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Fletcher: 'The team is going to get better'

Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 4:00 PM EST 07/04/08

Interim Leafs GM says Toronto fans will have a team to get excited about next season ...Read the full article

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  1. Midtown Bob from Toronto, Canada writes: (Bob is making snoring sounds)
    snxxxxxxx
    snxxxxxxx
    snxxxxxxx
    snxxxxxxx
  2. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: How could the team not get better? That's like saying the kitchen will smell better once you take out the garbage. Also, note that 'better' does not seem to mean 'great'.
  3. Trevor Fenton from Vancouver, Canada writes: Toronto fans keep putting warm bums in the seats and buying the overpriced food and merchandise no matter how awful the team. Result: the business case for making the team better just isn't there. Ballard knew it, and nothing has changed since he laughed his way to the bank on a daily basis.

    TML fans, if they had any self-respect, would have tuned out a couple of decades ago.
  4. Gogh Forit from Canada writes: Of course Fletcher would say it's going to get better. He can't go around telling the truth. While Toronto ML may be better in 08-09, they'll find a way to lose just as fans get the notion that they'll make the playoffs. But the problem isn't the product on the ice. The fans keep supporting management decisions by placing their bums in the seats or lining up to get seats for what has become the most mediocre team in pro sports.
    Maybe someone in Maple Leaf Entertainment has to die before things get better. That's what happened in Chicago with the passing of 'Dollar' Bill Wirtz. His son, now owns the team and all the strategies that he wouldn't entertain, his son, has embraced and this year, though the Hawks also didn't make the playoffs they put a much better product on the ice this year than previous years. Chicago, went from an average of 9500 attendance last year to having 12 sell outs and many nights there was 17,000 plus fans in the seats. Chicago was the only team in 17 years to beat Detroit five times in the regular season. Oh, and the one time they played Toronto this year, the leafs lost 6-4.
    What will shake up Toronto is having fans stop buying tickets. Only when MLSE starts to lose money will the team improve.
  5. Howard Citrin from Canada writes: It makes no sense!!! Fletcher was saddled with the decisions made by JFJ and now, the next GM will be forced to take on whatever decisions Fletcher makes. If Fletcher is only a stop-gap GM, he shouldn't be making trade decisions on behalf of a unamed, soon to be hired GM.
  6. boom boom from Canada writes: Next year the Maple Saps will only miss the playoffs by five points. Have a parade!
  7. R A from Canada writes: All I can say is Thank God for a Leafs story...this never ending coverage of the Habs and Sens is too much for me to handle.
  8. Doug Edwards from Rural, Canada writes: Of course the Leafs will get better. They can't get much worse. If Fletcher is serious he needs to make a committment to the Leaf fans that the team will be a Stanley Cup contender. And set a date.
  9. Johnny Red from Canada writes: 'Trevor Fenton from Vancouver, Canada writes: Toronto fans keep putting warm bums in the seats and buying the overpriced food and merchandise no matter how awful the team. Result: the business case for making the team better just isn't there.'

    I doubt the Leafs would gladly accept a non-playoff team season after season when even one round of playoff revenue is worth millions of dollars.

    Expect the Leafs to get better -- much better -- in the next 3 seasons.
  10. Henry Allen from East Bank, Don River, Canada writes:
    Is MLSE prepared to make the following promise to its season ticket holders? -- We value and deeply appreciate your loyalty. So, from now on, beginning with this past season and each season hereafter that the Leafs do not make the playoffs, we will rebate 15 percent of your season ticket price with interest. This gesture is our way of apologizing to you for the poor product we've provided, and is also intended to put greater pressure on us as a business to significantly improve. Thank you.
  11. Cowtown boy from Calgary, Canada writes: Expect the Leafs to get better -- much better -- in the next 3 seasons

    Where have I heard that before ... oh ya, somewhere back in the 1960's.

    Go HABS
  12. Cowtown boy from Calgary, Canada writes: Take advice from the DON if you want a career in Comedy. otherwise leave the hockey advice to the pro's
  13. B G from Toronto, Canada writes: Johnny Red is the only one with a clue here (other than me).

