Ferguson Officially Fired

[habsfan87 0]

press confress today to presumably announce Cliff Fletcher interm GM.

The Leafs hung this guy out to dry, imo its about time. I'm anxious to see how long the terms are, or Role after this season for Fletcher

[Eternal 0]

Hopfully things can turn around and he doesn't give away the teams future.

Heres the link- http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=227906&hubname=

[Eazy_b97 1]

Poor JFJ. Never really got a fair shake. He made one terrible trade (Rask), and the rest were not really bad. The media saw an opportunity to harp on the guy and ran with it. He takes the fall for the incompetence of Peddie and those above him. Hopefully this starts a nice rebuild. Alot of tradeable assets which should get big returns.

[chef_ducky 0]

Understandable....

Rumors are saying that the Leafs might trade away Sundin for the playoffs...

ANyone heard about this

[habsfan87 0]

Poor JFJ. Never really got a fair shake. He made one terrible trade (Rask), and the rest were not really bad. The media saw an opportunity to harp on the guy and ran with it. He takes the fall for the incompetence of Peddie and those above him. Hopefully this starts a nice rebuild. Alot of tradeable assets which should get big returns.

well said, I agree. The man couldn't do his job from day one, he couldnt even fire his coach if he wanted to (not that he should have). The leafs "Brass" need to park their asses in that nice press box, count their money and let hockey people deal with hockey matters. Fletcher, Peddie and others are going to form a commitee to find a new GM in the off season so they're headed in the right direction.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Understandable....

Rumors are saying that the Leafs might trade away Sundin for the playoffs...

ANyone heard about this

Yes, a trade looks highly possible at this point. Fletcher is coming in, and has a good relationship with Mats. He should be able to move him at the deadline (since he has a NTC).

[chef_ducky 0]

but where do you think he would go....

and do you think he would want to

[mrusse01 0]

Fletcher, Peddie and others are going to form a commitee to find a new GM in the off season so they're headed in the right direction.

Who do you think chose Ferguson in the first place?

I feel bad for JFJ, he should have been replaced after last season, and while I don't like what he did for the hockey club I have to admit that he seemed to be trying his best, was obviously devestated by the losses, and handled himself with dignity. He was unfairly treated by MLSE and I would have liked to see him stick around as maybe a Director of Scouting or assistant GM role, but I suspect he has too much pride and class to associate himself with this franchise any longer.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I've heard a number of teams. Philly, Van, Cal, Ana, Det and even Ott have all been rumoured. I don't think he wants to, but I think he will do so if he is asked. It appears that it is already in the works.

Fletcher at the PC, he looks like he is a hundred years old.

[mrusse01 0]

I've heard Vancouver is the #1 most likely destination. There are also a lot of rumors Sundin won't waive his NTC because of personal reasons (he's got a broad in T.O. who apprently works in the area and is successful enough to not want to leave).

I'd love to hear a reasonable explanation as to why they have Cliff Fletcher instead of Scotty Bowman doing this, but I suspect such a thing doesn't exist.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Fletcher is doing this in the immediate future. Bowman wants alot more and it is a much more complicated process. He wants to do many things, which may not be available right now. He is also pissed at the Organization at the moment.

Fun fact, JFJ finishs 35 games over .500 in 3.5 seasons for the Leafs.

[chippa13 1844]

Poor JFJ. Never really got a fair shake. He made one terrible trade (Rask), and the rest were not really bad. The media saw an opportunity to harp on the guy and ran with it. He takes the fall for the incompetence of Peddie and those above him. Hopefully this starts a nice rebuild. Alot of tradeable assets which should get big returns.

I'd say the jury is still out on the Rask trade. We really won't know how that deal turned out for a few years. To be honest, judging today the B's got hurt more by that trade. They forced Hannu into a regular NHL gig too early and he flopped, getting wheeled for a third rounder.

[Eazy_b97 1]

True, and it's funny how Rask was supposedly demanded because they wanted another Finn to work with Hannu. That said, I love Rask as a prospect, he has an incredible skillset. Goaltending prospects are generally undervalued in trades (dont get a great return), but Raycroft is being run out of town. I believe unfairly, but he is still playing poorly and will not return much, if anything.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I hope Maurice keeps his job...this mess isn't his fault. The only person who REALLY derserved to get canned in T-dot is Peddie...but that will never happen.

[mrusse01 0]

Fletcher is doing this in the immediate future. Bowman wants alot more and it is a much more complicated process. He wants to do many things, which may not be available right now. He is also pissed at the Organization at the moment.

Fun fact, JFJ finishs 35 games over .500 in 3.5 seasons for the Leafs.

True, but 'over .500' stats are misleading in hockey nowadays because of shootout wins.

I also think Fletcher is going to be there longer than most people suspect, it will be interesting to see if the details of his contract come out.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I think Toronto has 5-6 SO wins under JFJ. They are among the worst in the NHL in that regard.

Fletcher's contract is 19 months. First bit (the remainder of the season), is as Interim GM, the rest is as a consultant.

[mrusse01 0]

35 games over .500 is 3.5 seasons makes it sound like they've been better than they actually have...a more telling stat is that we're going to miss the playoffs for 3 straight years for the first time in franchise history.

This is from Berger's column yesterday, doesn't sound like Fletcher got any of these 'demands' :

*A deal without the so-called "interim" tag. Though every person hired by a hockey team is essentially on an interim arrangement, it is believed Fletcher has little enthusiasm for a short-term fix. He is looking to assume a presidential-type role, with full authority to hire the next general manager of the Maple Leafs. Cliff would remain at the top of the hockey department, and would have meaningful input into all matters relating to the team. Final authority, however, would be the domain of the GM, as in all functional organizations.

