With 18 games remaining, the Toronto Maple Leafs have decided to cut ties with Ron Wilson and have brought in former Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle
Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke is very familiar with Carlyle. The two were together in 2007 when the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup. Earlier this season, Carlyle was let go by the Ducks after stumbling out of the gate with 7-13-4 record. The Ducks replaced him with former Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau.
Toronto currently sit 11th in the East, and are five points out of the eighth and final playoff spot. Are the Maple Leafs looking ahead to next season season or do they believe they have a realistic shot at catching the Winnipeg Jets?
The coaching change likely comes two games too late. The move should have been made after the team laid an egg in their home loss to the Washington Capitals – one of the teams their battling with to make the playoffs. At that point, the Maple Leafs had lost three in a row and had dropped seven of eight games.
Burke, perhaps overly loyal to his coach and long-time friend decided give him a couple more games to work with hoping he could help get the club out of their funk, which has seen them go a dreadful 1-9-1 during a critical part of the season.
The writing for Wilson’s dismissal was on the wall after mentioning the team did nothing at the trade deadline when addressing the media after losing to the Florida Panthers - a clear jab at GM Brian Burke.
In four seasons, the Maple Leafs have failed to qualify for the playoffs under Wilson.
Your Thoughts: Is there enough time for Carlyle to get the Maple Leafs into the post season?
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