Fire Ron Wilson??

[SmokestackLightnin]

Methinks Wilson will be taking a different plane when the team leaves Chicago tonight.

 

It's easier to fire on the road.

 

The year Nolan took over the hapless NYI, they made the playoffs, and that was after the lock out.

[kickingfrog]

Wilson was given a one year extension. For a team with the revenue of the Leafs that is in essence a golden parachute.

[Grimace]

They also usually fire a coach when a weak part of the schedule approaches. That way they look brilliant when the team beats up on a few cellar dwellers.

[Rod Caster]

Here is a positive (not for leafs) article from J.R. on NHL.com. Take J.R.'s writing with a grain of salt, but either way, it's a good read for a Coyotes fan He's blaming Toronto's cold streak on the players, not the coach.

 

What's Clicking?

 

The Phoenix Coyotes = red hot.

 

They've had the most controversy of any team in the NHL during the last two or three years with the ownership issue, but GM Don Maloney has done just a tremendous job of not only keeping the faith within that dressing room, but bringing in quality players and a coach who has created a great playing atmosphere for these players.

 

You can tell by the way they play.

 

They were up against adversity going into the All-Star break, and they come out playing like their playoff lives were on the line. Now to be unbeaten in February and third in a difficult, strong Western Conference without any major superstars just tells you how much pride is in that locker room.

 

Shane Doan, who is one of the best men I've ever met in the game, is a true professional in the way that he runs this team, captains this team, leads it by example.

 

Radim Vrbata is drastically under-appreciated in the NHL for what he can do and for the season he's having. For him to not make the All-Star Game was such a kick in the face.

 

And, I've got to give props to Ray Whitney -- 20 years in the NHL and he's leading the Coyotes in points. He continues to be a great locker room leader and a fantastic person to watch on the ice. To keep his level of play as high as he has is a true testament to him as a competitor.

 

All in all, I am very proud of the Coyotes and I hope for continued success for them. I really hope they can continue this right on into the playoffs and be that team that nobody wants to play come April 10.

 

Kudos to them. Job well done.

 

What's Missing?

 

The Toronto Maple Leafs = ice cold.

 

This is a team that is under probably the most scrutiny of any in the NHL, especially because they haven't made the playoffs since 2004, but you have to wonder what it is now. It's not coaching because obviously Ron Wilson has a system in place that had the team flying high in the beginning of the season.

 

You know what, I'm going to make the same statement I made last week about the New York Islanders: Does this team even want to make the playoffs? Does this team even want to make the sacrifice that it takes to win crucial games night in and night out?

 

I know Florida is a good team, but you can't lose to the Florida Panthers at home when you're battling for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There are too many teams right now that are refusing to take that next step, and Toronto is in that group.

 

Phil Kessel has continued to play strong hockey. Joffrey Lupul has fallen off a bit. But, the guy who has fallen off the most and is hurting this team is Mikhail Grabovski.

 

It bothers me so much when a guy with that much talent has so many ups and downs throughout a season. You can't be as good as Grabovski was and then be as poor as Grabovski has been. Either you're good or you're not.

 

To me, it's simply about effort.

 

Grabovski is a great player and he needs to step up and be accountable for the way he's performing.

 

But, unfortunately, goalies James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson have also fallen on quiet times. That's not helping the cause at all for Wilson and Brian Burke or the Toronto Maple Leafs' fans.

 

Finally, I have heard they're calling for Wilson to be fired, chanting for it at Air Canada Centre; but it's not right. Why is it Wilson's fault now? What about the beginning of the season? They weren't calling for his head then.

 

It now goes down to the players because they're not performing to their expectations. They have proven that they can do it, that the system works, but now they have to play the system and stop blaming the coach.

 

They just need to do what it takes to win hockey games.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Rod Caster

[glen]

They dont want to play for wilson.

 

It is going to be funny as hell to watch the fans throw stuff at wilson. I hope they keep it coming.

 

For the first time i feel like going to the game just to chant fire wilson.

[moxie]

The whole organization has pretty much sucked for 40+ yrs. Four decades of Doom. Harold Ballard , Steve Stavro , and who can forget the latest Champions of Mediocrity: The Teachers Union. I won't even begin to list the many unfit GMs' and Coaches that have done the Owners bidding during that time frame. The head on this snake has stunk up and infected an entire city for a very long time and it is sure to continue with the next addition of ownership to be shared by two media adversaries that have never avoided pissing on each other at every opportunity. Hang on for the ride Leaf Fans because if you thought this was the bottom you are about to be introduced to a few more levels of hell.........LMAO!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Ps. Need to up my post count and couldn't pass up this opportunity. They really are a lost cause though.

