- Kevin McGran: Leafs sign head coach Randy Carlyle to a two year contract extension.
- Kevin McGran: Dave Nonis: “We decided together (with Shanny) that Randy Carlyle was the right person to lead this team.”
- John Shannon: Leafs assistants Greg Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish were let go.
- Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post: Dave Nonis during the conference call.
“We felt that we could use a change in the mix, some different ideas, some different ways of approaching how the game is played and how we want to play,” Leafs general manager Dave Nonis said in a conference call with reporters. “And for us to do that, we felt it was important to make that change at the assistant coaches’ level. It’s not an indictment of their ability.”
On keeping Carlyle.
“This, in our minds, was clearly the best option,” Nonis said. “This is a guy that we believe can get the job done for us.”
Nonis on giving Carlyle a two year extension.
“It was important for us to make it clear that Randy has the support needed to move forward and have the positive effects on the team that we need.”
- Pierre LeBrun: If the Sharks had let Todd McLellan go, things may have turned out differently in Toronto.
- Hope Smoke: Bob McKenzie “Nothing is pressing, but can this team come back with same mgmt, same coaches and same players and tell fans that things are OK?” … “I think Shanahan was fully involved in this decision. If he wanted Carlyle gone, he’d be gone” … This is a fully endorsed Shanahan decision and people need to look at it that way” … “If the case is that the head coach is angry his friends have been fired and doesn’t want to adapt then nothing will change”
- Hope Smoke: Dave Nonis: “We’ll bring in some guys from Marlies that are ready, some older free agents on short contracts & most important on the trade front” … “I think that we have a lot of good pieces on the back end especially with young players. We need to see if its the right mix” …”We don’t want to throw out young pieces that are growing and will make mistakes.” … “Centres and defenseman are the hardest players to acquire.” …”There are going to be players between now and the end of June that will be offered to us via trade.” … “We need to decide whether those players are going to be able to help us.” … “We’ll look at older UFAs on short term deals that are able to help us and bringing in some guys from the Marlies that are ready”
- Hope Smoke: Dave Nonis “We felt we needed to change the mix, get some different defensive schemes and new relationships with players” … “A lot of things will change when you bring in three new assistants. We think this is something that can give us a spark”
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “What I know is that the Leafs intend to help this team and bring in new bodies. I think the D core will look a lot different” … “I believe Nonis wants to sign free agents to add some experience and older players into the young group”
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “I think the Leafs would consider bringing in Oates for sure. I think there would be interest in Scott Arniel, yes” … “Haven’t heard the Bruce Cassidy name in a while and he’s an interesting candidate. I wouldn’t say yes or no about him and the Leafs” … “Search for Leafs assistants needs to be exhaustive. Otherwise, 3 men have been let go for no significant reason other than change”
- Steve Simmons: “More structural changes may be coming post draft but Leafs front office trio of Dave Nonis, Claude Loiselle and Dave Poulin remains in place.”