Randy Carlyle has been fired..and What does Oaks think about that?

Randy Carlyle is no longer the Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs…

You might expect me to jump for joy, because when I actively engaged in conversation about the Leafs on social media,

I tended to use #FireNonis & #FireCarlyle a lot.

I have blamed Randy Carlyle for many things during his tenure as the Coach of the Iconic Toronto Maple Leafs.

Right or wrong, the coach, & eventually the GM will always take the fall for failure to perform in the sporting world.

I wrote a blog earlier this offseason https://bluescotian.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/too-hot-for-twitter/ regarding how the Leafs have fared since Burke was fired.

If you didn’t read that. READ it. It explains why Randy, although the coach, should not shoulder 100% of the failure of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dave Nonis, said this “Inconsistency ended Randy Carlyle’s tenure as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs”

Dave Nonis, is easily the worst General Manager the Leafs have ever had in my life.

Keeping in mind, I’ve been around since the 70’s

Randy Carlyle was fired, as many Leafs fans know after the Maple Leafs lost five of seven games on their last road trip.

This season the Leafs are 21-16-3 record this season & hold one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference.

Dave Nonis should stop talking, he’s an idiot…Dave Nonis also had this to say,

“I think we’d all agree we’ve had some good periods, good stretches, but I don’t think I can stand here in front of you and say that we’ve been consistent.”

“We just felt at this point this was the right time to make the change and move ahead and try to get this team back playing like we have played for periods this season.”

It’s been reported that Assistants Peter Horachek and Steve Spott will handle coaching duties for Wednesday night’s home game against the Washington Capitals.

Peter Horachek ran the first practice of the post-Carlyle era.

Dave Nonis did not indicate if or when the Leafs might hire a full-time head coach and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out why…

Dave Nonis will have ZERO authority to make the next coaching hire. It will be Shanahan, with the Approval of MLSE who hires the next coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The problem that I have with Horacheck & Spott handling coaching duties is obvious. The defence & offence are still horrid.

Is that because of the players Nonis brought in? Or is it because of Carlyle not listening to Horacheck & Spott if either suggested something outside Carlyle’s thinking…

Ot is it a combination of all 3?

According to Dave Nonis, no timeline has been established for a new hire.

Read between the lines, if Shanahan thinks Babcock would consider coming here…we’ll likely have Horachek running the team till the end of the season.

Dreger adds that all Leaf players are now potential trade targets as the team moves forward.

Well, what a novel thought…I’ve only been advocating trading any single player on the Leafs my entire life. You trade anyone and everyone, if it makes the team better.

It frustrates me that Brendan Shanahan has barely spoken a word publicly on the Toronto Maple Leafs since he was hired.

When ever the muppet Nonis opens his mouth, I wonder how much of it is his words, or your words.

I’m still waiting for Shanahan to win me over.

Firing Carlyle, not good enough, Dave Nonis saying it was a joint decision between himself And Shanahan…go drink some more MLSE KoolAid

Shanahan..how about you actually grow a pair..and prove you want to bring the Cup to Toronto.

Randy Carlyle did coach over 700 games and he did win a Stanley Cup. Not every coach can claim that distinction.

As coach of the Maple Leafs, Carlyle went 91-78-19 in 188 games as Leafs coach over parts of four seasons.

Factor in those shootout losses or OT losses..he lost 97 games as a coach here and won 91.

Dave Nonis mentioned that it was the right decision to give Carlyle a contract extension, yet all of his assistants were fired.

I knew the day would come when Randy Carlyle would be fired. He’s earned the right to be fired.

His line combinations, his obsession with using Tyler Bozak who is ideally suited to being a #2 or #3 Center as the #1 Center..even though every SINGLE analytic out there showed that Nazem Kadri produced better numbers.

His belief that the key to fixing the Leafs after the disaster against the Bruins was to go get ANOTHER Goalie…

What happened with that?

Dave Nonis went & traded Scrivens (a backup) & Matt Frattin to the LA Kings, who were more than happy to dump Bernier…because they knew Quick was better, and Martin Jones has a higher ceiling than Bernier.

LA quickly traded Frattin and Scrivens…showing people, they just wanted Bernier gone..ask Dean Lombardi about Bernier…he was thrilled to get rid of him.

After the epic meltdown in Boston, Phaneuf should have been shipped out, not rewarded with a monster contract, the Leafs should have made REAL attempts to get a REAL #1 D & a REAL #1 Center..

