Let us pray...?

Question

Dear O' cold Hockey God, please let this be true and come to fruition. Also, please strike down all who oppose you, like the Ontario Teachers Pension and Richard Peddie. May Santa Claus deliver them down to NASCAR.

http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Hockey/2007/11/26/4686138-sun.html

Answer 1

Rumours are that they are very close and have talked contract with more than one person.


Muckler has no interest in working as a 'Co-GM'. He wants total control (which means his own coach)





The problem in Toronto is that monetary success breeds a media horde that is unrelenting. Everybody looks at a failure, and tries to extrapolate from it.

In 1999, and 2002, the Leafs were one game away from the Stanley Cup final. In 2000 and 2001, the Leafs were a solid 2nd round team. From 1998 to 2003, the Leafs had more points than any team except Detroit.

Who was the owner of the team?
The Ontario Teachers Pension plan and Lawrence Tanenbaum
Who was the President of MLSE/
Richard Peddie

Who was the Manager and Coach?
Patrick Quinn

The only difference between that 5 year run and the current management is the GM and Coach.

Lawrence Tananbaum is as prevalent at the ACC as Steve Stavros was at MLG. The rest of Ballard, Stavros, and Tanenbaum's cronies are rarely seen and have never been. So, you can't blame absentee management.

Making money? The OTPP will tell you very quickly, when this team wins, they make more money. So, there is an impetus for them to win.

The product on the ice is definitely a reflection of the builder and the molder. This team was built by Cliff Fletcher (Sundin and Kaberle), Pat Quinn (most of the rest) and John Ferguson Jr (John Pohl, Andrew Raycroft, Vesa Toskala, Chad Kilger, Jon Battaglia, etc) and is being molded by Paul Maurice.

Sadly, neither Maurice nor JFJ is half the man that Quinn is (Quinn had a WPCT over 0.600 in the playoffs as GM, Ferguson is below 0.500 and as coach, Quinn was in the 0.580s, and Maurice hasn't been there as a Leaf, although his playoff record in Carolina is below 0.500 AND that includes his trip to the final in 2002).

The other realization is that Peddie hired JFJ who hired Paul Maurice, Quinn was hired by Ken Dryden who was hired by the late Steve Stavros.

So, while people like to point at the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, the Leafs were one of hockey's most successful teams under them. It was Richard Peddie that made the mistakes, not the owners.

The problem is that Richard Peddie is a close personal friend of Lawrence Tanenbaum. Lawrence Tanenbaum controls the BOD pof MLSE....which makes it hard to get rid of Richard Peddie.


Awesome Bill, I think the situation in Toronto is similar to Chicago, in fact I think what happened in Toronto is 1990 is what is happening in Chicago now. Harold ballard dies, Steve Stavros takes over, the team has 14 years of relative success, at middle of 14 years, a marriage takes place (Maple Leafs and Raptors in 1997) and things fall apart.
I'm equating William Wirtz to Harold Ballard. Hopefully Rockwell can find his 'Cliff Fletcher' and things will take off.

The sad parallel is that while William was thrifty, his teams ALWAYS made the playoffs. It wasn't until Peter came into power in 1996, that the wheels started to fall off. I've heard rumours that before, during, and after Bill's funeral, the remaining Wirtzes were very concerned with the Bill/Peter dichotomy and wanted to go in a different direction. Peter and Pulford didn't agree with this new direction, and were ousted in a surprise 'coup'.

Unfortunately, in TO's case. Tananebaum controls 57% of the BOD, while the OTPP controls 52% of the shares. There is a further segregation of shares/power as it relates to the Raptors and the Maple Leafs/Marlies that is not publicly known but it appears that Peddie/Tanenbaum are almost unusurpable on the Maple Leafs side and Bryan Colangelo is unusurpable on the Raptors side.

Either way, unless Peddie gets lucky and hires a brilliant hockey mind to be GM, I think Peddie is the one who needs to go.

Answer 2

It is getting to the point where something has to be done in Toronto. As much as I think Maurice and JFJ are victims of the situation they have to go.

Although not privy to how the team is managed above the GM, it seems as if there is no direction or no plan. Unless the new GM is given the authority and mandate to clean up the team and dump players and rebuild, a process that could take years- not everyone will be as successful as the Flyers, I do not see much changing. The team will continue with band-aid solutions to try to sneak in the playoffs or get that next win. In todays salary cap NHL the pharmacy bandaids are being rationed. The same problem has always been there, in the past the GM could spend a few bucks in March to make a quick fix- not anymore.

CME points out that these guys should understand wins equals merchandise sales which equals money, while I agree the leafs are making a mint with a average team at best, is there any incentive to do more???

If the Maple Leafs want to be successful on the ice, they will need another team in southern Ontario. Give them some real competion in Southern Ontario for the fans ticket revenue for his merchandising $$ and watch how fast MLSE reacts to falling profits.

At this point the product on the ice has little effect on the bottom line, until it does don't expect in miracles. If you want to pray for something, pray for someone to bring a team in the Leafs backyard so that there is some competion for the fans $$$, then and only then will the situation improve.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

If Maurice goes, i go.

There is no way they are going to fire paul, he is a GREAT coach, I bet you can ask any of the guys!

JFJ leaving would answer my prayers. But why aren't they considering Muckler?! He applied as a co-GM in the summer, JFJ obv. didnt want him, so not why bring him back as the GM? Especially with the Free Agents that are going to be out at the end of the season, having Muckler might have an advantage to getting someone like Wade Redden if he isnt signed by Ottawa.

Muckler will build the leafs just like he did the Sens, and i stand by my choice to bring in John Muckler.

But as long as JFJ goes, i'm happy.

Answer 5

HOO RAH! To bad this will not change a damn thing. This is window dressing designed to make it 'appear' that the head office gives a rats a$s about 'Leafs Nation'. I hate to tell you guys( I know it has been said before) but what the Leafs need is a complete and total implosion and rebuild, starting with the owners. This is a start, and it will generate some buzz for the team but nothing more. Still it is something.

Answer 6

I feel your pain but I don't think getting rid of Fergie is really going to change things. Believe me, I'd like to see things change for the Leafs fans as much as I enjoy seeing the Blackhawks fans have a glimmer of hope. But the management needs a profound change in their expectations for the Leafs to turn it around.

I could be wrong - this could turn out to be a blessing, or a sign that Leafs Nation has been heard.

Answer 7

OH YESSSSS!!!!!!
DELIVER US FROM THIS EVIL, OH LORD........

BRING IN MY COUSIN VINNY ........ANYBODY........RESSURECT PUNCH IMLACH, ......... ANYBODY........I DON'T CARE

Realistically though, somebody with experience is needed. Messier, Yzerman, Douggie were good players but we need someone with a proven track record. Of the names mentioned, I'd like to see Colie Campbell get a shot at it.
Question is, can they do something to prevent Peddie from meddling in hockey affairs in order for a new GM to do his job? What about John Muckler, I haven't see his name associated with this story in a while.

Answer 8

Here is an article from TSN about the TO Sun.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=223698&hubname=

Answer 9

lamo. If JFJ goes, I'll have a drink to celebrate, just for you guys. I lie, I'll drink anyway. I will keep my fingers crossed.

Answer 10

You're so cuter when you're spiritual! If I was a Leaf's fan, I'd be hoping, too!