[Mr_Canada old]

Mustang1 Mustang1:

I'm a huge Leaf fan, but lately (ok, it's not a new thing) this team appears woefully out of step in the upper echelons of management. Fristly, get of JFJ - 1/2 the board doesn't want him, so he's a lame-duck GM with no room to impose his vision on a team. Secondly, if you're brining in a senior hockey mentor (a la Muckler), then why have a GM? Are you honestly telling me that JFJ won't have to run trades or signings by Muckler? Who's in charge and who's forging a cohesive plan to go beyond simply making the playoffs?

Blake, by the way, not a bad signing and when you factor in the enormous contracts being doled out to Gomez, Vanek (well...that's a slightly different situation) Hartnell and Drury. That...and possibly Toskola (although Ferdendaz's deal with Boston looks a little better for a proven goalie) might've been decenet moves. Now...the kicker, can he unload Raycroft or Kurbina? There's a surefire way to gain respect.

Yep. I really, really, really hope we can drop Raycroft... Kubina... And it was unfortunate that McCabe apparently won't waive his damn NTC.

I hate JFJ Jr too. He's losing it and Started to go towards a Ballard like state.... he's losing it, now he needs someone to help him make decisions..

Well, I think that's somewhat good. He realizes that Leafs Nation is tired of bad decisions....

But I fully agree with you here.

[Mr_Canada old]

Wannabe Wannabe:

Mustang1 Mustang1:

I'm a huge Leaf fan, but lately (ok, it's not a new thing) this team appears woefully out of step in the upper echelons of management. Fristly, get of JFJ - 1/2 the board doesn't want him, so he's a lame-duck GM with no room to impose his vision on a team. Secondly, if you're brining in a senior hockey mentor (a la Muckler), then why have a GM? Are you honestly telling me that JFJ won't have to run trades or signings by Muckler? Who's in charge and who's forging a cohesive plan to go beyond simply making the playoffs?

Blake, by the way, not a bad signing and when you factor in the enormous contracts being doled out to Gomez, Vanek (well...that's a slightly different situation) Hartnell and Drury. That...and possibly Toskola (although Ferdendaz's deal with Boston looks a little better for a proven goalie) might've been decenet moves. Now...the kicker, can he unload Raycroft or Kurbina? There's a surefire way to gain respect.

Excellent points. Here's a rundown on the inner-workings of the Leafs' hockey operations written by Damien Cox. Sad stuff but worth the read for any Leafs fan.

That was one of the most amazing things I ever read....

That was a really, really, really good article...

[Wannabe]

There have been few exceptions; championship teams at the managerial level are overwhelmingly efficient and effective at achieving cohesive communication throughout the organization as opposed to those who are not.

This model of harmonious administration and action applies directly to the success of most any corporation, regardless of market... sports franchises are seldom granted an exception. Indeed, some entities, whatever the business, have managed to overcome their own shortcomings at the top in this regard due to the performance of those who support the structure from beneath the pyramid. Yet, they are few and far between.

Unless the situation at MLSE management with regard to Leafs operations is changed, it seems the only hope for witnessing our beloved blue and white hoist the Cup down Yonge is if the players themselves can attain their maximum potential for greatness as competitors and athletes.

Until we reach the day where the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club has a more centralized command structure with the primary goal in mind of winning on the ice and not to extract and exploit our hopes as fans for the primary goal of profit, we will continue to invest our own fantasies of spiritual profit in the name of hockey on nothing more than a roll of the dice.

[Wannabe]

Mustang1 Mustang1:

The only point that Cox makes that puzzles me is, if the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund wanted to make more money, why would they allow the team to spend to the cap and not push for the playoffs (ie - choosing a hockey guy to manage the team's affairs) were ticket revenue is increased? This has nothing to do with the Ontario Teachers, and everything to do with a dysfunctional corporate culture (from Ballard to Stavro to Peddie) whose market cares little about success and more about nostalgia.

This is only a guess, but I think Teachers' doesn't pay as much attention to maximizing the bottom line in profit with the Leafs as they do with their other massive holdings. They're are a good, consistent earner for them, and in terms of investment strategy for the sake of a fund to deliver stability and profit time and time again, they're one of many safety nets to fall back on should other market forces prove to be detrimental.

Check out what else they have their hands on:

OTPP Holdings

With all of the tens of billions of dollars they play around with, an extra 12 million or so to reach the salary cap in the NHL is peanuts.