[jedimaster]

Maybe everyone should break out the waffles again.

[Grimace]

The whole organization has pretty much sucked for 40+ yrs. Four decades of Doom. Harold Ballard , Steve Stavro , and who can forget the latest Champions of Mediocrity: The Teachers Union. I won't even begin to list the many unfit GMs' and Coaches that have done the Owners bidding during that time frame. The head on this snake has stunk up and infected an entire city for a very long time and it is sure to continue with the next addition of ownership to be shared by two media adversaries that have never avoided pissing on each other at every opportunity. Hang on for the ride Leaf Fans because if you thought this was the bottom you are about to be introduced to a few more levels of hell.........LMAO!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Ps. Need to up my post count and couldn't pass up this opportunity. They really are a lost cause though.

 

I agree with all of that except Steve Stavro. When he took over the team, they had the first winning season in 14 years.

 

THE STEVE STAVRO YEARS

 

92-93 Norris 44 29 11 99 Pat Burns Lost in round 3

93-94 Central 43 29 12 98 Pat Burns Lost in round 3

94-95 Central 48 21 19 50 (Lock out year) Pat Burns Lost in round 1

95-96 Central 34 36 12 80 Burns, Beverley {+} Lost in round 1

96-97 Central 82 30 44 68 Mike Murphy Out of Playoffs

97-98 Central 82 30 43 69 Mike Murphy Out of Playoffs

98-99 Northeast 82 45 30 97 Pat Quinn Lost in round 3

99-00 Northeast 82 45 27 100 Pat Quinn Lost in round 2

00-01 Northeast 82 37 29 90 Pat Quinn Lost in round 2

01-02 Northeast 82 43 25 100 Pat Quinn Lost in round 3

02-03 Northeast 82 44 28 98 Pat Quinn Lost in round 1

03-04 Northeast 82 45 24 103 Pat Quinn Lost in round 2

 

PRE STAVRO YEARS

 

I do not think I have to recap the Harold Ballard era do I??

 

LOL

 

POST STAVRO YEARS

 

Pat Quinn Out of Playoffs

Paul Maurice Out of Playoffs

Paul Maurice Out of Playoffs

Ron Wilson Out of Playoffs

Ron Wilson Out of Playoffs

Ron Wilson Out of Playoffs

 

This year it is looking like

Ron Wilson Out of Playoffs

 

 

No Stanley cups I know but other than a 2 crappy seasons in between the Burns and Quinn regimes it was pretty good. If only he didn't run into money troubles Fletcher would have had Gretzky but Stavro just couldn't afford it as he lost his shirt away from the rink.

 

 

Be easy on old Steve. He did well here, and better than anyone else did for a long time...

[jedimaster]

I was just about to buy some mapleleaf coasters as I got the approval from the boss, but now I am going to haev to wait, as there are way too many coasters on the ice. Someone needs to light a match under these guys and I don't think wilson can do it. Actually they need more than a match they need an A-Bomb

[DRIFTER_016]

I do not think I have to recap the Harold Ballard era do I??

 

 

 

God NO!!!! I have finally put those years out of mind!!!

Years of therapy and thousands of dollars to get past those years!!!! :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

[Rod Caster]

Goofstaf is in tonight. Chicago is gonna mop the floor with the leafs

[jedimaster]

To be honest I have zero hope for the leafs tonight. They look beat already before the game has already started. Lets hope they can trap for 5 minutes so they can keep the puck out of the net for a while.

 

Go Leafs Go

[jedimaster]

Nice start, but WOW Kulemin just got levelled on a breakaway by the ref. You know its bad when...

[BillM]

First goal for once!

[muskymatt]

Some fans you guys are, beating up on the laffs even before the game starts! No wonder they lose with all the negative fans they have.

[tb4me]

Some fans you guys are, beating up on the laffs even before the game starts! No wonder they lose with all the negative fans they have.

 

Who Hoo GO LEAFS GO!!!!!

Edited March 1, 2012 by tb4me

[moxie]

Heres a Stat:

 

 

 

 

 

1968-2012: NO STANLEY CUPS

Edited March 1, 2012 by moxie

[muskymatt]

 

Oh come on now!!

Can't a guy even point out some flawed thinking without being singled out...lol

 

A little sensitive are we???

[Nipfisher]

If they win tonight...........Maybe a new streak is starting?

Edited March 1, 2012 by Nipfisher

[moxie]

I hear you Grimace. That was an interesting time for Depraved Leaf Fans but in the end there wasn't one single cup to show for it. Not a one. So I can't give Stevo his due cause he didn't get the do done. 45 years and counting.....tick.....tok.....tick.....tok.....hehehe.

