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Reports: Leafs, in three-year playoff drought, fire Maurice
ESPN.com news services
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<!-- end story header --><!-- begin left column --><!-- begin page tools -->Updated: May 7, 2008, 12:20 PM ET
<!-- end page tools --><!-- begin story body --><!-- template inline -->The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired coach Paul Maurice, according to media outlets in Canada.
Maurice, who had one year remaining on a three-year contract, failed to guide the Leafs to the playoffs in his two seasons. The Maple Leafs have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in three consecutive seasons -- the first time that has happened since 1928.
The team has scheduled a news conference for 3 p.m. ET but did not specify the reason.
Assistant coach Randy Ladouceur has also been let go, according to the report.
The Maple Leafs went 36-35-11 with 83 points in 2007-08, last in the Northeast Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. That was a drop of four wins and 8 points from 2006-07, when the Leafs finished one point behind the Islanders for the last Eastern Conference playoff spot, at 40-31-11.
Last month, interim Maple Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher declined to commit when asked about Maurice's future with the club.
"There will be discussions, but you can be sure of one thing," Fletcher said, according to The Canadian Press. "The person coming in is going to be a strong hockey person and he's going to have very definite opinions of his own."
Maurice, 41, was hired by former Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr. in 2005 to coach the club's top minor-league team in the AHL. He succeeded Pat Quinn as coach of the Maple Leafs on May 12, 2006.
ESPN.com news services
<!-- promo plug -->
<!-- end promo plug -->
<!-- end story header --><!-- begin left column --><!-- begin page tools -->Updated: May 7, 2008, 12:20 PM ET
<!-- end page tools --><!-- begin story body --><!-- template inline -->The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired coach Paul Maurice, according to media outlets in Canada.
Maurice, who had one year remaining on a three-year contract, failed to guide the Leafs to the playoffs in his two seasons. The Maple Leafs have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in three consecutive seasons -- the first time that has happened since 1928.
The team has scheduled a news conference for 3 p.m. ET but did not specify the reason.
Assistant coach Randy Ladouceur has also been let go, according to the report.
The Maple Leafs went 36-35-11 with 83 points in 2007-08, last in the Northeast Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. That was a drop of four wins and 8 points from 2006-07, when the Leafs finished one point behind the Islanders for the last Eastern Conference playoff spot, at 40-31-11.
Last month, interim Maple Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher declined to commit when asked about Maurice's future with the club.
"There will be discussions, but you can be sure of one thing," Fletcher said, according to The Canadian Press. "The person coming in is going to be a strong hockey person and he's going to have very definite opinions of his own."
Maurice, 41, was hired by former Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr. in 2005 to coach the club's top minor-league team in the AHL. He succeeded Pat Quinn as coach of the Maple Leafs on May 12, 2006.
