Ferguson Fired; Fletcher Hired

It all came to a screeching halt this afternoon when the Toronto Maple Leafs fired John Ferguson Jr. After months of public outcry from Leafs fans, and overwhelming scrutiny from the Toronto media, Ferguson was finally given the axe and was relieved of his duties as GM. His replacement will be Cliff Fletcher. Fletcher, a Montreal native and Hockey Hall of Famer, was Leafs general manager, president, and COO from 1991-1997.

Can Fletcher turn around the Leafs organization and make Toronto a cup contender? Will Fletcher trade all his assets including Mats Sundin? Do Leafs fans finally have something to look forward to this season? Simply put, and rather boldly I might add, the answer to all these questions is 'No'.

Now before I get tons of hate mail regarding the issue, let's put this all in perspective for a second.

Hiring Cliff Fletcher is obviously a step in the right direction for the Toronto Maple Leafs. With over 50 years of experience and a Stanley Cup ring, Fletcher is a significant improvement over John Ferguson Jr. When comparing the two, it's like comparing apples to oranges. However, it is a small step on the long road to recovery for the Leafs organization. And with Fletcher only signed on for an interim basis, there doesn't seem to be a sign of any significant changes coming before the end of the season. Expect the real fallout of the Toronto Maple Leafs to coincide with the beginning of the golf season, when the post-season finally begins.

After missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year last season (by only one point albeit), John Ferguson Jr. was under the microscope all offseason. However, when Ferguson acquired Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake during the summer, the Toronto media took a step back and actually praised Ferguson for finally bringing in a top goaltender and much needed winger for Mats Sundin. On paper, the Leafs undoubtedly improved heading into the season. Finally, everyone was happy in Toronto! All of sudden everyone was talking 'playoffs', even though the puck hadn't dropped to open the 2007-08 campaign.

However, it didn't take long for Toronto to revert back to their old ways. Sloppy defensive play, poor goaltending and underachieving players plagued the Leafs, and Ferguson was once again on the chopping block. Vesa Toskala had a horrible start to the season, Bryan McCabe wasn't earning his paycheck, the team was riddled with injuries and Jason Blake couldn't score on a soccer net. Understandably however, Blake was fighting cancer yet never let his spirit dim, nor let it be a distraction to the team. Month after month the Leafs simply couldn't get it together. Each passing day the Toronto media became more ruthless, and the clock ticked faster and faster on Ferguson's tenure as Leafs GM.

But now everyone is saved! Cliff Fletcher is here to save the Leafs! (I hope you can tell I'm being sarcastic, because if you can’'t and you're a Leafs fan, then you probably don't want to read what's ahead).

Whenever there is a problem in a company or organization, responsibility ultimately converges to the top. This applies to any company, whether it is in the hockey business, Microsoft, or even Joe's hotdog stand. The person at the top is ultimately responsible and accountable for anything and everything that the company does. If Leafs fans thought that Ferguson was at the top and calling the shots, then I will provide some clarification on that false belief.

There is an expression that states "It's lonely at the top" but this simply doesn't apply for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). If anything, it's overcrowded. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment is owned by a conglomerate of companies, each of whom have representative(s) on the board. These representatives comprise a Board of Directors who have control over what decisions are made. However, each representative's voice is not equal, as each company has their own percentage of ownership. Ultimately, Richard Peddie (MLSE President and CEO) from the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan accounts for 58% of the ownership. Should I mention that this is the only hockey franchise owned and ran in this manner?

The bottom line is that this board of directors was responsible for hiring an inexperienced John Ferguson Jr. and are ultimately responsible for where the Leafs are today; both on the ice and their portrayal in the media. Not one member has a solid background regarding the business of hockey and together they are somehow expected to reach decisions with an even number of individuals on the board.

MLSE is the owner and operator of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, Toronto FC of the MLS, and Toronto Marlies of the AHL. In addition to owning these franchises as well as Leafs TV and Raptors NBA TV, MLSE is also involved in real estate and property management, including ownership of the Air Canada Center. The combined assets of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment are over $1 billion dollars. Let me repeat myself, $1 billion dollars (insert Dr. Evil laugh here).

If it’s not evident already, MLSE is not driven by a high quality product to compete with other teams, but rather driven by the almighty dollar. To quote P.Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy, or whatever he calls himself these days, ‘It’s all about the Benjamins baby’ for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment.

Although Ferguson is certainly not exempt from some of the bad trades and signings he has done, it is foolish and wishful thinking to believe that the internal problems of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization are gone. The Board of Directors are still spinning the tires of the general manager and don't seem to be taking a step back in order for the GM to focus on the team and do his job. Having a Board of Directors with eight different perspectives on how the team should be run while all look over the shoulder of the general manager is no potion for success. To add insult to injury to both Ferguson and MLSE, Richard Peddie admitted publicly this past November that hiring Ferguson was a mistake. Facing the pressures from the board, Ferguson mortgaged off the Leafs future year after year for quick-fixes that inevitably didn't lead to playoff births. Now, as the playoffs seem to be a pipe dream, the recognition is settling in that the Leafs must rebuild.

Bringing in Cliff Fletcher will buy MLSE more time to figure out what to do beginning in the offseason. However, since Fletcher is only with the Leafs on an interim basis, don't look for much to change on the ice. The trade deadline is only 6 weeks away leaving Fletcher little time to analyze his team and start making phone calls to rival general managers. Combine that with the fact that Sundin, Tucker, and McCabe all have no-trade clauses and that the NHL is in a salary cap world, it will be hard for Fletcher to find a dance partner come the trade deadline. Even if Fletcher wanted to trade Sundin, Sundin would have to waive his no-trade clause which he has no intention of doing.

This offseason should be very interesting in Toronto, and there will undoubtedly be changes. Changes in management, the coaching staff and on the ice are inevitable. At what level(s) these changes take place remains to be seen, but the bottom line is that there is still a lot to be done, and it all starts at the top... or so it should, anyway.



To reach Christos, send an email to christos10@gmail.com