Finally, John Ferguson JR Fired

[Santacapper]

TSN has learned that the Toronto Maple Leafs have fired General Manager John Ferguson Jr. The team informed Ferguson of his fate earlier this morning.
Cliff Fletcher has been linked to much of the speculation regarding the team and the Globe and Mail is reporting the Maple Leafs are set to announce Fletcher as their interim general manager.

 

[Santacapper]

the way MLSE handled this situation IMO is embarrasing to the organization.

Man do I hate them whole board of directors... love the team to the end, but I cant stand the puppet masters at the top

 

[Santacapper]

press conference called for this afternoon

 

[catfood]

Thats the thing though, whoever takes the job is kinda handcuffed. You could have the best hockey mind at that job and still he couldnt do as he pleases. Youd have to be nuts to want the job since the G.M seemingly isnt allowed to apply his own formula of success, providing he has one of course.

 

[gsro]

Naw, I think future GM's kknow how MLSE is and they will ask for COlangelo type deal or it's a no go..and MLSE, i hope realizes this as well!!

 

[Santacapper]

THey got it right with Colangelo... I dont think the teachers play as much of a role with the Raps as they do the Leafs.

Thing is though, GMs come down to success, and regardless of the way the front office ran, JFJ made some real piss poor decisions dating back to not buying out Belfour and company when he had the chance.

Leafs need to start from the bottom up, with scouting... whoever told him to sign McCabe, Kubina and company to the money they made needs to go too.

 

[gsro]

haha agreed santa! =) but still the fact that we had bowman knocking on our doors...lets send peddie out the window while we're at it..and if Maurice gets the ax i'll be livid..if there was one thing they did right, it was maurice!

 

[Santacapper]

Sounds like Cliff will come in as an advisor, for now...

the Leafs have hired a lawyer to advise in the search for the next president / GM.

 

[Toronto_Mike]

what difference would the next GM make? First deal....

Trade Sundin for some draft considerations and go from there.

 

[Santacapper]

What I've heard is teams out west are interested in Sundin... thing is they dont have much of a young talent pool who they'd part with (Calgary / Vancouver), nor will they be in line for draft picks for the foreseeable future.

I think Fletcher is just being brought in to clean up the mess, get younger and then the GM / president can leave his footprints on the team with a fresh start. it sucks to see Sundin go, but he is the only trade bait we have, unless it gets packaged with say Antropov

 

[gsro]

ya..i don't think Sundin is going to go anywhere! i could see kubina mccabe leaving though..i'd like to see what he does..fletcher made it very apparent that it's up to sundin in what he does..

 

[BRARSTAR]

good for leaf nation.

 

[catfood]

I still say though that Maurice should bear some of the blame. That team was absolutely clueless defensively for a while. With all the size and talent they have, theres really no reason that I can think of that they shouldnt be in the playoffs.

 

[catfood]

All in all though the change will be good, but I agree with Santa in that the scouting should be completely changed....Good drafting=good teams

 

[Greencastle]

Best news the Leafs have had for awile now.

 

[buffalo_bill]

Peddie basically through JFJ under the bus...rather than taking some of the blame himself.

1-sundin has to be traded... they can sign him back in the summer. He can get them a top prospect, 1st rounder and prop a good young player.

2-next they must dump the contracts of mcabe, kubina, raycroft and blake or they're hands will be tied for the next 3 years- take whatever you can get to dump these contracts.

3- put tucker, antripov, pony and even kaberle on the market and see what other teams are offering- if you can stockpile draft picks and prospects- trade them.

4- if you manage #2- you'll have alot of cap room to sign free agents in the summer.

 

[gsro]

it's going to be very difficult to convince sundin to leave toronto.....fletcher even admitted this in that he said that sundin was the engine and it was his decision..

 

[CrazyBetter]

Some free agents the leafs should be looking at. Everybody but Dumont can be had at 3mill or under.

<TABLE class=normal cellSpacing=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=playeractive>Williams, Jason</TD><TD class=nationality>

</TD><TD class=age>26</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=normal cellSpacing=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=playeractive>Hainsey, Ron</TD><TD class=nationality>

</TD><TD class=age>26</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=normal cellSpacing=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=playeractive>Hagman, Niklas</TD><TD class=nationality>

</TD><TD class=age>27</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=normal cellSpacing=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=playeractive>Cleary, Daniel</TD><TD class=nationality>

</TD><TD class=age>28</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=normal cellSpacing=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=playeractive>Dumont, Jean-Pierre</TD><TD class=nationality>

</TD><TD class=age>29</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?team=TOR

Great site with player salaries.

Players the leafs should get rid of are
Darcy Tucker
Chad Kilger
Wade Belak(he's gonna be a ufa after this yr, Please dont resign this bum)
Kubina or McCabe (id trade McCabe because he has a longer contract remaining)

 

[buffalo_bill]

it's going to be very difficult to convince sundin to leave toronto.....fletcher even admitted this in that he said that sundin was the engine and it was his decision..

i don't think it will...sundin is so loyal he will do whatever is asked of him. they will be giving him a chance at winning the cup, something he won't get in t.o. and they offer him a handshake agreement to return in the summer for 2 years at the same money. St .louis has done it a few times already with tkachuk and weight.