Fletcher fires entire Coaching staff, less Acton

[GLG]

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

[Habsfan84]

Wow,

I was surprised by this move. I felt that Paul Maurice was a good coach. You cant really blame him since he really did not have much to work with. I was surprised that they cleaned all the coaches out as well. He expects lots of changes in the next 6-8 weeks.

[GLG]

I felt that Maurice was a good coach too, but here's the thing:

Quinn was fired with a year left on his contract, and they promoted Maurice into his old job. Maurice had an entire year with the team, but they still failed to make the playoffs.

The next season, many changes are made, including the addition of Toskala. Instead of playing Toskala, Maurice shuffles him and Raycroft like a deck of cards to start the year off. It isn't until about December that Maurice finally decides to make Raycroft the backup. The guy played 19 games last year, and only TWO of them were wins.

Two wins in 19 games???

The Leafs were carried on the backs of Sundin and Toskala last year. Sundin had one of his best years ever, and Toskala played extremely well for us, yet Maurice still felt Raycroft was our starter, until we had lost too many points to make the playoffs again.

What did Raycroft ever do to deserve that kind of loyalty? And didn't we fire Quinn because of the same kind of staunch loyalties to guys who aren't cutting the mustard?

Maurice had his fair chance. He failed.