Ranking the Toronto Maple Leafs' Worst Moments During the Randy Carlyle Era

With a golden glow still shining over the Air Canada Centre after Team Canada's Monday triumph at the 2015 World Junior Championship, the Toronto Maple Leafs got down to serious business. On Tuesday morning, head coach Randy Carlyle was dismissed after just less than three years of service, per NHL.com.

Carlyle's tenure wasn't without its high points. He built a regular-season record of 91-78-19 in Toronto and guided the franchise to the postseason for the first time in eight years in 2012-13.

His team could score goals. At the time of his firing, Toronto was the second-highest scoring team in the NHL, averaging 3.18 goals per game, though they ranked 25th in goals allowed with 3.02.

Carlyle can't be blamed for every dark time the franchise endured over the past three seasons, but quite a few of the team's embarrassing moments certainly contain a coaching component.

Here's a look at the Leafs' lowest points from Carlyle's tenure.

7. Maple Leafs Named Worst Franchise in Pro Sports

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When: Sept. 19, 2014

What Happened: After plenty of summertime changes intended to improve the Maple Leafs' fortunes in 2014-15, ESPN delivered a sobering shot of humility as training camp began when it named the Leafs the worst overall franchise in professional sports in their 2014 "Ultimate Standings."

The Leafs are a model of profitability for their owners, but the imbalance of high ticket prices against low performances makes them the team with the lowest pleasure payoff for their fans.

ESPN ranked Toronto 113th out of 122 teams across all four pro sports in its coaching category. Carlyle's fate may have been sealed before the year even began. 

6. Leafs Fire Brian Burke

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When: Jan. 9, 2013

What Happened: Maple Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke hired Randy Carlyle to replace coach Ron Wilson in March 2012. The pair had won a Stanley Cup together with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

Burke and Carlyle were colleagues in Toronto for just 18 games, finishing out the 2011-12 season. After the owners' lockout wiped out the first half of 2012-13, Burke was dismissed on Jan. 9, 2013—10 days before the start of the abbreviated campaign.

Since that time, Burke's right-hand man, Dave Nonis, has looked after the team's general manager duties, while Brendan Shanahan was hired as team president during the 2014 offseason. We'll never know if Burke and Carlyle might have been able to repeat their magic formula if they'd been given a little more time.

5. The Jersey Throw Spreads

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When: Jan. 3, 2015

What Happened: Was this the final nail in Carlyle's coffin?

On the road, Toronto has traditionally enjoyed tremendous support from expat fans at rinks across Canada. Last Saturday, a Leafs fan in Winnipeg decided to join in what's becoming a time-honoured tradition at the Air Canada Centre.

As Toronto dropped a lackluster 5-1 decision to a Winnipeg Jets team that's missing its top four defensemen due to injury, the disgruntled fan deposited his Dion Phaneuf jersey onto the ice at the MTS Centre.

Brandon Hicks of CBC Sports reports that the jersey throw wasn't the first of the year for the Leafs at a road game—a fan in Buffalo took the show on the road back in November. Hicks also cites at least six similar incidents that have occurred back home in Toronto during this season alone.

4. The Shot Differential

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When: March 2, 2012 to Jan. 6, 2015

What Happened: According to CBC Sports, the Toronto Maple Leafs gave up 1,254 more shots than they took during Carlyle's 188 games behind the bench.

The Leafs opened the Carlyle era by outshooting the Montreal Canadiens 42-22 for a 3-1 win on March 3, 2012. They closed it last Saturday with a 40-21 drubbing and a 5-1 loss at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets. From start to finish, they were outshot by an average of 6.67 shots per game.

Toronto's tilted shot differential is one simple statistic that captures the essence of the team's poor possession play. Advanced stats wizards like TSN's Travis Yost can take you further down the Corsi rabbit hole with other illustrations.

Bottom line: The Leafs became worse under Carlyle than they were when Wilson was fired in 2012. It's time to see if someone else can set Toronto on the right track and possibly preserve its playoff position this season.

3. The 9-2 Loss to the Nashville Predators

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When: Nov. 18, 2014

What Happened: After a decent start to Carlyle's third full season, the Leafs started a slide in mid-November that got fans worried in a hurry.

A 2-1 home loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 14 turned into an embarrassing 6-2 defeat on the road by the Buffalo Sabres. Fans pressed the panic button when the Nashville Predators rolled into the ACC and scored at will, tallying three first-period goals on Jonathan Bernier and adding another six on James Reimer in the final 40 minutes.

The 9-2 loss was Toronto's worst at home since moving to the Air Canada Centre in 1999.

2. The Late-Season Slide

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When: March 16-29, 2014

What Happened: Sixty-eight games into an 82-game schedule, the Leafs were sitting pretty. Toronto was second in the Atlantic Division, 6-2-2 in its past 10 games and eyeing the playoffs and home-ice advantage in the first round.

The trouble began with a 4-2 road loss to Washington then snowballed from there.

Detroit...Tampa Bay...Montreal...New Jersey...St. Louis...Philadelphia...and Detroit again. Each game ended in defeat.

By the time the dust had settled, the Leafs had lost eight straight and dropped to 10th place in the Eastern Conference, outside the playoff picture.

They never recovered. Toronto collected just four points in its last 14 games of the year, ending the season shellshocked—12th in the conference and 23rd in the NHL.

1. The Playoff Collapse

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

When: May 13, 2013

What Happened: Which is worse? Missing the playoffs or getting knocked out in devastating fashion?

After Carlyle finally brought the Leafs to the postseason for the first time in eight seasons in 2013, Toronto imploded spectacularly in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the Boston Bruins.

After rebounding from a 3-1 series deficit, the Leafs built a 4-1 lead in Game 7. Then, three third-period goals from the Bruins, including two in the last 1:22 of regulation, tied the game. Patrice Bergeron delivered the dagger in overtime, creating a whole new world of hurt in Hogtown.

The win that got away is the worst moment of Carlyle's time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

All stats courtesy of NHL.com.