Edited March 1, 2012 by moxie

[jedimaster]

SHHHHHHH!!!!! you are jinxing them

[uglyfish]

The leafs won't be winners with phaneuf, liles, grabovski and macarthur on the team. Grabo is selfish half the time and gives the puck away too much, and sucks defensively. Macarthur gives the puck away. Liles is horrible in his own end, too many giveaways. Phaneuf can't do anything but screw up. Giveaways, poor defensive zone play, and just half assed attempts at taking a player out.

 

Everyone wants wilson fired, and says he doesn't know how to coach. Because he's the one on the ice screwing up everytime he touches the puck, rite? When they were tops in the league, everyone was praising him for taking such a young team and making them winners. But he clearly had no idea how to coach... Only one of the winningest coahes in the game, and only one to have been coaching in the NHL each of the past 16 or so seasons.

 

And to the ones complaing that burke has a hardon for americans and that's all he wants.... Burke PREFERS canadian players on his teams. Incase u don't remember, when he won the cup in anaheim, they had the largest number of canadian players on their roster in the league.

 

Reimer has played fine, every goalie let's in bad goals. This KID has won more games for them then he has lost. He doesn't get rattled and plays solid. Look at the games they lose. He gets no help in front of him, half the goals are on epic turn overs and just horrible defensive play, and they don't get much offsense for him either.

 

Burke didn't make trades cause he wasn't giving up a stupid amount for a player. Draft picks are good, when there's a good draft class. This year is a bit weak. GM's push the price up at the deadline. U can get the same player for half as much in the summer.

 

Wait till the summer, win or lose, changes will come. Players will be sent out, others brought in. This team is headed in the rite direction. Few small pieces away from serious contention.

 

The sens just surprised ppl this year, they are over achieving and will fall back to reality soon enough. No need to worry about that. Leafs did the same thing this season.

[BillM]

Even with the loss tonight they looked a lot better. Emery did a great job after coming in at the start of the 2nd period.

[Live2fish85]

The leafs won't be winners with phaneuf, liles, grabovski and macarthur on the team. Grabo is selfish half the time and gives the puck away too much, and sucks defensively. Macarthur gives the puck away. Liles is horrible in his own end, too many giveaways. Phaneuf can't do anything but screw up. Giveaways, poor defensive zone play, and just half assed attempts at taking a player out.

 

Everyone wants wilson fired, and says he doesn't know how to coach. Because he's the one on the ice screwing up everytime he touches the puck, rite? When they were tops in the league, everyone was praising him for taking such a young team and making them winners. But he clearly had no idea how to coach... Only one of the winningest coahes in the game, and only one to have been coaching in the NHL each of the past 16 or so seasons.

 

And to the ones complaing that burke has a hardon for americans and that's all he wants.... Burke PREFERS canadian players on his teams. Incase u don't remember, when he won the cup in anaheim, they had the largest number of canadian players on their roster in the league.

 

Reimer has played fine, every goalie let's in bad goals. This KID has won more games for them then he has lost. He doesn't get rattled and plays solid. Look at the games they lose. He gets no help in front of him, half the goals are on epic turn overs and just horrible defensive play, and they don't get much offsense for him either.

 

Burke didn't make trades cause he wasn't giving up a stupid amount for a player. Draft picks are good, when there's a good draft class. This year is a bit weak. GM's push the price up at the deadline. U can get the same player for half as much in the summer.

 

Wait till the summer, win or lose, changes will come. Players will be sent out, others brought in. This team is headed in the rite direction. Few small pieces away from serious contention.

 

The sens just surprised ppl this year, they are over achieving and will fall back to reality soon enough. No need to worry about that. Leafs did the same thing this season.

 

The coach should figure out how to make them work better together. That is his job, yet he constantly.changes lines like a moron. These guys aren't as useless as you make it out to be.

Lets be honest they made it into the NHL which isn't so easy as they are a dime a dozen.

 

I played hockey my whole life and even with useless players a good coach can make a team play well. My dad did it.

 

As for Wilson just changing them when they make a mistake. That isn't helping at all.

 

The goalies and Wilson are there biggest problem.

[steel&chrome]

It's sad that there are still fans that root for the team, dont get me wrong...toronto is an awesome hockey city but the fact that the fans are so die hard will make them go to games regardless of how the team is performing. If people would stop showing up to games, i bet they'd make changes. They hype up the city so much and still manage to have sold out crowds even when the team is doing terrible. Just my opinion on how the organization works...anyways....GO BRUINNNNNSSSS FOR REPEATT!!!