JFJ FIRED; FLETCHER INTERIM GM

News story
Ferguson fired, Fletcher named interim GM

TSN.ca Staff
1/22/2008 12:30:56 PM
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired general manager John Ferguson Jr. The team informed Ferguson of his fate earlier early Tuesday morning. Cliff Fletcher has been made the club's interim general manager.
When contacted by TSN, Ferguson said he would not be commenting at this time but when asked if he was offered, or considered, the option of staying on in a different capacity, he bluntly said, "no."
"After full consideration of the Leafs' situation, it has become clear that change and a new direction is needed," said Richard Peddie, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd in a release. "The decision has been made that John will not be receiving a new contract at the end of this year, and it's in the best interests of the Leafs and of John to begin the transition immediately."
The Maple Leafs have called a 1pm et/10am pt news conference.
Toronto currently sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with a 19-22-5-3 record. They have missed the playoffs for the last two seasons.
"[Ferguson] has been given the opportunity and the resources he requested to deliver results from the strategic plans that he put in place when he was named general manager in 2003, and while the new collective bargaining agreement required some re-shaping of those plans, the results have fallen short of what our organization, including John, and our fans expect," said Peddie.
Fletcher had been linked to much of the speculation regarding the team. The Leafs contacted a number of hockey management types last week to gauge their interest in the job and asked Fletcher if he was interested in taking over for the rest of the 2007-08 campaign.
"Cliff Fletcher is the ideal person to lay the groundwork of positive change for the Leafs,” said Peddie. "As all of our general managers have had, he will have the autonomy and responsibility for all hockey decisions with a focus on establishing a foundation from which the next general manager can build. He will guide us through the upcoming trade deadline and toward the draft and free agent signing period."
The Maple Leafs also announced that Toronto sports lawyer Gord Kirke has been retained to assist Peddie in the search for the team's new GM. The search team has specific qualities in mind for the next full-time GM of the club.
"Our ideal candidate will be a long-term builder and a short-term fixer who has an established track record of success on the ice," explained Peddie. "Along with experience and extensive knowledge in the areas of drafting and identifying talent in the professional, amateur and international ranks, this individual will be comfortable with the intense scrutiny within the Toronto hockey market and will work effectively with the media.
"He will have the full autonomy to lead this hockey club in the manner he feels is best," added Peddie.
The fate of head coach Paul Maurice is unknown at this time, however Maurice left the ice at one point during the team's morning practice. He re-emerged from the dressing room with MLSE President and CEO Richard Peddie.
Fletcher, a Montreal native and Hockey Hall of Famer, was GM of the Leafs from 1991 to 1997. His NHL career spans more than 50 years, starting as GM of the Verdun Blues in 1956. Verdun was a junior team operated by the Montreal Canadiens and Fletcher ran the club for 10 years with Sam Pollack never very far away.
Ten years later, the Habs hired him as a scout.
When St. Louis joined the NHL, Fletcher was hired by the Blues to head up the scouting department and later became their assistant general manager.
He got his first GM job with the Atlanta Flames in 1972. He was general manager of the Calgary Flames from 1980-1991. In that time, the Flames won two President's Trophy's and a Stanley Cup.
In 1991, he joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as president, GM and COO. He stayed with Toronto through 1997, after helping to turn the team into a contender again.
He joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1999 as a senior advisor, before taking over as GM of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2001.
Fletcher was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2004.


IS IT THE END OF SUNDIN AND OTHERS AS LEAFS?