When Kyle Dubas (BSM ’07) learned he was receiving an honorary doctorate from Brock University, his mind began to whirl about what he would say to the Class of 2023.

That message became clear on May 19, when he was fired as General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

During his Convocation address on Wednesday, June 14, the proud Brock Sport Management grad, who has since become President of Hockey Operations with the Pittsburgh Penguins, explained why some of the hardest days of his professional career are what drew the most inspiration.

People often say if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. However, Dubas said, no matter how much you love your job, there will always be days that feel like work and there will always be days that are difficult.

“Find something that you really still love when it gets incredibly hard,” he said. “When you fail, when you lose, when people tell you that you aren’t very good, when people doubt you: that’s what you’re probably meant to be doing. If you can find that thing you still love when it becomes hard, that’s for you. Invest in yourself when you get there.”

Dubas learned to invest in himself from his late grandfather, Walter.

Kyle Dubas (centre) receives his honorary doctorate from Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Dean Peter Tiidus (left) and Chancellor Hilary Pearson (right).

At 18, Dubas was offered a scouting position for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds — his hometown Ontario Hockey League team, which he would go on to become General Manager of from 2011-14.

The scouting position offered minimal pay and required a car, meaning costly car insurance for any teen driver.

Many people encouraged Dubas to turn the job down — the cost was simply too much, he said.

But his grandfather brought another opinion to the table.

“He said, ‘everyone is looking at it as a cost, look at it as a bet,’” Dubas recalled. “I never looked at that opportunity as a cost, I looked at it as an investment in myself. Without that investment and without that advice, I wouldn’t be here today.”

If the right opportunity comes along, even if everything is not perfect, “look at it as an investment in yourself and what you really want to do,” he said.

Following his time with the Greyhounds, Dubas spent nine seasons as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, including the past five as General Manager. At the time of his hiring in 2018, he was the second-youngest General Manager in NHL history at age 32.

When his career pivoted and he had to determine where to head next, the people he relied upon most to “help me make that decision and to help me get back up on my feet” were his close friends — fellow graduates from his 2007 Brock class.

“I was able to reflect back and realize that along the way when you fail … when you lose, when you don’t reach your goal, every time when you make a bad trade or a bad signing or you don’t hire the right people, it’s always the same people that are there to help you and lift you up,” he said, adding many of those lifelong friends are made in university.

“Attending Brock University changed my entire life. There’s just no other way to put it,” Dubas said. “It opened the door for me to the greatest personal and professional opportunities that I could ever have.”

He encouraged Brock’s Class of 2023 to “always invest in yourself when you can. Always be there for your fellow graduates along the way, especially when they stumble and fall. And always be proud that you graduated from Brock University.”

Brock University’s 113th Convocation continues Thursday, June 15 and Friday, June 16. From June 12 to 16, about 3,500 graduands from seven Faculties will receive their degrees. In addition to Dubas, this week Brock also bestowed honorary doctorates upon Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc. founder and CEO Jenn Harper and Women Get On Board founder and CEO Deborah Rosati (BAdmin ’84).

All Spring Convocation ceremonies take place in the Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium of Brock’s Walker Sports Complex and will be livestreamed online at brocku.ca/livestream

For more information and a full schedule of Brock’s Spring Convocation, visit brocku.ca/convocation

Watch Dubas’ full Convocation address below:

Discover the full collection of Convocation photos by ceremony on Brock University’s official Facebook page.