Confirmed with Link: Big changes, Nonis and co let go (Press conference 2pm)

[johnny_rudeboy]

Brendan Shanahan, President and Alternate Governor of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced today that the club has relieved General Manager David Nonis and Interim Head Coach Peter Horachek of their duties. The Club announced that coaches Steve Spott, Chris Dennis and Rick St. Croix (goaltending) have also been relieved of their duties while Steve Staios will resume his duties as Manager of Player Development. As the club seeks a new general manager, Leafs' Assistant General Manager Kyle Dubas and Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter will share the responsibilities on an interim basis.

http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=762909&navid=DL|TOR|home

As part of an overhaul of its scouting staff, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced today it has relieved Director of Pro Scouting Steve Kasper and Director of Player Development Jim Hughes of their duties. These changes are in addition to others made with some of the club’s full and part-time scouts in its pro, amateur and player evaluation departments.

http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=762939&navid=DL|TOR|home


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[johnny_rudeboy]

Press conference at 2.

Will be interesting. I wonder what will be said about the players if anything. Perhaps they just focus on the staff that got fired and the ones who are still with the club?

 

[Mess]

Shanahan's new GM must align with Leafs' vision
By Bob McKenzie

http://www.tsn.ca/shanahan-s-new-gm-must-align-with-leafs-vision-1.255117

 

[Kurisu]

just wondering if the players end of the year meeting was today.

 

[deletethis]

Not that the timing of the purge was unusual but it should make for a bunch of interesting player interviews today. Perhaps a few of them will drop the dull pro sports polito-speak. Perhaps a row or two with the media. Perhaps an admission of open insubordination.

 

[the wrangler 78]

just wondering if the players end of the year meeting was today.

Yep, I do believe it is this morning.

 

[leafs in five]

Yep, I do believe it is this morning.

 

[deletethis]

If, and that's a big if, this purge really does eventually include all of the so-called core, is there a precedent for such a rapid far-reaching purge of a pro sports organization ever?

I believe that the new GM of this team will face a market of NHL teams looking to pick the scraps from this garbage pyre without paying for it. I'm preparing myself for the possibility that some players who should go will be kept into the late summer even into the season until other teams ante up.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Shanahan's new GM must align with Leafs' vision
By Bob McKenzie

http://www.tsn.ca/shanahan-s-new-gm-must-align-with-leafs-vision-1.255117

Futa do sound like a very interesting candidate. But I guess there is more out there and who knows, kudy as with Hunter and Dubas, Shanny will hire some one that will come as a surprise.

 

[Yosho]

I assume Hunter will be the new GM.

 

[Joey Hoser]

I assume Hunter will be the new GM.

Probably not seeing as he and Dubas were named interim GM's. If it was going to be Hunter it might as well had been now.

 

[Yosho]

Probably not seeing as he and Dubas were named interim GM's. If it was going to be Hunter it might as well had been now.

Interim tags can be dropped.

Why keep two assistant GM's on the payroll if you're not promoting one of them? I imagine Shanny will wait until the coaching cards fall where they do and promote Mark this summer.

Hunter and Dubas are Shanahans guys. I think he trusts them enough to run the ship.

 

[Jmo89]

Shanahan's new GM must align with Leafs' vision
By Bob McKenzie

http://www.tsn.ca/shanahan-s-new-gm-must-align-with-leafs-vision-1.255117

I, like many here, remain somewhat cynical, especially when it comes to front office moves. An "ill believe it when I see it approach."

However I respect BM as a sports journalist and value his opinion. That article was a good read and I hope that's how things turns. Piecing together a FO team like a jigsaw puzzle with Shanahan at the top and a GM who is held accountable sounds promising to me. Its sounds different than years past where a GM struggled for autonomy (JFJ,) or was given control with a clear direction from the board (Burke.) A team approach of hockey execs, not one riddled with members of the board.

If the rebuild is actually beginning (and again, its still too early to speak in certainties,) Shanahan is a good person to have at the top IMO, taking the heat for his management team and rebuffing the board when they get impatient. He is a hockey guy, who played for successful organizations and is familiar with NHL politics (Player Safety, though granted, a completely different setting.) Also if reports are to be believed, he showed the board what a mess this organization has become by giving them their year (2014-2015) to measure the on-ice success and personnel - a year that ended historically bad.

Unlike past regimes, the GM will not inherit a coach and can pick his entire staff, which is refreshing.

The FO purge has happened. The scouting staff appears to also be getting a huge makeover with only a few remaining. Shanahan appears to be building a team so that no one person gets too full of themselves, and who are also unrelated enough that past loyalties are irrelevant (Burke-Nonis.) If he can find the right candidate and continue to take the heat from the board my confidence in the organization will (slowly) grow.

A fresh FO, scouting, and coaching staff are definitely a start to a rebuild and step in the right direction. Next is what changes take place on-ice, and whether patience prevails.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Worth Nothing if Leafs sign Mike Futa.

