurred when Marchment was around 24 or 25 years old. The Leafs were in need of skill due to injuries, leading them to acquire Malgin, whom they thought could fit the bill.

However, Dubas admitted, “Every time I see Mason play, like no matter where he is, I just kick myself because we really needed that style of player throughout. Just the competitiveness, the ability to score, the ability to get under people’s skin, the physicality, the ability to get to the net. I always kick myself about that one.” Marchment’s career took off after leaving Toronto, where he found his footing with the Panthers.

After a modest first season in Florida, where he recorded 10 points in 33 games, Marchment truly broke out during the 2021-22 season, finishing with 18 goals and 47 points in just 54 games. His success led to a four-year, $18 million contract with the Dallas Stars in July 2022. Marchment played three seasons in Dallas before being traded to the Seattle Kraken last summer.

Despite struggling to find his game with Seattle, Marchment was eventually traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in mid-December. There, he experienced a resurgence, scoring 15 goals and tallying 32 points in 39 games.

On the flip side, Denis Malgin’s stint with the Maple Leafs was brief. He appeared in only eight games for Toronto during the 2019-20 season before heading back to Switzerland, where he excelled in the Swiss League over the next two seasons. Malgin made a return to the NHL in 2022-23 with the Maple Leafs, contributing two goals and two assists in 23 games before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche for Dryden Hunt in December 2022. He has since returned to Switzerland, winning two Swiss League titles with the Zurich Lions.

As the summer approaches, Mason Marchment is set to become an unrestricted free agent, leaving the door open for new opportunities in the NHL.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.