    Playoffs = $$$

    And with a salary cap in place, why wouldn't you try to get better? It can only cost so much, but each round of playoffs is worth millions.

    Doesn't mean they have the smarts to do it, of course. Just means they have every reason to try to get better.
  14. wayne powers from saskatoon, writes: So this is an addition to the 3 great lies, like 'the cheque is in the mail'. Seems we heard in september that this team was going to make the playoffs. I think this is from chapter one of 'How not to run a hockey team' and mentioned in chapter two in 'How to keep the suckers paying'
    With over 40 years experience, you would think they could find some new lies
  15. George E. Porgie from Canada writes: C'mon all you naysayers....cut Cliff a little slack. The man is trying to do the right things. He has been around the block a few times during his managerial career. I would expect an improved product on the ice next season. Who knows....maybe Cliff will remain in charge for next season.
    He is certainly focused on the Draft...so let's see what he comes up with.
  16. Wilf Kruggel from Canada writes: JFJ was going to build a team around Darcy Tucker, Wow, Get rid of that cancer. I can't imagine the animosities that little move created.When he can't keep his big mouth shut, he disrupts the flo of the game. Get rid of that wind-bag and you'll see that the team will automatically improve. Wilf
  17. L. C. from Canada writes: I started to see that Maurice isn't as bad as we all think he is. Knowing he probably has no say about the roster, and he can only work with whatever leftover over-the-peak players.
    I believe Maple Leafs will buy out or trade a few older players, like.. McCabe, Tucker, Kubina. Keeping a younger line up. They should keep Sundin as a franchise player (he is still playing good games and making things happen). Make a 'speedy' 2nd line and 3rd line, keep the game interesting and create better momentum during the game ( like a chaser!)

    We also need to know Cliff Fletcher is hired for restructuring the team. That's what he did well in the past and I know he will make many positive changes.

    The new GM will take the advantage of the newer team and lock in some younger potential player with some longer term contracts.

    Anything over 28 yrs old should only sign no longer than 3 yrs contract..
  18. Theodore Street from Canada writes: Not that there is anything wrong with lawyers, but maybe Toronto should only use lawyers when they need the lawyering skills.

