You or a member of your household are more likely to be shot by your own gun than the boogyman intruder.
- leafsfann

And you are more likely to drown in your back yard if you have a pool.

No you (frank)ing dolt... Kruger as the coach and Nelson as his assistant. Kinda like McLennan and Woodcroft.
- Reveen.

That’s not what Tandem means...who’s the dolt?

Gonna have to firmly disagree on MacTavish not qualifying as a failure. His abject failures in talent evaluation (Nikitin), his blase attitude towards respecting some of his key players (Petry, Dubnyk), his absolute inability to acquire support players of significance (Ference and Gordon) and his fear of making moves are precisely what led us to the hiring of a guy with a track record of making big moves at a loss in value.

Change for the sake of change became appealing due to MacTavish's absolute incompetence in moving the team forward and his further inability to conceptualize any manner of plan to his team's fans. MacTavish's ONLY redeeming quality is his unwillingness/inability to make a big move because he was worried about losing the trade- all while his team continued to lose games.

If you're going to trash on Chiarelli, at least be reasonable and recognize that MacTavish's brand of incompetence was equally awful for the team. Despite his faults (of which there are many), at least Chiarelli can and does acquire support pieces, has a clear identity for his team and his staff's drafting philosophy seems to make sense. The argument can easily be made that the road to Chiarelli's biggest misplay (Hall for Larsson) was paved by MacTavish's incompetence ("testing" Petry).
- MaximumBone

I agree with his poor talent evaluation, but disagree with his “fear” to make moves. The time wasn’t right. We still had too many holes and were just creating new holes to fill another.

Gonna have to firmly disagree on MacTavish not qualifying as a failure. His abject failures in talent evaluation (Nikitin), his blase attitude towards respecting some of his key players (Petry, Dubnyk), his absolute inability to acquire support players of significance (Ference and Gordon) and his fear of making moves are precisely what led us to the hiring of a guy with a track record of making big moves at a loss in value.

Change for the sake of change became appealing due to MacTavish's absolute incompetence in moving the team forward and his further inability to conceptualize any manner of plan to his team's fans. MacTavish's ONLY redeeming quality is his unwillingness/inability to make a big move because he was worried about losing the trade- all while his team continued to lose games.

If you're going to trash on Chiarelli, at least be reasonable and recognize that MacTavish's brand of incompetence was equally awful for the team. Despite his faults (of which there are many), at least Chiarelli can and does acquire support pieces, has a clear identity for his team and his staff's drafting philosophy seems to make sense. The argument can easily be made that the road to Chiarelli's biggest misplay (Hall for Larsson) was paved by MacTavish's incompetence ("testing" Petry).
- MaximumBone

Exactly

It really does all boil down to winning. Fans like to pretend the centre of the hockey universe is Toronto, but before Tavares who was the biggest free agent signing? Not guys who weren't good who just got overpaid like Komisarek or Clarkson. Mogilny, 15 years ago?
- leafsfann

Most players dont like the intense media / fan pressure in Canadian cities.

I agree with his poor talent evaluation, but disagree with his “fear” to make moves. The time wasn’t right. We still had too many holes and were just creating new holes to fill another.
- HonkyTonkMan

He wasnt scared to trade a high draft pick for multiple lower picks.

He wasnt scared to trade a high draft pick for multiple lower picks.
- Reveen.

Multiple studies have shown that beyond the top few picks, this is actually a prudent course of action. Across all sports.

Just not sexy and conventional so they don’t do it as much

Multiple studies have shown that beyond the top few picks, this is actually a prudent course of action. Across all sports.

Just not sexy and conventional so they don’t do it as much
- HB77

Did they study the Oilers scouting staff at the time

Ya I get that. But hockey is a sport. Guns were for protection and hunting.

I played and started watching when I was 9, im 35 now. I never wrote a letter to Lou asking him why the Devils couldn't win.

Again, that guy that wrote that letter is too dramatic. That's my point. I didn't want to generalize, hockey is my life too.
- Leniwm1


Protection from what?

Canadians....duh.

Boo hoo, Oilers fans.

Here's my letter from MLSEL from 2012:

Dear Atomic Wedgie,

On behalf of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, we want you to know that it is a privilege to have the most passionate and loyal fans in the NHL. You are the lifeblood of this team and we will never take that for granted.

Like all Leafs fans, we are extremely disappointed that this season did not result in the long-awaited return to the postseason we were all hoping for. We fell short of your expectations and for that, we are truly sorry. Results are the only measure of success in sports and the results speak for themselves.

