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Kyle Dubas Reveals Trade He Regrets Making the Most

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Apr 14, 2026 5:42 PM ET

Every general manager in the NHL makes a bad trade. Some are ones that stick with them throughout their careers. For former Toronto Maple Leafs GM (now Pittsburgh Penguins GM) Kyle Dubas, there’s one he’s never been able to let go of.

Speaking on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Dubas was asked if there was a trade he regrets.

“The one that I regret most — and I’ve said this before — is Mason Marchment. We traded Mason to Florida. He had come up with us the whole way. We signed him to a minor-league deal after his overage season in major junior. He was in Orlando in the ECHL for most of the first year, then played for the Marlies for about three months, just working with the development team — and that was my responsibility then. It was 2016-17 with the Leafs, working for Lou, and he came so far. He helped us win the Calder Cup in 2018 and was a huge part of that. He made his NHL debut the next year, which was awesome.”

Why Did the Maple Leafs Trade Marchment?

The way Dubas describes Marchment and the time the Maple Leafs invested in him, it sounds like that’s the kind of player you don’t trade. However, the Leafs needed something at the time, and it took trading him to get it.

“Then, you know, he was 24 or 25 at the time, and we moved him to Florida. We needed skill at that point. We had some guys out of the lineup, and it was a younger skill guy coming in.” The Maple Leafs traded for Denis Malgin . He played only eight games for the Maple Leafs that season, with another 23 in 2022-23 before moving on to the Colorado Avalanche. He is currently in Zurich SC.

“But every time I see Mason play — no matter where he is — I just kick myself, because we really needed that style of player throughout: the competitiveness, the ability to score, to get under people’s skin, the physicality, and the ability to get to the net. I always kick myself about that one.”

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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