Sean Burke's contract is expiring. Won't affect him.

(Executive compensation) is going to come into play here with this offseason, the board of governors voted it last June but didn't quite have the language set up.

Well here is how it's going to work: if it's an offseason hire for either a president of hockey operations, a GM, or a head coach - it's a third round pick that goes the other way for a guy that's under contract. If it's an in-season hire then it's a second round pick, so you think most teams would wait.

For a coach the season ends as soon as his season ends, but for a GM or a president of hockey operations, the draft is the cut off line for in-season/off-season

 

[SprDaVE]

Michael Augello ‏@MikeInBuffalo
@DarrenDreger reports the possibility of LA's Mike Futa, former PIT GM Ray Shero and current Asst GM Kyle Dubas being the next #Leafs GM.

I have zero interest in Ray Shero. Bad drafting, bad trades and decent re-signings. When you have 2 of the best players in the world, it makes your job easy. Even with those 2 players, they only have one cup.

 

[Warden of the North]

Dreger said on the radio this morning that he wouldnt be surprised if its eventually Dubas named GM.

He also reiterated that this isnt going to be a tradional GM role, its going to be a group management with Shanny, Hunter, and Dubas, and new guy. For that reason he doesnt think a very experienced guy will want the job.

IMO they're aiming for the Columbus type thing with Davidson and Kekaleinen.

 

[Mess]

Shanahan identified the Leafs problem at its source and cut it out yesterday from the organization.

A new chapter in Leafs management begins as the last era has been erased in management, and now the attention turns to Phase II and rooting out the problem with the players cutting this right down to the core.

Shanny's Sunday, bloody Sunday as the insiders are calling it is a turning point for this franchise. 7 years of failed rebuilding wasted.

 

[LeafsMonster]

Only thing with dubas, is lack of experience. But he is a young fresh mind that has gotten this far being so young so..

 

[Warden of the North]

Only thing with dubas, is lack of experience. But he is a young fresh mind that has gotten this far being so young so..

Experience is overrated. "Experience" has driven us into the gutter and failed spectacularly. What we need is smart people. Besides, we have Cliff Fletcher here still. He can provide some insight.

 

[Mansfield]

Nonis/Kaspar/Hughes needed to go. Will be interesting to see who gets hired....

 

[Mugzy97]

Shanahan identified the Leafs problem at its source and cut it out yesterday from the organization.

A new chapter in Leafs management begins as the last era has been erased in management, and now the attention turns to Phase II and rooting out the problem with the players cutting this right down to the core.

Shanny's Sunday, bloody Sunday as the insiders are calling it is a turning point for this franchise. 7 years of failed rebuilding wasted.

They identified that the whole pipeline wasn't working, and are starting fresh. I'm excited for the changes that will be in place by game 1 next season.

 

[Schenn]

Experience is overrated. "Experience" has driven us into the gutter and failed spectacularly. What we need is smart people. Besides, we have Cliff Fletcher here still. He can provide some insight.

I agree. With some older guys who are very connected like Shanahan & Hunter, I like the idea of a young GM with a fresh outlook on the league to usher in a new era of management.

 

[gabeliscious]

Experience is overrated. "Experience" has driven us into the gutter and failed spectacularly. What we need is smart people. Besides, we have Cliff Fletcher here still. He can provide some insight.

i agree with you completely. the leafs dont need arrogant, recycled, expensive people who have bounced around from team to team over the past 10-15 years. we need out of box thinking, humble, up and comers, who are prepared to be part of a team.

the last thing the leafs need is another guy who thinks he can do it based on ego. if shannahan is going to hit the system restore button we cant have a recycled gm/coach.

i personally would be fine with having the gm position of the leafs made up of a trio of hunter, dubas, and another person who might have a touch more experience with evaluating nhl talent.

i also think that even though money isnt a problem for msle, our gms should still have a mandate to get value. historically out gms have given out brutal contracts. it needs to stop. it locks us in with medicore players. i really hope that comes to an end.

 

[Yosho]

I wouldn't mind Dubas at all. Seems like a high risk/high reward type thing. Rebuilding with his mindset could yield some interesting results.

I'm a big fan of him. Smart, young guy with a ton of confidence.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Shanahan identified the Leafs problem at its source and cut it out yesterday from the organization.

A new chapter in Leafs management begins as the last era has been erased in management, and now the attention turns to Phase II and rooting out the problem with the players cutting this right down to the core.

Shanny's Sunday, bloody Sunday as the insiders are calling it is a turning point for this franchise. 7 years of failed rebuilding wasted.

Bruce Arthur wrote a good piece. Nonis and Shanahan was never going to work. Former regimes and new regimes rarely do. Why Nonis stayed is beyond me? And why Shanahan didn't hire his own GM is puzzling. I know the comments will be he needed to evaluate and weed out the past. And this is what happened, but essentially it wasted a year. Leafs from Lieweke down, always acted like a dysfunctional organization in flux.