[Mustang1]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

Mustang1 Mustang1:

I'm a huge Leaf fan, but lately (ok, it's not a new thing) this team appears woefully out of step in the upper echelons of management. Fristly, get of JFJ - 1/2 the board doesn't want him, so he's a lame-duck GM with no room to impose his vision on a team. Secondly, if you're brining in a senior hockey mentor (a la Muckler), then why have a GM? Are you honestly telling me that JFJ won't have to run trades or signings by Muckler? Who's in charge and who's forging a cohesive plan to go beyond simply making the playoffs?

Blake, by the way, not a bad signing and when you factor in the enormous contracts being doled out to Gomez, Vanek (well...that's a slightly different situation) Hartnell and Drury. That...and possibly Toskola (although Ferdendaz's deal with Boston looks a little better for a proven goalie) might've been decenet moves. Now...the kicker, can he unload Raycroft or Kurbina? There's a surefire way to gain respect.

Yep. I really, really, really hope we can drop Raycroft... Kubina... And it was unfortunate that McCabe apparently won't waive his damn NTC.

I hate JFJ Jr too. He's losing it and Started to go towards a Ballard like state.... he's losing it, now he needs someone to help him make decisions..

Well, I think that's somewhat good. He realizes that Leafs Nation is tired of bad decisions....

But I fully agree with you here.

Raycroft was a decent gamble, but so far, he hasn't panned out. Kubina? Again, i see the strategy, but in a salary cap era, his price tag outshines his worth and impact. JFJ is in a no-win situation - he can't really mold the team and the moves he has made haven't really been defining. In some ways, he's a pawn of the board (or 1/2 the board) and with this corporate culture, we likely don't even know the 1/2 of it.

[Mustang1]

Wannabe Wannabe:

Mustang1 Mustang1:

The only point that Cox makes that puzzles me is, if the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund wanted to make more money, why would they allow the team to spend to the cap and not push for the playoffs (ie - choosing a hockey guy to manage the team's affairs) were ticket revenue is increased? This has nothing to do with the Ontario Teachers, and everything to do with a dysfunctional corporate culture (from Ballard to Stavro to Peddie) whose market cares little about success and more about nostalgia.

This is only a guess, but I think Teachers' doesn't pay as much attention to maximizing the bottom line in profit with the Leafs as they do with their other massive holdings. They're are a good, consistent earner for them, and in terms of investment strategy for the sake of a fund to deliver stability and profit time and time again, they're one of many safety nets to fall back on should other market forces prove to be detrimental.

Check out what else they have their hands on:

OTPP Holdings

With all of the tens of billions of dollars they play around with, an extra 12 million or so to reach the salary cap in the NHL is peanuts.

The Leafs are hardly going to make or break the pension fund - they'll make money no matter what, so why would the Pension Fund handler's penny pinch with hockey operations? What monetary reason would it serve? There's already a salary cap, so why torpedo hockey decisions? It won't alter that and it can hinder potential profits if the Leafs continue to miss out on playoff revenue. My point is that i think Cox is reaching here.

[Jonathan_P]

I always root for the Sens over the Leafs

[Mr_Canada old]

Jonathan_P Jonathan_P:

I always root for the Sens over the Leafs

I will always root for pretty much anyone over the Sens.... Except the Habs. If it's Habs vs. Sens, Go Sens Go, lol.

[thebuz]

Here is my take on the Sens Army,

I live outside TO. I travel to Ottawa every three weeks for biz.

EVERYTIME I am there, I listen to sports radio.
EVERYTIME I am there, they have something negative to say about Toronto - and it stems from the Leafs.

I remember they even had a countdown (# of games left) to when the Leafs would miss the play-offs.

That is how pathetic Ottawa is.

Rather than HOPE the Leafs make it in, and play them in the first round (with the intent of redemption from many years gone by where they have never won a playoff series vs Toronto). They start a countdown to when they WILL NOT make it in.

Spineless & a ScaryCats (yes, I said scarycats) team.

They only wish they had our history.

[Jonathan_P]

thebuz thebuz:

Here is my take on the Sens Army,

I live outside TO. I travel to Ottawa every three weeks for biz.

EVERYTIME I am there, I listen to sports radio.
EVERYTIME I am there, they have something negative to say about Toronto - and it stems from the Leafs.

I remember they even had a countdown (# of games left) to when the Leafs would miss the play-offs.

That is how pathetic Ottawa is.

Rather than HOPE the Leafs make it in, and play them in the first round (with the intent of redemption from many years gone by where they have never won a playoff series vs Toronto). They start a countdown to when they WILL NOT make it in.

Spineless & a ScaryCats (yes, I said scarycats) team.

They only wish they had our history.

Bah, us Habs fans just enjoy seeing the Canadiens beat the Maple Leafs.

[thebuz]

.[/quote]Bah, us Habs fans just enjoy seeing the Canadiens beat the Maple Leafs. [/quote]

Like they did the last game of the season, when their playoff destiny was to simply beat the Leafs..
But that's another thread.

