Wednesday, January 23, 2008

About Time

So the Leafs finally shitcanned John Ferguson yesterday. Done, finished, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. Cliff Fletcher is back in charge for the rest of the season. The coach gets to stay too.

The change is good. Ferguson had to go, and Fletcher works in an interim basis. It's kind of funny how he's being seen as some saviour for the franchise in this, his second go-around with the club. When Fletch was here in the 90's, he started off with a bang. Somehow he took an absolutely HORRIBLE team and turned it into a contender with a great coach, solid defense, a scrappy, talented front line, and both a hall-of-fame goalie and a rookie star in net. He wasn't afraid to make the big trade. Wendel Clark for Mats Sundin paid dividends. Gilmour for 3 talented young guys who were misused by Pat Quinn in later years. "Trader Cliff" is an apt nickname.

But he ranks pretty low in terms of win % for a GM in Leafs history. In fact, in terms of overall team performance, he ranks low in just about every category. By the time '97 rolled around, the city was ready to see him go. So the next few months as GM, and another year as consultant is just fine. He's here to run a fire sale and to try and convince Sundin that he can be traded and re-signed after the season is over. Whether or not he can pulls this off is anyone's guess. The rest of the GMs know his mandate, and will try and take advantage of it.

So welcome back Cliff, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do. Here's hoping they can find the right guy in the off-season to help bring this team back around.

3 comments:

Schaubs said...

Enjoy Brian Burke when he arrives in 19 months... if not sooner.

He's easily the best GM going right now and would love to run the Leafs no doubt.

I say you win the Cup in less than 10 years now.

Congrats.

Astin said...

They tried to get him at the beginning of the season when they were looking for that "hockey czar" position that Bowman turned down. Not sure they can lure him away with the politics involved with "ownership".

I'll refrain from making any cup predictions when it comes to the Leafs.

Hammer Player a.k.a Hoyazo said...

Is it April Fool's Day already? Everyone knows there is no NHL anymore, that league folded like five years ago, right?

See you tonight for the Mookie.