Leafs GM Dave Nonis and coach Randy Carlyle are building a partnership of trust

hockeywiz542

Registered User
May 26, 2008
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http://www.torontosun.com/2013/02/2...yle-are-building-a-partnership-of-trust-in-to

"The first thing you want to do is make sure you're not missing something or somebody," said Nonis. "We looked around. We discussed some other options. But for us it came down to two people."

Carlyle was one. Marlies coach Dallas Eakins was the other.

"And in terms of the market and the experience factor, we felt Randy was the better choice," said Nonis.

The decision to hire Carlyle might be the most important coaching decision made in Toronto since Cliff Fletcher hired Pat Burns in 1992. What he's managed with the Leafs, in concert with Nonis, over 17 games is nothing short of improbable.

Before this season began, after the lockout, Nonis met with the Leafs players and so did Carlyle. The meetings were separate but the tone was similar.

"We made it clear to players going in, that on any given evening, players who gave us the best chance to win, regardless of their contract, were going to play. This is something we agreed upon and have followed through on.

"It was important that every player knew this. It was a position we felt was important for us to take. We wanted transparency and accountability from everyone. If you say that and then you don't act on it, you'll lose the room. When we told them how it was going to be, I believe it's important that we stand true to our words. If they see the opposite, they won't believe in anything you say.

"And we've been true to our word on this."

True to their words as general manager and coach, the lineup the Leafs utilized in both games in Florida was almost an assault on conventional salary-cap wisdom --but in Nonis' mind a necessary assault considering what they've told the players.

The best player on any night, as chosen by Carlyle, is going to play. So if it means Mike Komisarek and John- Michael Liles, who combined to take up $8.37 million in salary-cap space, won't play because the defenceman in the $600,000-a-year range--Mark Fraser, Korbinian Holzer and Mike Kostka--are playing better, so be it. In fact, the five defenceman not named Dion Phaneuf last night for the Leafs earn about the same as Komisarek's cap hit.

And if you include Tim Connolly being paid major-league dollars to play minor-league hockey and the $3.5 million for bought-out players and the traded Matthew Lombardi, the Leafs are sitting out some $16.5 million in salaries, and if you add the injured Joffrey Lupul and Matt Frattin to the equation, you're almost at $23 million missing from the lineup.

And it hasn't seemed to hurt the product at all. Nonis is quick to thank ownership for not involving themselves in matters of salary and performance. On many teams he knows, coaches and general managers don't have similar freedoms.

"It's still early but to Randy's credit and to the players' credit, it's been working," said the general manager. "We've given young players an opportunity and they've stepped up and grabbed at it. There's going to be some bumps in the road, you know that, but so far they've stepped up and done a good job with it."

But it starts with Carlyle and Nonis and a trust and working relationship that goes back a decade.
 

jmart21

MISC!!!
Nov 16, 2009
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All Over The Place
Looks like it's created hunger for playing time. It seems like even in loses, everyone on the ice is giving it 110% all the time...and if they aren't, there's a roster change.

I like it. There's accountability....

But let's not pretend the start of the Burke era wasn't the same way. It's easy to preach about eliminating the contract-based sense of entitlement when it's not your signing. Like all GMs and coaches, over time they will develop tendencies towards certain players. However, I hope Nonis will be able to swallow his pride and dump his mistakes. Only time will tell.
 

Bomber0104

Registered User
Apr 8, 2007
15,021
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Burlington
I did like Burke but he was pretty hypocritical at times and his ego got in the way of his job at times. IMO.

Yeah, like remember when he was ranting on about Blue and White Disease, and the lack of accountability.?

Talk is cheap.

Nonis is backing up his words with actions and results.

The infusion of honesty and transparency with Carlyle and Nonis at the helms is refreshing.
 

rdawg1234

Registered User
Jul 2, 2012
4,586
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Start of a great era IMO.

we look like a solid bottom-end playoff team right now, we're a #1 C from contention if the prospects keep showing up like Kadri and Frattin have, and the goaltending keeps showing up like Reimer and Scrivens have.

Really Really starting to like this team, it has one big hole(#1C) maybe another smaller one(better top 6 winger, better top d-man?) but I can see the identity and what the team is trying to do.
 

MoeMoney

Registered User
Mar 11, 2012
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Start of a great era IMO.

we look like a solid bottom-end playoff team right now, we're a #1 C from contention if the prospects keep showing up like Kadri and Frattin have, and the goaltending keeps showing up like Reimer and Scrivens have.

Really Really starting to like this team, it has one big hole(#1C) maybe another smaller one(better top 6 winger, better top d-man?) but I can see the identity and what the team is trying to do.

Signing both Perry and Getzlaf at the same time in the summer like Minnesota did with Parise and Sutter would make this team Elite.
 

KPower

Registered User
Jan 17, 2012
9,337
4,329
Devils advocate here.

It's easy to have a partnership of trust when the team is winning.

We will see how much trust there is if the team loses 9 of 10.
 

