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silent_jay · 01-22-2008, 11:01 AM

It's a little late for Christmas, but it'll do, no more JFJ

Quote:

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,'' stated MLSE President and CEO Richard Peddie at a press conference held at the Air Canada Centre Tuesday. "Regrettably, we did not win enough games to reach our goal, winning the Stanley Cup.

"Our team performance has fallen short of what is to be expected. Today, we need to forge the start of a new beginning for (the) Toronto Maple Leafs. And we begin with the man seated next to me, a man with Hall of Fame credentials, who is highly regarded by Leafs fans and by hockey people around the globe. We have reached out to Cliff Fletcher and his 50-plus years of hockey management experience to serve as general manager of the Leafs on an interim basis."

Fletcher had been linked to much of the speculation regarding the team. He had been one of several hockey management types contacted last week to gauge their interest in the job, he was then offered the position for the remainder of the season serving as interim GM until a new general manager can be found. He will then serve as a consultant for the remainder of his 19 month contract.

"I know here in Toronto the expectations are high," Fletcher said at the press conference. "I look forward to the challenge and a few tough months ahead.

"The key here is to initially start the process to move the club ahead to the next level so that it can compete with all the top teams in the league, which will eventually lead to the playoff success."

During the Press conference Fletcher stated that he has no interest in becoming the Leafs full-time general manager.

"It is a job for a much younger man," said Fletcher.

Peddie believes that Fletcher's experience will give the team plenty of time to find the ideal candidate for the position.

"It gives us the luxury of conducting an absolutely thorough search," said Peddie.

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.

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

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=227906&hubname=