BUT, as history showed us, Nonis is an assclown who should have been fired long long long long before Carlyle.

I could easily place all the blame on Carlyle…as many of the dysfunctional fans in Leafsnation will…

BUT, the reality is this..

I give Dave Nonis 1/3 of the blame. He brought in bloated pieces of crap like Robidas, overpaid Phaneuf, Lupul, Bozak, overpaid BIG time for Komarov (who I like, just not at 4 years, 4 million per) grossly overpaid for 3rd line David Clarkson, overpaid for an average goalie in Bernier. AND THEN Brought Matt Frattin back….WHY?

I give Randy Carlyle 1/3 of the blame for this like I mentioned earlier, line combos, Bozak over Kadri etc…

The preferential treatment that Bernier gets over Reimer.

Don’t even argue this point, I can give enough examples..

Move along.

I also blame the players, they get 1/3 of the blame as well.

Every single member of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs gets paid more money than most will see, ever, in a single season.

As a pro athlete..you have one thing you’re supposed to do when you play the sport you are a member of…that job is to play to the highest level of your abilities.

Every single game, you can see the same players over and over who are not committed to winning.

I’m not going to single out Mr. Floater..Mr.Cherry Picker, Mr. I’ll never be a complete 2 way player, AKA Tyler Slowzak..or talk about one dimensional Kessel (can you imagine of Kessel actually used his speed, to be a 2 way forward)

I won ‘t even talk about Mr. Brittle AKA Mr Porn Star, you know, the guy that so many “female fans” say is so dreamy… (pukes) Joffrey Lupul

Lupul should have been dealt after the Boston series, that was likely his highest trade value in ages, if we get a pick for him, I’d be thrilled.

The bottom line is there are far too many players on the team that are consistently invisible, soft, disinterested and generally a liability.

The core of this team is JVR, (talented, but refuses to use his size properly, invisible more often than not)

Kessel, speedy, point producer…ZERO attempts to develop a 2 way game, which is why when he’s not scoring, he’s a massive liability on the ice.

Phaneuf. Overpaid. Plays way too many minutes. He’s never had the right partner since he came to Toronto.

Bozak…I’m not going there again.

Lupul..brittle..do I need to repeat myself…

I want to include Franson, Gardiner & Reimer as being core members of the team, but I can’t because..

Reimer’s been screwed here since Game 7, he’ll be moved soon

Franson has been screwed in 3 straight contracts from MLSE. ( I hope he stays, but he’s UFA at seasons end..expect him to be dealt sooner than later.

AND Gardiner, with his speed & hands should have played his natural postion, which was NOT defence..it was on the Wing…

If you take the core as being Lupul, Bozak, Kessel, JVR, Phaneuf, Gards, Franson & Reimer…

Newflash**** that core will NEVER be good enough to win a cup, let alone win a division.

Therefore, Randy Carlyle, is the goat, but the truth of the matter is..the players & Nonis do NOT get a free pass from me.

We have serious cap issues, because of Nonis, Bernier & Kadri will soon be RFA and BOTH are going to want to GET PAID…

Players will be moved, no doubt about it.

I hope whomever the new coach is, they do things their way, it’s obvious, the Ron Wilson & Randy Carlyle way of doing things, it doesn’t work.

Amazing the Leafs have fired Greg Cronin, Dave Poulin, Claude Loiselle, Francois Allaire, Dave Farrish, Ron Wilson, Randy Carlyle, Brian Burke in the last 5 years , am I missing anyone else?

YET….somehow Dave Nonis keeps his job..

WHY????

Even if I ignored EVERY single thing that has happened during the tenure of the Maple Leafs…

I could give you a perfect reason to FIRE Randy Carlyle…

Here it is…

The Maple Leafs are leading 4-1 –11 minutes left to go in Game 7…

Boston scores..No timeout called…

Boston scores again… No timeout called..

Boston SCORES again to tie the game.. No timeout…

History shows us that a playoff experienced team will usually always beat a team with little to no playoff experience.

Who’s to say that calling a timeout after the 2nd or 3rd, or EVEN the 4th goal would have made a difference.

However, if you’re a coach…you do have timeouts…USE THEM

The next Coach & GM, whether it’s Gilmour, Messier, Gretzky, Todd Gill, Noel, Peter Deboer, Eakins, Spott, John Tortorella, Mike Keenan, Peter Horacheck, Mark Hunter, Dale Hunter (likely no chance he leaves London) Mike Babcock, Dan Bylsma, Guy Boucher OR someone else will still have the same issues that Randy did.