SteveV*

Guest
One thing I do like about Carlyle is the length of shifts. I wasn't a big fan of his obsession with line matching, but it does lead to players staying out much longer, rather than simply the "one rush and done" era that frankly handicaps offensive chances. Players used to regularly play longer shifts, and I think this mentality of short shifts has taken away from the flow of the game. With Carlyle our lines might get three separate rush chances prior to coming off, making for more sustained pressure.
 

Pi

Registered User
Nov 16, 2010
48,856
13,830
Toronto
I remember people here ripping on Franson last year because he was unhappy with being benched...

It was so obvious that Komisarek was playing ahead of Franson because of the $$$$$$ he earned.

It's nice that the Leafs now not only preach meritocracy but act on it too.
 

Mess

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
86,912
11,862
Leafs Home Board
"We made it clear to players going in, that on any given evening, players who gave us the best chance to win, regardless of their contract, were going to play. This is something we agreed upon and have followed through on.

"It was important that every player knew this. It was a position we felt was important for us to take. We wanted transparency and accountability from everyone. If you say that and then you don't act on it, you'll lose the room. When we told them how it was going to be, I believe it's important that we stand true to our words. If they see the opposite, they won't believe in anything you say.

"And we've been true to our word on this."

This new philosophical management approach is being fulfilled and producing an incentive environment where you're rewarded on your play, is a huge step forward and benefit. Its blatantly apparent they're holding true to their word by the roster decisions we're seeing unfold, and the team is being driven through self motivation now. Perform and you will play sends the right message to the players.

When one hears a desire to remove "sense of entitlement" which has plagued this organization a long time, and then demonstrated in the organization from top to bottom by establishing accountability for results its very refreshing.

AHL hard work is being rewarded, through internal promotion and a major change from trying to buy success via poor UFA signings to building it. NHL vets on bloated overpaid under-performing contracts are being tossed aside to make room for youth and highly motivated players instead.

The consequences of "playing the kids" both youth and/or inexperience, because they're earning and performing better are positive ones, and is rewarding management through hard work and effort on the ice.

Now with everyone pulling in the same direction the organization is taking giant steps forward in attempting to build a winner not endlessly trapped in mediocrity as we have witnessed.
 

crump

~ ~ (ړײ) ~ ~
Feb 26, 2004
14,744
6,498
Ontariariario
A five game losing streak and people will be chanting their names, in a bad way. Media builds up Leaf nation to a fever with these types of articles, and even if the GM and coach are realistic, and walking the walk, one bad streak and crushed expectations from articles like this turn a crowd into a hoard with pitchforks.

Until the Leafs make the playoffs and contend consistently again, people will turn on those in charge in a second. We will be hearing how demoting Connolly was a mistake if they start dropping games.

Keeping cautiously optimistic.
 

Ciccio1980

Registered User
Mar 7, 2012
634
84
This is still the team and coach Burke built nonis has done nothing except become general manager twice by default
 

BillyD

JUST WIN BABY
Jun 23, 2009
2,643
18
Yeah, like remember when he was ranting on about Blue and White Disease, and the lack of accountability.?

Talk is cheap.

Nonis is backing up his words with actions and results.

The infusion of honesty and transparency with Carlyle and Nonis at the helms is refreshing.

Burke and Rotten Ronnie changed Blue and White Disease into Red White and Blue Disease
 

Mess

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
86,912
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Leafs Home Board
A coach and GM being on the same page is critical to team success.

Having Burke give Wilson and contract extension, and then later we hear he wasn't supporting his approach when fired, to how the game is played, and going out and getting players for a system he doesn't support on belief is wrong & nonsensical on so many levels.. The end result of pulling in different directions GM and coach had the fitting results of dismissals all around to resolve.

Nonis and Carlyle united approach is being rewarded in the results and building a sound foundation for team building going forward.
 

SteveV*

Guest
A five game losing streak and people will be chanting their names, in a bad way. Media builds up Leaf nation to a fever with these types of articles, and even if the GM and coach are realistic, and walking the walk, one bad streak and crushed expectations from articles like this turn a crowd into a hoard with pitchforks.
It is worth remembering that the Leafs had a BETTER start last year with Burke and Wilson.
 

Leafs12232

Registered User
Feb 23, 2012
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Circle-of-Trust1.jpg
 

Damisoph

Registered User
Jun 29, 2010
8,985
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Steve Simmons hated Burke so much he felt compelled to write a positive article about the Leafs now that he's gone. Colour me shocked.

How can I feel so much dislike for a guy I've never met?
 

Warden of the North

Ned Stark's head
Apr 28, 2006
46,263
21,456
Muskoka
It is worth remembering that the Leafs had a BETTER start last year with Burke and Wilson.

But we all had the feeling that our team was on the verge of disaster at the drop of a hat. We played balls to the wall hockey because Gustavson wasnt capable of keeping us in tight games. Eventually the bottom fell out.

This year weve already dealt with massive adversity in the form or injury, and NO ONE gets the feeling were teetering on the edge of the cliff. Its a totally different feeling this season.
 

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