Paul Maurice fired by Leafs.

[Vince]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3385266

I hope they do worse than they did last season...What a joke...I'm not even a Leafs fan and even I can realize that Maurice did a good job with the pathetic roster he was dealt with. Here's to another 3 seasons of no playoff hockey for the Leafs for making this idiotic decision.

[Doran]

*Face to the PALM*

I only expect this: Cliff Fletcher says that the decision on Paul Maurice would not be decided until the new GM was installed, so I expect nothing less than the press conference later today to be the announcement of who the new GM is.

Anything less than announcing a CAPABLE GM is a failure. The Leafs have no do-overs left, in my mind. They used them all up. Make the playoffs, this season, or you're completely busted.

(You're already a sham at the top anyway. Looking at you, PEDDIE.)

[bad_philanthropy]

This organization cannot do anything right. Maurice had nothing to work with. Sure they had a number one center and they had a number one goaltender in his second year but the rest? That he even had the team fighting for the playoffs was a feat.

[SPTO]

I'm as critical as anyone about this organization but it could be a condition of the incoming GM that the slate be totally cleared before he comes in. Interestingly enough Doug Armstrong was interviewed just yesterday saying how much he wants the Leafs GM job. I'd be in full support of that, so if we hear he's been named GM shortly after this then i'm not so upset as most of you guys are.

[bad_philanthropy]

Doug Armstrong would be a great choice.

But why must everything the Leafs do be a circus? I mean the whole GM hiring process with Gordon Kirke being a middleman and being drawn out like it has been is silly. Why can't the suits in the organization let Cliff identify a few top candidates interview them and hire them in a timely fashion? Get the right guy in place in the president/GM role, get him in as soon as possible let him get his staff together establish his changes withing the organization before the draft and then let the new guys control the draft.

[SPTO]

Quote: Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy

But why must everything the Leafs do be a circus? I mean the whole GM hiring process with Gordon Kirke being a middleman and being drawn out like it has been is silly. Why can't the suits in the organization let Cliff identify a few top candidates interview them and hire them in a timely fashion? Get the right guy in place in the president/GM role, get him in as soon as possible let him get his staff together establish his changes withing the organization before the draft and then let the new guys control the draft.

Your suggestion is WAAAAY too sensible for the Leafs organization.

Sad, but true.

[SPTO]

Bad Philanthrophy I don't know how much Canadian media you get access to. (i'm thinking quite a bit with the internet and all) but here's some stuff that's been bandied around this afternoon.

The hot rumor is that the Leafs will hire Dave Nonis as GM with the long term plan being to bring Burke in next year. Nonis would either stick around as GM with Burke being President or Nonis would step aside and be the asst. GM while Burke handles GM/President duties.

As for coaching, no real rumors there right now.

[Vince]

I've always wondered if BP is originally from Ontario...

[SPTO]

I think he may be but i'm not 100% sure.

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vince

I've always wondered if BP is originally from Ontario...

Yeah originally from Toronto, was going to UofT but two years ago my wife wanted to go back to school to finish her degree and ended up finding the ideal program at the University of Oregon so I transfered to UO as well. It has been interesting going from a very urban Canadian university to a quintessential "college town" American university. It's quite a different experience than Canadian academia.

But Nonis as a sort of interim stopgap GM until Burke? I hadn't heard that. You know though, I really thought this was an opportunity for the Leafs to finally move away from the sideshow act, but it seems that they just cannot help themselves. What a great way to establish stability in a laughingstock organization, do something unprecedentedly abstract that brings further uncertainty to the organization. Then again, the sensible thing would have been to give the keys to Bowman when he was willing. Why hire a consummate winner and probably the best mind in hockey when you can have another terrible season and no future success at hand?