    If they need the talent and skills to be the best possible team why give the job to a Bay Street Roller?
  19. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Fletcher has high hopes but next year Maple Leafs will end up lower in ranking. It takes more than positive thinking to reorganize this bunch of hot heads.
  20. Lyn Alg from Canada writes: ..The team will get better..'. Yeah right, Flechtie. And the Leafs will win the Stanley Cup. What, in the year 3999? Is it any wonder that the Leafs can't dig themselves out of this bottomless pit with people like Fletcher running the club?
  21. Dave The Rave from Ottawa, Canada writes: How quick hockey fans are to condemn coaches...Facts to ponder: 'Paul Maurice was hired to coach the Hartford Whalers (later the Carolina Hurricanes) of the NHL in 1995, at the remarkably young age of 28. Throughout much of his tenure, he was the youngest active coach in the NHL. The high point of his NHL career came in the 2001-02 NHL season, when the Hurricanes reached the Stanley Cup finals, losing to the Detroit Red Wings. After coaching 604 regular season games, he was let go by the Hurricanes in 2003 when the team started the first 20 games 8-12. Under Maurice the Hurricanes achieved four consecutive winning seasons from 1998-2002.' There are really NO bad coaches in the NHL. There are pig headed team owners/committes (such as MLSE) and selfish, overpaid players whose agents are committed to nothing but getting them top dollar. John Ferguson Jr. was not a bad GM. He was hung out to dry by Richard Peddie & Co. and Leafs players who phoned it in. Fletcher will try to make this a better team. But Leafs fans should save their vitriol for the buffoons in the upper strata of the executive suite. Remember Harold Ballard? He destroyed the Maple Leafs years ago...and the franchise has never recovered. Perhaps it will now.
  22. Tristram Shandy from London Ontario, Canada writes: how could it get worse?
  23. Steve Smith from Toronto, Canada writes: Have we not heard that before? Team do get worse and I don't ever recall a GM saying 'Team will be worse.' We need a team in Hamilton or somewhere else in Toronto area only then will MLSE decide, that maybe, they need to put together a good team. Leafs fans dumbest in the NHL they continue to support and pay high ticket prices for garbage. Leaf fans need to defect to a new team as and maybe then they will change.
  24. Jake ---- from Canada writes: Fletcher don't try to fool anyone. Every year I herd the same thing. After the new GM is hired and blows this team up, this team will be lucky to break 70 points next season. As a leaf fan it pains me to say that we leaf fans are in for a couple rough years.
  25. Mac - GLG from Canada writes: And it will only take 'a bit better' to be ahead of Ottawa!!
  26. alex just a canadian from Canada writes: will class be part of team, or just the same goons with cheap shots and cry babies.
  27. Proud Canadian from Canada writes: Mac GLG, take a little more than a bit better to survive an 8-2 drubbing from the Sens. More to come next year. They need a makeover, that means, OUT with the OLD and IN with the NEW.
  28. SY GIL from TO, Canada writes: I am disappointed that Fletcher won't name the players. That's the problem with MLSE - nobody is held accountable. Even when someone like jfj who did a lousy job is held in place for what seems to be eternity until he finally was let go. The players need to be held accountable. This team has no place for players like mccabe. If he likes playing in TO so much, why did he ask such a stiff price for signing here> Was $2M a yr going to make a huge difference to his life style? Sundin took a discount in his last contract so he has credibility when he says he wants to stay. mccabe has none. He got paid big bucks. His goal production dropped. Oops forgot to mention that I meant goals in the opponents' net. He probably lead the Leafs in scoring on his own goalie. Please send him back to the island. Mr. Wang would love him back.
  29. John O'Meara from Canada writes: "The team will get better. " I'll bet Cliffie said that just before MLSE fired him way back when.
  30. K D from Canada writes: The Leafs are a joke, the whole organization should be boycotted until they do something about it. Of course over polite fans here will just keep the status quo and keep paying the crazy prices for lame product. Welcome to Toronto.
  31. the rose from t.o., Canada writes: This team could not get worse, JFJ apparently was limited to being able to find some quality 3rd and 4th liners, while wasting the budget (and forcing Maurice to follow suit with the icetime) to a few guys that were paid too much and worked too infrequently.
    A house-cleaning may not be necessary (if Kubina and Ponikarovsky can keep up the effort), but why continue making the JFJ mistakes made in keeping Tucker, Blake, etc. Find some guys bigger than Stajan and more committed than Wellwood (and get Sundin a decent line-mate before while he still has the 'A' game left in him)
  32. K D from Canada writes:
    p.s. GO JAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  33. Montgomery C. Burns from Springfield, Canada writes: I agree with Fletcher but with Peddie calling the shots, this team will go from a rating of C- this year to a C next year. It still may not be enough to make the playoffs.
  34. Don Bryant from Calgary, Canada writes: The team is going to get better? Well, that's a no-brainer, isn't it? They sure as hell couldn't get much worse.
  35. The Artist from Halifax, Canada writes: Shut up, haters !

    Oh wait, these are actually Maple Leaf fans speaking now...

    Never mind ...
  36. Mr. Coffee from Victoria, Canada writes: Here's something new for the clueless mandarins @ MLSE: After signing the draft picks, actually develop them, and don't trade them for some has-been veteran or throw stupid money at over-rated free agents.

    There's been way too many of the likes of Owen Nolan, Jonas Hoglund, Anders Ericksson, Dimitri Khristich, Andrew Raycroft, Jurkke Lumme, and the list goes on & on & on!

    Finishing eighth and getting three home playoff games isn't improvement.

    The secret to developing good teams: It's the draft & development of your own players, stupid! It actually works.
  37. Hap Stokes from Canada writes: The trouble with T.O. besides being the C of U is those egocentric sportswriters always trying to make sirloin out of baloney. Sundin is a class act, he is the only real sirloin on that whole team. Some of that club reads like a Who's Poo r You.