They will inherit a spoiled, overpaid, underwhelming bunch of miscreants…and that NEW coach and/or GM will have a short stay here as well…

THE only way the new coach, and eventually GM will have any chance, is to blow this team apart…AGAIN *sighs*

AND as a lifelong fan of the Maple Leafs, more losing, and not making the playoffs, this makes me sad.

As I said, at the beginning of this blog, you think I’d be dancing, but I’m not…because Carlyle did deserve to be fired (Guaranteed Contract, still getting paid)

But, MLSE dropped the ball by NOT firing the Architect of this BRUTAL train wreck, 18 wheeler driving off the cliff…Mr. Dave Nonis.

I know who I’d like to see be the new coach, and also the new GM…but… I don’t run MLSE

There was a time, when putting on the Maple Leaf jersey meant something, it meant you played above your abilities, just ask Clark, Gilmour, Roberts, what it meant..course those guys didn’t take nights off…and they all made less than Nozak does per year… 😐

Randy Carlyle has been fired…

BUT, from this fan to other fans,

It’s not enough.

Too Hot For Twitter – My Take on The Toronto Maple Leafs

 

I always new that 140 characters would never be enough…

I also knew people would misinterpret what I tweet…

I decided to write this blog…so I can clear up any confusion, on how I REALLY feel…

I warned everyone that this would happen.

Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs were arguably 1 Centre & 1 or 2 Shutdown Defensemen away from being a potential playoff threat, that playoff appearance was because Brian Burke put all the pieces together, while at the same time leaving the Toronto Marlies stacked.

You know, the Toronto Marlies team that seems to always be in the playoffs…It took Brian Burke just over 4 years to build a Leafs playoff team, he promised he’d do it in 5. Guess he overachieved. His reward, MLSE fired him before he was able to be the GM in their first playoff appearance in almost a decade.

Dave Nonis took over for Burke and in his very short tenure…what did he do since he took over?

He overpaid for Trevor Smith & he signed Tim Leiweke’s son in law, Troy Bodie…overpaid him too

He arguably overpaid Tyler Bozak who is NOT a legit #1 centre on any team that can actually win more than 2 games in a row. He signed Dave Bolland who was amazing for a few games, suffered a horrific injury and since his return is not the same player.

He signed David Clarkson (a player who I have admired for ages) to the second biggest contract in Maple Leafs history at the time) David had yet to play 1 SINGLE Regular season game before he was suspended 10 games, He’s got 4 goals and six assists this season, along with 8 fights… Easily the biggest free agent BUST the Maple Leafs have ever signed. Did I mention, he’s already been suspended twice this season.

Colton Orr & Fraser McLaren serve no purpose, other than to take up roster sports…For the record, if you have “fighters” on your team…shouldn’t they FIGHT…but hey, Nonis gave them deals.

I am happy that Nonis brought in Peter Holland, but since Carlyle is a dumb ass, he buried Peter Holland, who incidentally is a force with the Toronto Marlies…7 games, 7 points with the Toronto Marlies…

Everyone knows that Carlyle has a track record of alienating players, Just ask Mikhail Grabovski or Clarke MacArthur what they think of Coach Carlyle. I cannot WAIT to hear the comments from guys like Nazem Kadri, James Reimer, Jake Gardiner, Joffrey Lupul when they are no longer here.

Morgan Rielly, the guy that the majority of Leafs fans have anointed as Bobby Orr V2 more often that not, was a scratch…and when the 18 year old finally got to play consistently, what a shock he’s becoming a good player, does he make mistakes still…yes…but he’s a teenager becoming a man very quickly, playing against men.

Paul Ranger, (been a fan of his for a few years) has been away from the NHL for about 3 years, and while most were calling for his head…finally found his groove after about 40 games, (I said all year it would take 30-35 for him to do so) Sadly Paul Ranger was destroyed on a cheap hit..Season, most likely over.

Jake Gardiner & Cody Franson who have been in and out of Carlyle’s dog house all season, have still continued to play well for the most part. Jake is finding his offence, and Cody Franson continues to be a hitting & blocking machine.