And I love the Habs/Leafs rivalry.. it's great to see.

But Ottawa is just spineless..

[n0rthern]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

Long Live the Battle of Ontario!

Amen!

[n0rthern]

thebuz thebuz:

Here is my take on the Sens Army,

I live outside TO. I travel to Ottawa every three weeks for biz.

EVERYTIME I am there, I listen to sports radio.
EVERYTIME I am there, they have something negative to say about Toronto - and it stems from the Leafs.

I remember they even had a countdown (# of games left) to when the Leafs would miss the play-offs.

That is how pathetic Ottawa is.

Rather than HOPE the Leafs make it in, and play them in the first round (with the intent of redemption from many years gone by where they have never won a playoff series vs Toronto). They start a countdown to when they WILL NOT make it in.

Spineless & a ScaryCats (yes, I said scarycats) team.

They only wish they had our history.

yeah like the last 40 years of it

[LoudLarry]

thebuz thebuz:

Here is my take on the Sens Army,

I live outside TO. I travel to Ottawa every three weeks for biz.

EVERYTIME I am there, I listen to sports radio.
EVERYTIME I am there, they have something negative to say about Toronto - and it stems from the Leafs.

I remember they even had a countdown (# of games left) to when the Leafs would miss the play-offs.

That is how pathetic Ottawa is.

Rather than HOPE the Leafs make it in, and play them in the first round (with the intent of redemption from many years gone by where they have never won a playoff series vs Toronto). They start a countdown to when they WILL NOT make it in.

Spineless & a ScaryCats (yes, I said scarycats) team.

They only wish they had our history.

Gee imagine that listening to a sports radio in a town that is home to only one pro sports franchise and they talk about it, and relate the talk to the teams biggest rival.
Do you think perhaps its the Leafnation that resides in Ottawa that it may be directed at, nothing spells ratings like controversy.
I live in Sittlers hometown St Jacobs and all I ever hear around here is Sens this and Sens that, the fear that Leaf fans around here have of the sens borders on psychotic and the fan base is shrinking, at my sons peewee practise the amount of kids wearing sens jerseys is growing every year.
In town three vehicles sprot sens plates with the arrival of centerice more and more people are no longer captive of CBC and Leaf broadcast rights and just because your Father and Grand Father were brainwashed you don`t have to be. To be honest I would rather have a hockey disscusion with a 16 yr old who can think for his or herself and hasn`t been brainwashed for decades by CBC and the media and actually can see beyond the Leaf nation hype and BS that the Don Cherrys of the world sprout off about. Better marketing of stars like Crosby, and the Stalls will shrink Leaf nation.
This is the last generation of brainwashed robots, unless the Leafs put a half decent team on the ice only the drones will remain.

[bootlegga]

LoudLarry LoudLarry:

Gee imagine that listening to a sports radio in a town that is home to only one pro sports franchise and they talk about it, and relate the talk to the teams biggest rival.
Do you think perhaps its the Leafnation that resides in Ottawa that it may be directed at, nothing spells ratings like controversy.
I live in Sittlers hometown St Jacobs and all I ever hear around here is Sens this and Sens that, the fear that Leaf fans around here have of the sens borders on psychotic and the fan base is shrinking, at my sons peewee practise the amount of kids wearing sens jerseys is growing every year.
In town three vehicles sprot sens plates with the arrival of centerice more and more people are no longer captive of CBC and Leaf broadcast rights and just because your Father and Grand Father were brainwashed you don`t have to be. To be honest I would rather have a hockey disscusion with a 16 yr old who can think for his or herself and hasn`t been brainwashed for decades by CBC and the media and actually can see beyond the Leaf nation hype and BS that the Don Cherrys of the world sprout off about. Better marketing of stars like Crosby, and the Stalls will shrink Leaf nation.
This is the last generation of brainwashed robots, unless the Leafs put a half decent team on the ice only the drones will remain.

I agree with the sentiment about Centre Ice and the fact that even lowly cable subscribers won't be forced to watch goobs of Leafs games. It's nice to live in Alberta and see someone other than the Leafs playing hockey. I can't even begin to think of many times I've watched a meaningless Leafs game when a game that decides a playoff spot for any of the other Canadian teams is on.

Thank you Sportsnet!

I used to really like the Leafs when they were really sad sack, like back in the 80s. Al Iafrate was the man! In the 90s, they got to big for their britches and stole players from small market teams (remember Cujo) then whined when someone did the same thing to them (Cujo again). I might not care for them much now, simply because I don't like any of their players right now, but I'd still like them to get into the playoffs and go a round or two.