TORONTO (Apr. 20) � With all indications pointing squarely to John Ferguson executing the final year of his contract as GM of the Maple Leafs, now is the time that Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment should convert speculation to reality and hire a front-line executive that can properly oversee the entire hockey operation.
William Houston's popular "Truth and Rumors" column in the Globe & Mail on Wednesday suggested that I had nominated Cliff Fletcher for the position of Leafs' president. That's not entirely accurate... I did go on LEAFS TV last Sunday and advocate "somebody like" Fletcher for the role, thinking at the time that the former Toronto GM would never come back to the team. But after seeing Fletcher's name in Bill's column, I thought to myself, "who better than the 'Silver Fox' to bring stability, character, dignity and experience to the upper reaches of the Maple Leafs' hierarchy?'
The mere thought of this, of course, could be entirely moot, as a bulldozer might not be able to budge Fletcher from the Desert in Arizona, where he is one of the top-ranking executives with the Phoenix Coyotes. But, what if MLSE came to him and offered a position that would perfectly fit his profile as one of the NHL's most respected administrators of the past 30 years? We're not talking here about the direct, hands-on, final-say-on-all-hockey-matters role Cliff held with the Leafs between 1991 and '97. This is more of an umbrella position that would suit a man just nicely into senior citizenship � a wizened hockey executive, almost completely devoid of ego, who could nurture Ferguson, and act as a sounding board on all hockey-related matters.
More importantly, Fletcher (in conjunction with Ferguson) could be the point-man in all personnel acquisitions for the hockey department; a man with decades of practical experience at the top levels of the sport who could relieve CEO Richard Peddie of the interviewing process. This is not to suggest that Peddie be cast adrift, though that concept would be a fairly popular one, it seems, among Leaf fans. Richard is invaluable to MLSE as a shrewd money man and business executive, but his forte clearly is not the appointment of sports management personnel. Imagine how polished and exacting that process would become with Fletcher as the inquisitor?
If Ferguson is to mature in his role as GM � and in his communication and by-play with the immense and ubiquitous Toronto press corps � MLSE badly requires a stable hockey presence at the very top. No one is more refined, dignified and well-liked among veteran media types than Fletcher, who has long possessed an envied sophistication for communicating with both critics and supporters. He could work with the reticent Ferguson in developing, for public consumption, the delightful personality that the Toronto GM offers in private.
There could be no imaginable downside in bringing Cliff Fletcher back to the Leaf organization � were he willing to return in the aforementioned role. The worst outcome for MLSE in making an inquiry would be a polite, congenial refusal from one of hockey's finest persons.
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Speaking of potential additions to the Maple Leafs, the more I contemplate this one, the more it sparkles as one that would afford rock-solid stability, fortitude and brawn to one of the most integral elements of the team. If he's available in the free agent market this summer, the Leafs should spare no expense in pursuing mammoth defenseman Zdeno Chara, currently of the Ottawa Senators.
The maximum contract under the projected salary cap figure for next season is expected to hover close to $9 million, and Chara will get every penny of it. Why shouldn't it come from the Maple Leafs? The 6-foot-9-inch (7-feet on skates) Czech blue-liner is the single-most dominating presence in the game today. Neither the Leafs, nor any team other than the Senators and New York Islanders, has ever possessed a player so physically imposing on the back-end, and his arrival would provide the Leafs with the type of brute-force demeanor the club has lacked since Tim Horton and Bob Baun patrolled the blue line during the Stanley Cup dynasty of the 1960s.
Imagine what Chara could mean to Tomas Kaberle � the NHL's best "second banana" on defense. Kaberle could all but forget any physical responsibilities while on the ice (a propensity that would come naturally to him), while Chara could hammer his feathery passes at opposition goalies every bit as effectively as Bryan McCabe, who is even-money right now to sign with the New York Islanders, and live in the affluent surroundings of his wife, Roberta's, native territory.
If you were to ask yourself, "Who is the most imposing defenseman of the past generation in the NHL?" you would automatically blurt out the name Scott Stevens. In fact, no player at any position instilled more fear and trepidation in opponents than did Stevens in the period between 1995 and 2003, when the New Jersey Devils won three Stanley Cup titles. Zdeno Chara � though slightly less menacing � is the Scott Stevens of the current NHL, and the Leafs should throw all caution to the wind while pursuing him if he's on the market in July.
John Ferguson and Co. badly missed the mark last summer, when mega-blueliners like Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger were up for grabs. The Leafs could get a second chance this year and while competition for Chara's services will be intense, they must position themselves as favorably as any team in the league. That way, there can be no regrets if Chara settles on another location.
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FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
OTTAWA v Tampa Bay: Senators in 6
CAROLINA v Montreal: Hurricanes in 7
NEW JERSEY v New York Rangers: Rangers in 6
BUFFALO v Philadelphia: Sabres in 7
DETROIT v Edmonton: Red Wings in 6
DALLAS v Colorado: Stars in 5
CALGARY v Anaheim: Flames in 6
NASHVILLE v San Jose: Predators in 7
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