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Reuters

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Paul Maurice on Wednesday after he failed to lead the National Hockey League team into the playoffs during his two seasons behind the bench.

Maurice, 41, who still had one year left on a three-year contract, was named coach in 2006. His dismissal follows the firing of general manager John Ferguson in January.

"What this does now is pave the way for when a new management team is in place to bring in a new coaching staff with them," interim general manager Cliff Fletcher said at a press conference.

National Post

He thanked his players. He thanked his assistant coaches and support staff. He thanked the fans, the media, the general manager who hired him and the other general manager who fired him. He even thanked Richard Peddie, the much-maligned president and chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

Paul Maurice said all the right things about all the right people as he formally said goodbye to his job as the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach on Thursday morning, 24 hours after Cliff Fletcher, the team’s interim GM, informed of his demise following two failed seasons behind the bench.

“Knowing, had I known two years ago, that we would have been going through the trials we went through and that we would've missed the playoffs by a point — and grind our way through another season — with all the other things that went on leading to my dismissal, I’d still take this job,” Maurice said at his parting media conference at the Air Canada Centre. “Because it is clearly an experience I can’t put into words. I wanted so much better for this team and this group, and had hoped for more, but it was a great experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Dallas Eakins is also removed as Assistant coach, but is offered to stay with the Leafs in another capacity.

Fletcher press conference