Ron Wilson is a smart coach.

[Pi]

I hated the guy and couldn't wait till he was fired...I was ecstatic when we got Randy Carlyle because I thought he would give this "core" some sort of identity.

Ron Wilson realized one thing before any of us did: This team is incapable of playing defense...you can bring in any coach you want but if your have players like Kessel, Bozak, Phaneuf, Lupul, Kadri, Raymond, Franson etc...you should know that your team isn't going to play good defense.

Wilson knew expecting Kessel, Phaneuf, Schenn, Franson etc to play sound defense is impossible so he tailored a system where his team could take advantage of their speed and get away from playing defense as soon as they have the puck.

If Wilson had quality goaltending...this team is at least a playoff team. Carlyle lucked out with Reimer playing well in 48 games and almost lucked out this year if not for Bernier's injury.

Run and gun sucked but at least it was exciting to watch.

It's time to stop putting the blame on coaches and realizes that the Leafs can NEVER win the Cup with the collection of absolutely terrible defensive players.

Either go back to run and gun or trade the core.

Click to read more...

 

[Teeder9]

Wilson sucked. Revisionist history sucks too

 

[Warden of the North]

Until we see someone who runs a conventional defensive system I dont agree. Our current defensive roster isnt the same one Ron had.

 

[Peasy]

This is what I keep saying. In the past 3 years there has been two very similar collapses at the end of the regular season, and each one with a different coach. But of course, both times its completely the coaches fault, even though the majority of the players were here for both the collapses. The players need to take blame for once... Carlyle did get extremely lucky with good goaltending last year and good goaltending for most of this year. If he was getting average goaltending this season we would have been a bottom 5 team tbh. Wilson was unlucky to have Toskala/Gustavsson for most of his time.

 

[AINEC*]

Vesa Toskala is a great goalie.

 

[indigobuffalo]

I honestly wonder what Ron Wilson would look like as coach of this team with Bernier in goal and van Riemsdyk up front.

Defensively there aren't too many pieces that've changed, although Ranger/Gleason have been great additions.

But honestly, what we need is a coach like Roy would will preach back-checking and have the players listen.

There's no system in the world that works with players half-assing it on 50% of the ice surface.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Vesa Toskala is a great goalie.

I would trade our 1st rounder this year for a player of his calibre!!

 

[Clark4Ever]

Not true.

Exhibit A: The Philadelphia Flyers under Laviolette vs Berube

There are other examples as well in the recent past. A coherent system can go a along way towards instilling a sense of defensive acumen within a group of players, regardless of their individual talents.

 

[Pyromaniac3]

Wilson and Carlyle never implemented a defensive system. Wilson admitted it and Carlyle tried to implement a system that doesn't work. Before we start evaluating players, give them a good system to work with. You don't think that if Babcock had this team, this team would be much better defensively?

 

[hotpaws]

RW's system destroyed our goalies and it would have destroyed Reims and Bernier as well . Giving up endless breakaways and odd man rushes isn't a recipe for success .

I do agree that the majority of our forwards are incapable of playing solid D and until that changes it won't matter who the coach is .

 

[Frelimo]

Vesa Toskala is a great goalie.

Accurate. We would've made the playoffs with him if we had decent coaching.

 

[JoeyBeans]

Tortts is on his way. flying Tango Air Canada.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Wilson and Carlyle never implemented a defensive system. Wilson admitted it and Carlyle tried to implement a system that doesn't work. Before we start evaluating players, give them a good system to work with. You don't think that if Babcock had this team, this team would be much better defensively?

I agree.
it doesn't change the fact that the forwards are as lazy as all heck (this season). and they cheat a lot. i will lay that at their feet. but I would give (most of them, it doesn't change the fact that at least 1/3rd of this roster needs to be gone)

but i'd like to see them with a proper coach and a system everyone can make head and tails of. if no one knows (the media, the basic fan, etc) and Carlyle has to still be teaching them game 80... clearly it's not one that makes sense.

 

[LeafsFIO*]

Pi I'm convinced youre some sort of sociopath the way you post here. What was more exciting Kessel scoring that garbage goal in game 6 last year or Grabovski scoring a nice goal when Boston was up 7-0 in a game under Wilson? Wake up man. And Tavares is overrated, too.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

Worst thread of the year not made by Cor

 

[ForSpareParts*]

is a good coach or was a good coach?

 

[Mess]

I hated the guy and couldn't wait till he was fired...I was ecstatic when we got Randy Carlyle because I thought he would give this "core" some sort of identity.

Ron Wilson realized one thing before any of us did: This team is incapable of playing defense...you can bring in any coach you want but if your have players like Kessel, Bozak, Phaneuf, Lupul, Kadri, Raymond, Franson etc...you should know that your team isn't going to play good defense.

Wilson knew expecting Kessel, Phaneuf, Schenn, Franson etc to play sound defense is impossible so he tailored a system where his team could take advantage of their speed and get away from playing defense as soon as they have the puck.

If Wilson had quality goaltending...this team is at least a playoff team. Carlyle lucked out with Reimer playing well in 48 games and almost lucked out this year if not for Bernier's injury.

Run and gun sucked but at least it was exciting to watch.

It's time to stop putting the blame on coaches and realizes that the Leafs can NEVER win the Cup with the collection of absolutely terrible defensive players.

Either go back to run and gun or trade the core.

Some people want to bring in the next Wilson style run and gun coach because it suits the players we have.

Boston is a big, physical defensive structured puck possession successful team. So they evaluated their situation as to the style they wanted to play and recognized that Kessel didn't fit, so they moved him out and replaced him with players they felt could play their style.

Now we want to be a big, physical defensive minded team but are trying to build around the types of players that other teams cast away and are not suited to play that style.

Good teams dictate style of play and get a coach that can suit it. .In Toronto we want the style of our players dictate the coach and the system we are going to play, even if that style is not successful nor desired. Our strategy is backasswards when it comes to who should coach the team.

 

[Mystifo]

RC could not get a proper system in place. My main problem with RC was the fact he NEVER gave guys like D'amigo, Ashton ,etc a chance. just "Hey I am going to call you up so you can sit on the bench for 57 mins and then complain to the media how you never rose to the occasion."

 

[DD03]

Worst thread of the year not made by Cor

 

[TootooTrain]

Defensemen in Carlyle's system: Capable at the NHL level
Defensemen in Wilson's system: What's defense?

 

[Kelly]

Honestly, I don't know what to think. I was lead to believe that we actually a decent team for once, now I'm starting to think if last year was 82 games we'd be in the same position we are in now.

Problem is that we're building around other teams outcasts, we need to develop some of our own, although easier said than done.

 

[nussell]

Wilson sucked. hasn't won anything. and is the most losingest coach of all time

 

[KuleminFan41]

Hmm, for a long time people said Wilson was stupid...now hes smart? Its the same thing with every coach, they all suck unless they win the cup it seems

 

[James Duthie]

You know you're desperate as a Leaf fan when you call Ron Wilson a smart coach.

 

[Durkin67]

Wilson sucked. Revisionist history sucks too

The team sucked more than Wilson, and apparently still does.