Carl Gunnarsson, solid unspectacular, you watch, he’ll be dealt this offseason…

It would be bad if I didn’t talk about Phil Kessel. I love his speed. I love his goal scoring ability. I hate to even say this, but Phil Kessel was evolving into a complete player under Ron Wilson, a guy I despise for his handling of Nazem Kadri & Jonas Gustavsson.  Dave Nonis Rewarded Phil Kessel with the longest & most lucrative contract in Maple Leafs history. Up until 15 games ago, that looked like a bargain. Phil has what, 3 goals in his last 15 games & EVERY single game he’s giving up the puck with brutal turnovers that always seem to lead to a goal being scored on James Reimer or Jonathan Bernier. To make matters worse, when Kessel coughs up the puck, he’s not chasing the puck down…Phil Kessel, looks to be regressing under Carlyle.

Ahhh, let’s talk about Mr. Bernier. You know, the one that all the bandwagon fans like to praise and worship. They tell everyone how high his ceiling and potential are…lovely…

Last year, the Maple Leafs did something that no team had ever done in NHL history, they blew a 3 goal lead in the 3rd period in the final 10 minutes of a GAME 7. A timeout, or a goalie change might have changed history. However, Carlyle didn’t bother to call a timeout or make a goalie change, so we’ll never know what “might” have happened. The other sidebar to that is, if Phaneuf would actually play the body or his man..a lot of those goals…might not have happened…Anyways…it was clear that Nonis & Carlyle put all the blame on James Reimer, as opposed to the entire team.

Bernier, for the most part has played well. However, he never earned the #1 Spot. It was automatically given to him, such a great way to say thank you James Reimer for leading us to the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade and we decided to reward you for that, by making you Bernier’s bitch.

James Reimer has not played up to his past record with the Leafs, but hey no shock to me. When you get buried by your GM & Coach, it will mess with your psyche. Goalies are a different breed, they are wired differently. Just look at Gustavsson & Giguere who are both having excellent seasons away from the Toronto Goalie Graveyard.

Bernier was on a pretty good roll, and he got hurt…Reimer came into the game and got drilled on one play. I think Reimer suffered a concussion, regardless of what anyone thinks.

During the time that Reimer was the starter while Bernier was hurt, he didn’t win…but than again, the Maple Leafs were not scoring more than 2 goals a game..

I believe Bernier is STILL not fully healed from his groin injury and he’s yet to win a game since coming back from his layoff…he’s looked slower and his timing is off, but it was a groin injury, so timing and mobility will be an issue till he’s fully healed.

James Reimer has been pulled a lot this season, yet Bernier has given up the same amount of goals or more that Reimer has given up when yanked,  but Bernier never gets yanked. I see this, other people see this, and I’m sure James Reimer notices as well.

My frustration with the Toronto Maple Leafs is not with Bernier or Reimer. They are both #1 Goalies.

The Toronto Maple Leafs play undisciplined hockey. They also give up more shorthanded goals than any team in the NHL. They also commit more turnovers than any team in the NHL. They are also in the bottom 3 for penalty killing, they also give up the most shots on average per game….36 shots per game. This is all COACHING.

This comment is for the ignoramuses who are clearly uneducated, if you blame Reimer or Bernier for the Maple Leafs failures, go pick another sport to watch. It all start with coaching, even if your roster is NOT strong or very talented, a hard working, smartly coached team can win games. The people who attacked James Reimer’s wife on Twitter. You don’t deserve to live.

Coaching and Defense are the Achilles heel of this team. How did Dave Nonis improve it. He lowballed Cody Franson who will likely leave this summer. He traded JML a veteran for an overpriced veteran named Tim Gleason. (Gleason for the most part hasn’t been horrible, just too much money)

Dion Phaneuf….shall I talk about him….he was scheduled to be a UFA this summer, his 6.5 million per year contract would FINALLY be off the books. Dave Nonis, LOVES Dion Phaneuf…so he rewards his…by giving him a 7 year 49 million dollar contract. If we don’t trade Phaneuf my next seasons end…he has a limited NTC. Lovely. I am well aware that Dion plays a ton, and I know he plays against the other teams best players, but…too much to be honest, shave 4 to 8 minutes off his TOI, I think he’d be a lot better. 7 million dollars a year to me is Shea Weber money. Dion is not Shea Weber.

Most nights, because he plays too much, you’ll see him make 3 or 4 glaring mistakes, which invariably mean some are in the net. He’s not physical for a guy who is 6’3 218 pounds.

Check this out

cap·tain (kăp′tən)

n.

1. Abbr. Capt. One who commands, leads, or guides others, especially

 2. the designated leader of a team or crew in sports.