    "Don't blame JFJ" (says Burkie). He had too many BIG fingers in his famous leafy stew. Too many hot dogs and pricey rotten tomatoes.

    It all started long B4 Ballard spilled vinegar on his Maple Pie.
    It started with: "If you can't beat 'em in the alley, how can you beat 'em" etc etc etc.--A real shame, Toronto is a great sports town all they need is UPPER management that is half as good as the fans.

    Luck Sap fans, the 7th pick and seven more in the next 5 Rounds.
    The Marlies should be good next year. Better than the Laffs maybe.
  38. John Doucette from manotick, Canada writes: Yes Fletch.
  39. Lou Bix from Canada writes: I have herd that crap for 41 years now. Talk is cheap Fletch.
  40. Larry Boutilier from Sydney, Canada writes: Look at what Bob Gainy did to turn the Habs around.
    Co-incidence? Probably not.
    I think Ken Dryden could do the same for the Leafs.
    But we will never find out.
    The Leafs management are not likely to choose the right GM,
    although, if it was left to Fletcher to chose they have a CHANCE!!!
  41. D K from Canada writes: Better than what? Better than 12th? Last? The last 41 years? An OHL team? Better on the links? Better revenue?
  42. R A from Canada writes: Mac GLG - youre right, it wouldnt take much to be better than the Sens but the bar needs to be set higher than that....a lot higher.
  43. Mike Corrigan from Wolfe Island, Canada writes: Aren't leaf fans excited and proud every October?
  44. Atlantic Geezer from Canada writes: ah hell, we can hope, the last time a team of mine won a championship it was the Ottawa Rough Riders and I was also an Expos fan, at least the Leafs still live and as you can see a leafs fan you must go far a field to find the positives.
  45. Dwide Schrude from Canada writes: Just remember the old adage of Leafs fans everywhere.

    "Fool me 42 times, shame on you, fool me 43 times, shame on me"

    Seriously, this team has only gotten worse. They have not made slight improvements. They have only gotter worse over the last 10 years. At what point do you cut your losses and cheer for a team that might actually win? It'll make you feel bad at first but you'll feel good about actually saying "I can't go, my team is in the second round of the playoffs starting tonight and I want to watch the game" and be able to say it with a straight face.

    There's nothing wrong with loving hockey, it's a fine game, just have a little dignity about it is all.
  46. Neil no more last name from Mississauga, Canada writes: Rotten club, needs too much help - where do you even start?Among all the problems - JFJ. You can't hire a rookie GM in a hockeytown, nevertheless one desperate for success. Leads me to my next point - the idiot(s) who hired the green horns.

    And now the leafs are handcuffed by the inexperienced signings and moves made by JFJ. Sure there's buyouts, minors, and convincing to agree to a trade - even still - a very messy situation that develops a very poor team culture.

    Still can't break the childhood draw to the Leafs.

    For the record, I can't remember the last time I went to the ACC for a game. And I can't remember the last time any friend or family member purchased tickets to a Leaf game at the ACC. Maybe the Playoffs years ago. Average shmoe can't afford, or is unwilling to spend the money on a game at the ACC, save first born's 5th birthday (for example)

    Those trying to tell us how to spend our money, Please shut up. You don't know what you're talking about.
  47. Neil no more last name from Mississauga, Canada writes: Dwide Schrude - it's been 3 years of non-playoffs. I haven't lived 41 years.

    Tonnes of diginity and self-respect here.

    Sticking by your team is called loyalty. Turning your back is called cowardly.
  48. Dwide Schrude from Canada writes: Neil no more last name from Mississauga wrote "Sticking by your team is called loyalty. Turning your back is called cowardly."

    Spoken like a true loser. Why support them if they treat you like a fool? Oh yeah, because you're "loyal" What a sucker. I feel sorry for you. You know what you sound like? "Love me daddy, love me!!" (That's me doing an impression of you Neil)

    Keep waiting. Next year they'll win the cup, right? This was a rebuilding year right. Too many injuries... unlucky in the draft.... it was the coach not the players...etc etc etc. Believe me Neil, if Sundin met you, he would hate you, so would the rest of them.

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