Leafs Fire Coach Quinn - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Quadraton · 04-20-2006, 08:35 AM

Hot off the wire

Source: Toronto Star

Quote:

Leafs fire coach Quinn
Apr. 20, 2006. 12:20 PM
DAMIEN COX

John Ferguson didn’t wait long to end the Pat Quinn era.

Rather than let the uncertainty over Quinn’s future drag on for days or weeks, the Maple Leaf GM officially fired the club’s head coach this morning just two days after the team ended the 2005-06 season by finishing out of the playoffs.

The club has announced a press conference for 1 p.m. today.

Quinn, the club’s coach since 1998 and the 25th bench boss in team history, had almost seemed resigned to his fate for weeks, at least until a late season surge by the team led by the goaltending of Jean-Sebastien Aubin kept the Leafs in the playoff hunt until the final weekend of the season and led some to suggest it was evidence that a coaching change wasn’t necessary.

But the working relationship between Quinn and Ferguson had soured long before that, not surprisingly, perhaps, given that Ferguson had taken over the GM’s portfolio from Quinn, and Quinn had actively pushed for others to get the job ahead of Ferguson.

During Quinn’s tenure as head coach, a time when the club ran up record payrolls, the Leafs were unable to realize their dream of returning to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1967.

Eastern Conference final appearances in 1999 and 2002 fell short at the hands of Buffalo and Carolina, respectively. In 2003, the Leafs were beaten in the first round by Philadelphia, and after beating Ottawa for the fourth time with Quinn as head coach in 2004, the Leafs were knocked out again by the Flyers in the '04 playoffs.

When the club fell from 6th place in the conference this season in January to as low as 11th in March, it became clear Quinn was in the final days of his run with the Leafs.

With the Leafs obliged to pay him $1.5 million (U.S.) next season, Quinn immediately becomes one of the hottest coaching candidates for a variety of NHL jobs, including Boston and Los Angeles. If Wayne Gretzky decides not to return behind the Phoenix bench, Quinn would be a natural fit there, and there’s already speculation he could return to Vancouver if major executive changes occur with the Canucks.

Certainly other coaches have been fired this year, but none of them had the big name like Pat Quinn does. It's unfortunate that he bore the brunt of the Leafs less than stellar season. It seems even a last minute charge for the Playoff doors couldn't save his job in the end.

With the exception of his "it's not my job to motivate the players" quote, I think he did well with the talent he was given. It's not easy when your best defenceman is more of a goal scorer than a defenceman, and the bulk of your talent past their prime years ago. Personally, I think John Ferguson Junior should have been given the boot, as he was the guy who was supposed to give Quinn the proper tools to work with. But, I guess it all came down to politics, and JFJ won. Lucky for Quinn he gets to spend more time at home now rolling in his big piles of money.

silent_jay · 04-20-2006, 08:40 AM

It's about fucking time they fired him, the man's a great coach but once your players stop following your system, it's all over. He was there for too long, the players got to used to him. Let's hope thye bring in Iron MIke or Ted Nolan, or maybe a little bit of Wendel as coach, that would be fucking sweet.

Quote:

Personally, I think John Ferguson Junior should have been given the boot...

I couldn't agree more, he needs to go as well.

Antikarma · 04-20-2006, 08:41 AM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Now he's gonna end up back in Vancouver after Crow is fired. Dear Lord why do you hate my Canucks so???

Why couldn't you keep him ONE more season till we hired a real coach??

Quadraton · 04-20-2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silent_jay

Let's hope thye bring in Iron MIke or Ted Nolan, or maybe a little bit of Wendel as coach, that would be fucking sweet.

Word on the street is Paul Maurice, who is currently coaching the Toronto Marlies will be called up to replace Quinn in the hot seat.

silent_jay · 04-20-2006, 08:46 AM

Maurice is cool, I think he'll do well, I just really want Ted Nolan to be back in the NHL, even though it most likely will never happen.

highthief · 04-20-2006, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silent_jay

It's about fucking time they fired him, the man's a great coach but once your players stop following your system, it's all over. He was there for too long, the players got to used to him. Let's hope thye bring in Iron MIke or Ted Nolan, or maybe a little bit of Wendel as coach, that would be fucking sweet.

I couldn't agree more, he needs to go as well.

I could go for that - it would guarantee another few years of mediocrity from the Leafs, which always makes me happy.

Ace_O_Spades · 04-20-2006, 10:53 AM

I swear, if Quinn lands in Vancouver, I may just jump off the port mann

Daoust · 04-20-2006, 12:50 PM

I'm not sure who is more to blame at this point, whether JFJ or Quinn should bear the brunt of it, but this much I am sure of, Quinn is a better GM than a coach, and at the very least, I'm glad he's out as coach. THey need someone else there. Not to give JFJ the easy way out. He needs to do some work too. Or he'll be next.

Tamerlain · 04-21-2006, 08:35 AM

Quinn's my favourite coach, so I'm sad to see him go, but at the same time I think it was time for a change. With the youth movement they're being forced to take due to the salary cap, it makes sense that they would want to bring in more of a developmental coach. Maurice seems to be the right guy, since he worked with all the kids they called up this year and they all played pretty well.

I'm still not sure about JFJ, but he earned the cap space he has this summer by not signing anyone long-term last summer, so I want to see what he can do. He's done a great job on the developmental/scouting side of things, so let's hope he can bring in a winger (I'm on the Modin bandwagon) for Sundin and a solid defenceman.

-Tamerlain

04-20-2006, 08:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
Antikarma Psycho Location: Yellowknife, NWT	NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Now he's gonna end up back in Vancouver after Crow is fired. Dear Lord why do you hate my Canucks so??? Why couldn't you keep him ONE more season till we hired a real coach?? __________________ "Whoever you are, go out into the evening, leaving your room, of which you know each bit; your house is the last before the infinite, whoever you are."

04-20-2006, 08:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
silent_jay Her Jay Location: Ontario for now....	Maurice is cool, I think he'll do well, I just really want Ted Nolan to be back in the NHL, even though it most likely will never happen. __________________ Absence makes the heart grow fonder

04-20-2006, 10:53 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ace_O_Spades The Death Card Location: EH!?!?	I swear, if Quinn lands in Vancouver, I may just jump off the port mann __________________ Feh.

04-20-2006, 12:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Daoust "I'm sorry. What was the question?" Location: Paradise Regained	I'm not sure who is more to blame at this point, whether JFJ or Quinn should bear the brunt of it, but this much I am sure of, Quinn is a better GM than a coach, and at the very least, I'm glad he's out as coach. THey need someone else there. Not to give JFJ the easy way out. He needs to do some work too. Or he'll be next. __________________ I have faith in a few things - divinity and grace But even when I'm on my knees I know the devil preys

04-21-2006, 08:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
Tamerlain Insane Location: Victoria	Quinn's my favourite coach, so I'm sad to see him go, but at the same time I think it was time for a change. With the youth movement they're being forced to take due to the salary cap, it makes sense that they would want to bring in more of a developmental coach. Maurice seems to be the right guy, since he worked with all the kids they called up this year and they all played pretty well. I'm still not sure about JFJ, but he earned the cap space he has this summer by not signing anyone long-term last summer, so I want to see what he can do. He's done a great job on the developmental/scouting side of things, so let's hope he can bring in a winger (I'm on the Modin bandwagon) for Sundin and a solid defenceman. -Tamerlain __________________ I never let school interfere with my education.