Wilson fired, Randy Carlyle takes over

[bustaheims]

I'm surprised this happened before the end of the season, because, honestly, in terms of results, I don't think it'll make a lick of difference. I'm also not sure how I feel about hiring a replacement right away - though, that seems to be en vogue this season. I would have liked to have seen a more thorough search for the next guy, but, what's done is done. Carlyle as the next coach of the Leafs was just a matter of when from the moment Anaheim relieved him of his duties.

 

[Kin]

I'm surprised this happened before the end of the season, because, honestly, in terms of results, I don't think it'll make a lick of difference. I'm also not sure how I feel about hiring a replacement right away - though, that seems to be en vogue this season. I would have liked to have seen a more thorough search for the next guy, but, what's done is done. Carlyle as the next coach of the Leafs was just a matter of when from the moment Anaheim relieved him of his duties.

I agree with this for the most part. I really hope that Burke is super, duper confident about Carlyle because I don't know that he gets another coach.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Arash Madani ‏ @ArashMadani

BREAKING: Have learned Carlyle has received a three-year contract with the #Leafs. The duration of this season, plus three more.

 

[Swede]

I'm surprised this happened before the end of the season, because, honestly, in terms of results, I don't think it'll make a lick of difference. I'm also not sure how I feel about hiring a replacement right away - though, that seems to be en vogue this season. I would have liked to have seen a more thorough search for the next guy, but, what's done is done. Carlyle as the next coach of the Leafs was just a matter of when from the moment Anaheim relieved him of his duties.

I am so glad you were wrong. I will sleep peaceful tonight

 

[cw]

I'm surprised this happened before the end of the season, because, honestly, in terms of results, I don't think it'll make a lick of difference. I'm also not sure how I feel about hiring a replacement right away - though, that seems to be en vogue this season. I would have liked to have seen a more thorough search for the next guy, but, what's done is done. Carlyle as the next coach of the Leafs was just a matter of when from the moment Anaheim relieved him of his duties.

I agree with this for the most part. I really hope that Burke is super, duper confident about Carlyle because I don't know that he gets another coach.

Maybe these two things kind of go together:
- yes, it's unlikely Carlyle can turn it around in short order
- yes, Burke chances of remaining as Leafs GM are unlikely if Carlyle has to be replaced anytime soon.

But the cure for Burke's personal nearer term tenure is  for the club to make the playoffs. Getting Carlyle in now allows him to work with the current roster and get a jump start on next season when the roster changes  will be done in the off season as will the changes in systems.

Wilson had the autonomy to pick his roster and who played on any given night. Carlyle will have that same autonomy. The sooner the Leafs coach gets plugged in to the talent he has to work with, the better.

Should the Leafs fail to make the playoffs, which is quite likely, Carlyle can take in the Marlies playoff run to get up to speed on that potential talent.

Burke has short circuited the search for a coach. Maybe  Carlyle wasn't the best guy out there and a coach who was more of a players coach might have been the better choice. That's quite debatable. But I think Carlyle would be pretty darn high on most people's lists for the best candidates for the job. It's not a horrible trade off if we look ahead to next season - which with this weakish group, playoffs or not, is where they really need to be looking

 

[pnjunction]

WHAT

I've been working since this morning without even checking tmlfans (a rarity lol) and I'm just seeing this now.

Wow the Wilson era is finally over I can't beleaf it.

 

[Kin]

Burke has short circuited the search for a coach. Maybe  Carlyle wasn't the best guy out there and a coach who was more of a players coach might have been the better choice. That's quite debatable. But I think Carlyle would be pretty darn high on most people's lists for the best candidates for the job. It's not a horrible trade off if we look ahead to next season - which with this weakish group, playoffs or not, is where they really need to be looking

I don't have much to disagree with here either. If Burke is confident in Carlyle it's not a terrible choice going forward. We could go back and forth on just what Burke's seal of approval means at this point but I can't say Carlyle doesn't register as a guy who'd top just about any GM's list this offseason as a coaching candidate.

The problem is though that the ultimate question isn't going to be whether or not these guys are good coaches, at this level they all are, the issue is going to be whether or not Carlyle is a good coach for this team at this time. That's hard to get a read on from my point of view. The difference between a player's coach and a disciplinarian has a ton of conjecture behind it and it's so tough to distinguish a coach in the NHL from the talent on his roster.

I don't know. Fingers crossed obviously.

 

[Palmateer29]

YAY!!! About time!!

 

[Bullfrog]

I can't speak too much about Carlyle because I really don't know much about him as a coach.

I'm just glad something was done in an attempt to change the losing ways we've been experiencing. Once the deadline went by without any major player changes, a change in coaching was the obvious choice.

i harbour no ill will towards Wilson, but it was time for a change.

