Maple Leafs: Can John Ferguson and Paul Maurice Pull It Together?

MLSE doesn't think so, and they have started looking for JFJ's replacement.  As a Leafs fan, I can now officially say "We are in trouble."  The same statement couldn't be made at this time last year as Kabby and McCabe were pulling the load of the defense and the offense was scoring; Razor was their only problem. 

But now they have so many problems that breaking this team down and rebuilding could be the only answer.  Can JFJ lead this team into the playoffs?  Not with Peddie and the board.  Can Maurice do it?  I don't think so; he has lost this team, and at times I really question his coaching.  No, I am not a coach myself, but the decisions he makes are horrendous (Even the board could make better decisions.), dating back to last year when he wanted to make O'Neill a healthy scratch because rookies were back from injury and O'Neill was 4th in team scoring. 

This coach didn't lead Carolina into the finals, Irbe and Francis did.  They carried that team.  Everyone knows that team was (and is) more talented than this year's and last year's Leafs put together.

JFJ needs an advisor to help him.  He is still young and hasn't had the power to do much.  Even when he has, he's made poor trades, like trading Bell and 2nd pick for Perrault and 4th pick.  But JFJ can't be blamed for everything.  When an idea is presented to the board and to Peddie it is almost never approved, and I fail to see why they call the shots.  They lack the intelligence even to help a GM make decisions. 

I don't know if they can make the playoffs, but is a "for sale" sign necessary right now?  I keep hearing and reading about stupid trade offers for Sundin, but is he the problem?  NO.  MLSE is probably one of the most dysfunctional companies ever run: OTTP (Ontario Teachers Pension Plan) just wants to make money, Peddie wants to do absolutely everything, Tanenbuam owns 13 percent of the Leafs yet has no power, and you never see anyone on the board in the public, on the news, or even making decisions. 

It is so dysfunctional and ridiculous that Peddie, the CEO, has more power and more say than the Board of Governors.  Tanenbaum brought to Peddie the idea of Bowman and set up the interview.  Peddie's response?  Bowman, thanks, but.....we're a perfect franchise, we will win the cup, and we don't need you.

If the OTPP wants to win the cup why not hire the B.C of hockey?  Because they always want to make more and more, failing to realize what a couple of winning seasons can do. When the Leafs made their run to the cup 01-04, the value of the franchise shot up $133 million.  So wouldn't a smart GM bring them even more money?  When a certain player is doing well and is popular, his jersey sells out.  (Look at Belfour, Mogilny, Roberts, Newendyke). 

Peddie refuses to release power of the Leafs because if the team ever does win the cup he wants to be recognized as one of the biggest reasons they do.  Yet he fails to realize that he has damaged his image so badly that other GMs and owners are disgusted at the current situation of how JFJ has been handled.  Because of these failures its basically over for him, so I don't understand why they won't force Peddie to step down.  He is such a smart business man, he has so many plans in the making that are generating millions for MLSE—for example, Condos entertainment district, taxis Toronto FC. 

So until Peddie and the board are running this team they aren't going anywhere and we don't need to sell any of the players.  I say we let the whole team (including JFJ, Maurice, and MAYBE Sundin) play this season, and hire the GM we want now, allowing him to evaluate during the season like Brian Colangelo did.  Or, if we can't hire someone yet, let JFJ do it.  You never know, the Leafs could put it all together and make a serious run at the playoffs.  To be a legitimate, mediocre playoff team, we're lacking just a couple of good D-men and a scorer.