Does that sound like Dion Phaneuf…NO….he’s not worth a 7 year deal…and he’s certainly not worth 7 million per year…

I will say this though. Phaneuf has played with a ton of different Defensive partners…and none have worked out as good as everyone would hope. Morgan Rielly paired with Dion Phaneuf…that would be interesting….

Morgan Rielly should be the Captain of this team.

Players get paid to play. Coaches get paid to coach. The Leafs have lost 8 in a row…that has not happened since 1985.HOW many of you were alive in 1985? In this epic collapse of a team once looking as a shoe-in to make the playoffs to a team that mathematically is all but eliminated…what has Carlyle done to try and change things…Hard to do anything roster wise, thank you for that Dave Nonis (cap mismanagement)

There are things you could have done, how about dropping Bozak to second line, reunite Lupul & Kessel, centred by Kadri…

Your second line would be JVR, Bozak & Raymond (a steal at 1 year 1 million) Who knows, maybe that would generate some offence.

Randy Carlyle has a Stanley Cup, but go back and look at that roster, Pronger, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, Kunitz, Penner, Selanne, Giguere, Getzlaf, Perry, a monkey could have coached that team.

Randy Carlyle simply doesn’t adapt anymore. he is the wrong coach for this team, just like Nonis is the wrong GM. Last year teams used to fear us, we were physically dominant more often than not..who remember the hitting machine Leo Komarov?

Dallas Eakins should have gotten this job, But he didn’t,  we groomed him, just like we did Mark Crawford,

A GM I’d like to see here. Wayne Gretzky, for coach…these are names in no particular order….. Gilmour, Spott, Gill, Messier, Laviolette, Noel, DeBoer…

This is the Maple Leafs brain trust under Tim Leiweke:

Dave Nonis, Dave Poulin, Clause Loiselle, Dave Farrish, Greg Cronin, Ric St.Croix, Steve Staios, Cliff Fletcher and Randy Carlyle.

i say FIRE all of them.

Funny how a former Norris winning defenseman can’t teach his own team on how to play defence.

Why do most of these signings bother me? Well, we needed to upgrade defence, and we went and got a goalie we did not need. Reimer and Scrivens got us to the playoffs last season. We didn’t need Bernier. However, He’s going to be here for awhile, so I hope he excels.

The signings of Smith, Bodie, Orr, McLaren, Bolland, Clarkson are the reasons why talented player who should be here are still with the Toronto Marlies, guys like Josh Leivo, Greg McKegg, Spencer Abbott, Jerry D’Amigo and Carter Ashton.

Jake Gardiner & Morgan Rielly on defence are special to watch, of course Stu Percy, Andrew MacWilliam, Petter Granberg, Korbinian Holzer, TJ Brennan are waiting for their chance, and Matt Finn & Tom Nilsson will soon be chomping at the bit..

As much as I may like or dislike players…it’s about the crest, not the name on the back of the jersey….I’ve watched this team since the 1970’s, I’ve been loyal, while MLSE has done nothing to reward me or other fans with that loyalty.

The irony is not lost on me when I think of the Detroit Red Wings, their #1 Goalie Jimmy Howard has been brutal for most of the year…but Jonas Gustavsson, the guy who was treated very poorly by coach & management and most fans had his best season so far in his NHL career. If Detroit makes it, they can thank him for that,. Not bad for a guy that MLSE almost destroyed,

BUT hey, that’s what MLSE does, they churn out players every year & Most find great success elsewhere, right Tuuka Rask.

This is easily the most disappointing season in decades for me as a long suffering Leafs fan. This all could have been avoided if they kept Brian Burke , hired someone other than Randy Carlyle…and showed patience with their roster….

It took very little time for Dave Nonis to undo all the good work Brian Burke did…

My question is this, what’s next MLSE.?….roster moves?  coaching changes? management shuffle?

My guess is Reimer, Gunnarsson, Smith, Bodie, Bolland, Franson, Orr & McLaren won’t be here next season…

All of LeafsNation is waiting….I can speak honestly and collectively say for everyone…this season is unacceptable….

A letter from MLSE will NOT cut it with me…You raised ticket prices after we made the playoffs, since we bombed this season…how about slashing ticket prices….

*crickets* Yeah I thought so…

As a supporter of the Blue and White for 4 Decades, I think MLSE you owe EVERY single MAPLE LEAFS FAN an answer…