 

[princedpw]

Just noticed someone got fired today.  This has probably been said in thread, but in case it hasn't:  Burke looks quite bad for throwing $1+million of MLSE's money at Wilson and then firing him just a few weeks later.  It seemed unnecessary at the time and looks even worse now.

 

[Leaflifer]

Just a brief look at Carlyle's record doesn't seem very impressive. Although a cup win with Neids and Pronger in the line-up -  Not really a lot of clever strategy required there.

He's a tough guy type. Not a bad thing for young players.

However, my gut tells me this isn't going to solve a thing.

My opinion Burke just hasn't delivered on his end. I don't need to list the names of Burke signed players who are bringing nothing to the table here. And the assignment of Phaneauf as captain was just silly to me. He is not captain material.

Grabovski has Burke over a barrel right now. Burke needs to make the playoffs (whether he admits it or not) and trading Grabs would have ensured the Leafs miss out again. Grabs will go on another tear at some point here, although it may not be enough now, and Burke knew/knows that.

Firing Wilson at this point seems purely knee jerk. A poorly written Sun article said "You asked for it", meaning us fans...well I didn't call for it, I was the one secretly hoping someone else loses his job.

Not impressed.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Some decent Carlyle notes:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/randy-carlyle-named-new-leafs-coach/article2357536/

The article brings up the interesting point about Lupul and Carlyle's connection. Lupul made some comments about his former coach earlier in the season, saying that he wasn't given a chance to play in Anaheim and that Carlyle specifically told him that he didn't have the skill to play left-wing in this league. Hope all goes well there.

 

[cw]

Just noticed someone got fired today.  This has probably been said in thread, but in case it hasn't:  Burke looks quite bad for throwing $1+million of MLSE's money at Wilson and then firing him just a few weeks later.  It seemed unnecessary at the time and looks even worse now.

I'm sure Burke presented it to the board like an "investment" or cost of doing business so the Leafs wouldn't have a lame duck coach. $1 mil is close to peanuts to MLSE.

 

[EJ]

Carlyle > Eakins ... I don't want to sit through another experiment

This move will define the Burke Era.

 

[Kin]

Just a brief look at Carlyle's record doesn't seem very impressive. Although a cup win with Neids and Pronger in the line-up -  Not really a lot of clever strategy required there.

That strikes me as pretty revisionist. Yeah, Pronger and Niedermayer were good but there isn't a coach in the history of the game who won a cup without any good players. The bottom four defensemen were Beauchemin, O'Donnell, Kent Huskins and the immortal Joe DiPenta. Shoot, they gave Richard Jackman playoff minutes.

The forward corps looks good in hindsight but look at it at the time. A bunch of 21 year olds and undrafted guys who'd never done much of anything. Andy McDonald was the team's #1 centre going into the season.

There are a ton of guys who played better for Carlyle that year than they'd ever played before or since.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Elliotte Friedman ‏ @FriedgeHNIC

Final note before bedtime: Would not be surprised if Dave Farrish also joins Toronto coaching staff.

Farrish served as an assistant under Carlyle with Anaheim.

 

[BrownRolo]

I really don't understand why in certain professions you can get fired and retain your entire salary. I feel like if you did such a horrible job you don't deserve your full salary. You can apply for EI like the rest of us bums!

 

[losveratos]

I really don't understand why in certain professions you can get fired and retain your entire salary. I feel like if you did such a horrible job you don't deserve your full salary. You can apply for EI like the rest of us bums!

American no?

 

[maplesyrup]

Too late for this year I think but this is certainly good news to wake up to... The Carlyle era for me begins in Barbados!  8)

 

[Bonsixx]

Some decent Carlyle notes:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/randy-carlyle-named-new-leafs-coach/article2357536/

The article brings up the interesting point about Lupul and Carlyle's connection. Lupul made some comments about his former coach earlier in the season, saying that he wasn't given a chance to play in Anaheim and that Carlyle specifically told him that he didn't have the skill to play left-wing in this league. Hope all goes well there.

I'm pretty sure Lupul's play this year has changed many people's minds about what he can or can't do, Carlyle included.

Whatever happens the rest of the way, at least this resurrects some interest in the way things go from here. Obviously the Leafs/Habs game won't be any kind of indicator, other than maybe the players working their butts off for the new coach, but even within a week or so we might begin to notice a difference in the overall philosophy of the team.

Who knows, Carlyle might turn Mike Komisarek back into the Mike Komisarek that Burke signed, the guy who led the league in hits and blocked shots... Maybe he molds Luke Schenn into what he should be ...

I just want to see some semblance of team defence before the end of the season and I'll be more than happy.

EDIT: And good luck Ron Wilson, you're a good coach, you just weren't a good coach here. I could see him ending up back in Washington next year. Just a hunch.