Is it So Important the Maple Leafs Act Right Now?

More often than not, the media circus surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs is more entertaining than the team on the ice. The media hype goes into gear during modest winning streaks, losing streaks and every Leaf playoff game. The latest hype has to do with the lame duck manager and coach and it seems the consensus is that both be fired immediately and rebuilding start right away.

I'm not sure why the urgency. The season is lost and so is next season at the very least. But opportunities are lost by not acting right now? Well, as I see it only trading Mat Sundin. He is a unrestricted free agent at the end of the season so no trade is possible during the off season. But no trade is possible now since he has a no-trade contract. Sundin has clearly stated he intends on staying but it doesn't stop the media from speculating that he would go. Other than Sundin all assets are locked in for next season and could be traded during the off season as long as they don't have a no-trade contract and there is a buyer out there.

The argument against making a move is that the list of possible candidates is larger during the off season. Some teams will allow you to approach personnel under contract during the summer but will not provide permission during the hockey season. So right now the list of candidates for manager and coach is quite small - ie., hockey people not working in hockey (mostly on radio and TV). More knee jerk reactions is not what this team needs. They need a solid plan devised by the best manager that is available out there.

It's also interesting how the Scotty Bowman story exploded over the weekend. The media search for the next Leaf GM or President (the media provides this service for free) landed on Bowman's doorstep. He was interviewed by Hockey Night in Canada and revealed his involvement in the Leafs' abandoned search for a consultant over the summer. This actually is not a new revelation. Bowman is a guest analyst every Tuesday morning on The Fan 590. He has been asked about the search on numerous occasions. He always indicated on The Fan that he wasn't very eager to leave the Red Wings and never indicated he would have taken the position of President if it had been offered. He was clear he never would have taken the consultant's position.