Kyle Dubas has gained some perspective through defeat.

Following another roller-coaster season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, their general manager says he underestimated the importance of veteran leadership.

"Why, after the first time, I just didn't realize it and learn it then and then apply it every time moving forward, that's just a mistake on my end," Dubas said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "Shame on me for that."

Though the Leafs have made the postseason in four straight campaigns, the team has yet to make it beyond the first round. A disappointing five-game series loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2019-20 forced Dubas to rethink his previous position on the importance of leadership.

The 35-year-old executive addressed the Leafs' need for more veteran voices during the offseason. Dubas re-signed Jason Spezza, brought in future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton, and inked Wayne Simmonds and TJ Brodie to add more experience and determination to the club's Stanley Cup pursuit.

"Those guys have a real increased sense of urgency to them," Dubas said. "Either time is running out on their career and they want to win - in the case of Spezza, Thornton, and Simmonds - or they've faced great disappointment in the past, like TJ Brodie and all the guys on our roster."

However, Dubas did take the time to credit some of the pre-existing in-house leadership. He praised defenseman Morgan Rielly for doing "one of the most selfless things that I've seen" when Rielly volunteered to give his spot on the top power-play unit to Tyson Barrie to help the struggling rearguard find his confidence.

The GM said over the weekend that he's relying on Rielly and the rest of the club's budding core to continue growing in order for the Leafs to reach their maximum potential.

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The NHL isn't straying too far from its original goal of starting the season on Jan. 1, even though that date is just a month away and the format has yet to be determined.

The league still hopes to drop the puck in early January, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports.

Obstacles appear to stem from the NHL and players' association's ongoing negotiations, but a source told LeBrun that talks have continued.

Both sides agreed to a new six-year collective bargaining agreement before the league's return to play over the summer that accounted for the expected financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The union agreed to 10% salary deferrals with escrow capping at 20%. That money was agreed to be paid in three equal, interest-free installments in October 2022, 2023, 2024.

However, the league has reportedly asked for players to defer 20% of their salaries while escrow increases to 25%. This request has reportedly left the players feeling angry and betrayed, as they came to an agreement less than six months ago.

It was recently reported that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr hadn't spoken to each other from Nov. 19 through at least Nov. 25, though the silence between the sides appears to be over.

A recent spike in COVID-19 cases could also add to the challenge of starting the season on time. The NFL, for example, has been hit with a wave of positive tests, causing multiple game postponements and teams to play shorthanded.

The format for the NHL season remains unclear, but an all-Canadian division appears likely given the country's current border restrictions. The league is also reportedly considering having teams play in their own rinks while conducting MLB-like series of two-to-three games. It was reported in early November that 48 games are the fewest that the league will agree to for the upcoming campaign.

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The QMJHL is putting all of its activities on hold from Dec. 1 to Jan. 3, the league announced Monday, while adding that more details will be provided in the next few weeks.

“The current situation with the pandemic in the regions in which we operate makes it extremely difficult to play games,” QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said in a statement. “With the holidays just around the corner, the provinces in the Maritimes have restricted access and travel, while red zone restrictions in Quebec do not permit us to play.”

Multiple QMJHL teams have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks since the league began its 2020-21 season in October. In the middle of that month, the QMJHL paused all games in Quebec. Then, about three weeks later, it relocated seven teams to a bubble in Quebec City.

The WHL and OHL haven't opened their campaigns and are targeting start dates of Jan. 8 and Feb. 4, respectively.

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The United States announced its preliminary roster for the 2021 world juniors on Monday.

The 29 selected players - 10 returnees from the 2020 squad - will convene in Plymouth, Michigan, for training camp beginning Dec. 6. The tournament starts Christmas Day in Edmonton.

"We have a talented group and we’ll have some tough decisions to make," general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said. "We continue to benefit from a deep player pool, and that’s credit to all of the organizations and volunteers developing the next wave of American talent."

Forwards

The United States have plenty of first-round talent up front; the group is headlined by blue-chip prospects Robertson, Caufield, and Turcotte. Zegras is another player to watch, as he led the club in scoring at last year's tournament with nine assists in five games.

Defense

The American defensive corps is also ripe with promising prospects, primarily Sandersson - the fifth overall pick in 2020 - as well as York, and Thrun.

Goalies

USA's greatest strength may be in goal. Knight posted a .931 save percentage in 33 games at Boston College last season and is expected to take the No. 1 spot. Meanwhile, Wolf won CHL Goaltender of the Year in 2020 after a dominant campaign with the Everett Silvertips that saw him post a 34-10-2 record along with a .935 clip and 1.88 goals-against average.

The United States is coming off a disappointing sixth-place finish at last year's event in Ostrava, Czech Republic. USA's quest for redemption starts on Christmas with a heavyweight tilt versus Russia.

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Professional sports is a business, but fans often forget the human element. Player movement is constant, and friendships can be disrupted in the blink of an eye.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy learned that the hard way this offseason when Torey Krug signed with the St. Louis Blues.

"'TK' was one of the first people who took me under his wing right away from the moment I got there," McAvoy told the "Cam & Strick Podcast," according to NHL.com. "We still work out (in the summers). He's just an unbelievable guy. Everybody (in St. Louis) is going to love him. … I'm still sad that he's not on our team, honestly."

Krug spent nine seasons with the Bruins, tallying 337 points across 523 games. He inked a seven-year deal carrying an average annual value of $6.5 million with the Blues on Oct. 9 when free agency opened.

It didn't appear as though Krug was eager to leave Boston. He was blunt following his signing, with the veteran saying he didn't even receive an offer from the Bruins.

McAvoy believes Krug's presence will be missed dearly.

"It definitely doesn't really feel real, showing up to training camp that he's not going to be there," the 22-year-old said. "(St. Louis) got a (really good) hockey player.

"He's an unbelievably gifted defenseman, especially on the offensive side of the puck. He just sees the game so well. He's going to make the Blues a very good hockey team."

Zdeno Chara also remains unsigned while pondering his future, which means Boston's blue line could look vastly different in 2021. Here's the team's projected top six:

McAvoy has already become one of the league's better two-way defenders. Now with three years already under his belt, many are projecting a breakout season for him offensively, especially if he gets some of Krug's power-play time.

"I'm definitely excited to be where I am and with this team," McAvoy said. "And I'm not really sure what's going to happen. This is kind of like a weird place to be. I (haven't) been in this position since I've been here where it kind of looks like we're restructuring a little bit on the back end.

"No one knows what's going to happen to (Chara) and all that. But whatever the challenge is, I know that I'll be ready for it."

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