- Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star: The Maple Leafs need to decide on their core players and what to do with them: Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, James van Riemsdyk, Joffrey Lupul, Tyler Bozak and David Clarkson (due to his contract). They will need to decide if they should fire Randy Carlyle now or wait until later.
(“We will be) as patient as we need to be,” said general manager Dave Nonis, who came out to calm the waters. “You can do a lot of damage to the long-term success of your team by overreacting. Again, we’re not asking them to do something they’ve never done before. We’re asking them to play like they played seven days ago. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.”
- Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun: It may not be right, but Randy Carlyle could become the fall guy, with Dave Nonis possibly not far behind. Zeisberger thinks it might be time for the Maple Leafs to shake up their core. Dion Phaneuf and his $7 million cap hit may be hard to move. Zeisberger wonders about moving Nazem Kadri. Joffrey Lupul and Cody Franson have been in the rumor mill. Wings GM Ken Holland and Panthers GM Dale Tallon where at the Leafs-Preds game the other night (GM meetings in town).
- Shawn McKenzie: GM Dave Nonis: “We are not going to do some things that maybe would look pretty or sexy but would set our team backwards.” … “We are not going to trade away a young player for an old one”
- Steve Simmons: GM Dave Nonis doesn’t think he’s in danger of being fired.
- Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 on the Maple Leafs.
“Traditionally what happens, as you know, when you go through those things – you look for a deal before you fire a coach or maybe a dramatic front office change. But the vultures are now circling. As you creep closer to the American Thanksgiving mark – that 20-game mark – that’s when you start to see a bit more trade wiggle room.
“But yeah, I’m sure the managers will be calling and they’ll be trying to pick Nonis’s pocket on Joffrey Lupul, if you will, which the guy’s hurt a lot – maybe it’s time to consider finally moving him. Nazem Kadri, who I believe was one of Toronto’s best players last night, with Komarov and Santorelli.
“Now, do you look at something bigger? At what point do you identify the core of this team? We can talk about what we think is the core because they’re the highest-paid guys, but at what point do you isolate one of those guys and say, ‘Alright, the time has come?’
- Hope Smoke: Bob McKenzie: “I don’t subscribe to ancillary reasons for this . The reason is, they’re not that good of a team.” … “What you’re left with at the end of the year is a team that doesn’t make the playoffs & if they do they won’t do any damage in it” … “I couldn’t honestly sit here and tell you that Carlyle will make it to the end of the season but a guy like Shanahan who has worked in the NHL alongside Bettman knows quite a bit about crisis management & dealing with having back against a wall” … “That may end up being an indictment of Nonis at some point bc you have this core that’s not good enough & you can’t trade any of them because their contracts are for too much $ and for too long.” … “At some point determination may be made that you can’t win with this core & then what do you do? Where Shanahan will have to see”
- Steve Dangle is a little upset with the Leafs