*A blessing from, or the exclusion of, minority shareholder and company chairman Larry Tanenbaum, who was instrumental in Fletcher being dismissed by the Leafs in May, 1997. Though no one will confirm this, it is believed Tanenbaum does not want Fletcher to return. In the latest round of his on-going internal squabble with CEO Richard Peddie, Tanenbaum is apparently trying to rally enough board members to offset the directors affiliated with Peddie, and the company's prime shareholder, the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. The latter group -- having the numbers, and the percentage-base authority to push through any appointment -- is believed to strongly favour Fletcher. With his 13 percent equity in the team, Tanenbaum is unlikely to summon enough clout in this battle.

*Most importantly, a written provision that would largely reduce the involvement of the MLSE board in hockey department matters. The board currently has input on everything from signings and trade proposals, to purchasing band-aids for the trainers' room. Though the directors of all NHL teams approve fiscal budgets, Fletcher is apparently looking for the MLSE board to move aside once a budget is in place. And, fans of the Maple Leafs would gladly shout "Amen!" to that.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Is that a more telling stat? Considering alot of Leafs teams made the playoffs with a record under .500? A record that was worse than JFJ's, even if you exclude the Shoot-out Wins.

They were a better team the past 2 seasons, than many of the mid 90s Leafs teams that made the playoffs and lost in the first round, and significantly better than many of the 80s teams that made the playoffs.

[fastmiele 59]

Poor JFJ. Never really got a fair shake. He made one terrible trade (Rask), and the rest were not really bad. The media saw an opportunity to harp on the guy and ran with it. He takes the fall for the incompetence of Peddie and those above him. Hopefully this starts a nice rebuild. Alot of tradeable assets which should get big returns.

I'd say the jury is still out on the Rask trade. We really won't know how that deal turned out for a few years. To be honest, judging today the B's got hurt more by that trade. They forced Hannu into a regular NHL gig too early and he flopped, getting wheeled for a third rounder.

I personally thought at the time of the trade it was a logical/reasonable trade. Belfour was gone and they needed an immediate NHL ready goalie. Tuuka Rask and Justin Pogge were no where ready so in order to get something you got to give something up. I also heard rumours that Task was being difficult in signing a contract, so given this it could of been a good decision to move him and make the best out of the situation.

Imagine if Raycroft played well like in his rookie season ? Then JFJ would of been a genius. Unfortunately the trade did not work out well for the Leafs.

[mrusse01 0]

Is that a more telling stat? Considering alot of Leafs teams made the playoffs with a record under .500? A record that was worse than JFJ's, even if you exclude the Shoot-out Wins.

They were a better team the past 2 seasons, than many of the mid 90s Leafs teams that made the playoffs and lost in the first round, and significantly better than many of the 80s teams that made the playoffs.

Anyway you slice it, this is the worst Leafs team in 10 years.

The fact is right now I doubt any franchise in the league would trade rosters with us straight up. Our best player by far is 36 years old (Sundin) and is an UFA. Our highest paid player is also arguably our most overpaid and is on the books for 3 more years with a no movement clause (McCabe). We have a 34 year old psudo-first line winger in Blake making $4 million per for the next FOUR seasons. Tucker looks done and is signed for the next 3 years at $3 million. Kubina is an overpaid 2/3 d-man at $5 million for two more years.

Those are our 6 highest paid players, McCabe, Sundin, Kubina, Blake, Kaberle, Tucker. Blake is on pace for 15 goals, Tucker has 11 POINTS without missing significant time this year, and none of the d-men has been anything close to a shutdown player, our PP has been near-last all season, and the three players who should be the defensive pillar of our team are a combined -2. Sundin is the only one performing at anything close to an elite level.

The only real palatable contract we have beyond this season is Kaberle at 4.25 for 3 more years (probably JFJs best move) and Nik at $2 million for one more year provided he can stay healthy. We still don't have a real solid goaltending situation, special teams are among the worst in the league both ways, we have no real blue chip prospects, the team is horrible defensively, we lack the toughness and grit of the Quinn era,; what is the identity of this club right now? Is there an easier team in the league to play against?

If you want to compare JFJ's legacy to the brutal 1980 teams, then yes, he did alright. I prefer however to hold out some hope that we can actually win a Cup in my lifetime, and as such hold the team to a slightly higher standard.

As I said, I like the way JFJ handled himself and I feel bad for the way MLSE treated him, but it's the job of a GM to assemble a successful group of players while managing salaries in the cap system, and by that measure John Ferguson has been a failure.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I was along the same lines as you, but it simply did not work out. There were a number of teams after Raycroft, and people often forget that.

[Eternal 0]

I was along the same lines as you, but it simply did not work out. There were a number of teams after Raycroft, and people often forget that.

If i remember correctly teams like Detroit and Ottawa were after him as well.

[dietzie27 0]

Not to be a smartass, but arent detroit and ottawa after every player thats being shopped?

[Eternal 0]

Good point, but so is Toronto as well if you believe Eklund. I think most teams inquire at least about any player that could possible improve their club if they are made available.

[mrusse01 0]

The proof is in the pudding with Raycroft...it didn't work out.

Just beacuse a number of teams looked into acquiring him, maybe even wanted to acquire him, it doesn't change the fact that it was a bad decision that didn't work out. He personally cost the team a playoff berth last year when he was easily the worst starting goaltender in the NHL.