Each season you make a commitment to support this team. You make an investment with a passion that is unrivalled by any fan base in professional sports. For a good part of this past season it appeared as though your commitment would be rewarded. Unfortunately we got off track and that is completely unacceptable.

The Leafs management team has a plan and our ownership believes in that plan. With the regular season behind us, we will conduct an in-depth analysis and our singular focus will be on making the Leafs a team we can all be proud of. We are 100% committed to getting back on track.

Again, thank you for your loyalty, your commitment and your patience. Please feel free to contact me directly at [email][email protected][/email] if you want to talk about this past year or the upcoming season.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Anselmi

Tom Anselmi
Chief Operating Officer
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

How about my letter from Burkie in 2008? Enjoy!


Dear Season Seat Holder,

Almost two weeks ago, I accepted an opportunity to become president and general manager of your Toronto Maple Leafs. I want to thank the Board of Directors and owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Richard Peddie, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, for entrusting me with one of the most important jobs in hockey.

Managing the Toronto Maple Leafs is a dream job for me. It's a true honour to be associated with an iconic team with passionate fans, and a strong sense of history and tradition.

I spent the last three seasons with the Anaheim Ducks where as President and General Manager I was fortunate to be part of a Stanley Cup Championship. We intend to create the same winning culture for Leafs fans.

The Leafs are now turning a page in their storied history, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. Rebuilding this team will require commitment and dedication, and Cliff Fletcher has taken many positive steps in the right direction. Over the next few months, our management team will evaluate our players and begin to address the opportunities that will support our team's progress on the ice.

We have a number of areas that are working in our favour, including a stable ownership that is committed to winning and an established coach in Ron Wilson. Ron and I share the same philosophies on how the game should be played. Under the tutelage of Ron and his coaching staff, we have already started to see a shift in how our team plays every night.

We have started to create a strong nucleus of young talent like Luke Schenn and Mikhail Grabovski, who will continue to grow, develop and excel under the Leafs system. The biggest advantage of our team is an arena filled with loyal fans every night who want to see their team succeed.

As I said in my introductory news conference, I have three pillars that I base my teams on:

1.) Having a team that has an exciting and entertaining style of play. The Leafs will justify the price of the ticket every night they are on the ice. We are committed to providing value to all of our Season Seat Holders, as you are an important part of our team.

2.) I believe teams need to operate in a fiscally responsible manner. We will spend our fans’ and our sponsors’ money intelligently, and make decisions that are right for the team.

3.) I expect all of our players and coaches to be leaders in the community. Community service is not optional. I am thrilled to see the Leafs organization already has a strong culture of giving back to the community through initiatives and programs led by the Leafs Fund for Kids, Leafs Hockey Development and Leafs Community Relations. The Leafs lead the NHL for community initiatives, team appearances and fundraising. This will continue to be a priority for our team.

These three pillars have created a winning culture for my teams in the past, and I anticipate they will continue to have the same positive impact on the Leafs going forward.

Last weekend, the Leafs announced the hiring of hockey executive David Nonis as Senior Vice-President of hockey operations. I have had the fortune of working with Dave for more than 14 years in Anaheim, Vancouver and at the NHL. He will be a great addition to our hockey organization as he brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge.

I would like to thank Leafs Season Seat Holders for welcoming me to Toronto. This is a great time to be affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs. I hope you’ll share in my excitement as we get started with the work ahead.

On behalf of our owners, Board of Directors, and the entire Leafs organization, I want to thank you for being a Season Seat Holder and for your support and commitment to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Best wishes for the holiday season and the New Year.

Sincerely,

Brian Burke

President and General Manager

Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club

Boo hoo, Oilers fans.

Here's my letter from MLSEL from 2012:

Dear Atomic Wedgie,

On behalf of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, we want you to know that it is a privilege to have the most passionate and loyal fans in the NHL. You are the lifeblood of this team and we will never take that for granted.

Like all Leafs fans, we are extremely disappointed that this season did not result in the long-awaited return to the postseason we were all hoping for. We fell short of your expectations and for that, we are truly sorry. Results are the only measure of success in sports and the results speak for themselves.

Each season you make a commitment to support this team. You make an investment with a passion that is unrivalled by any fan base in professional sports. For a good part of this past season it appeared as though your commitment would be rewarded. Unfortunately we got off track and that is completely unacceptable.

The Leafs management team has a plan and our ownership believes in that plan. With the regular season behind us, we will conduct an in-depth analysis and our singular focus will be on making the Leafs a team we can all be proud of. We are 100% committed to getting back on track.

Again, thank you for your loyalty, your commitment and your patience. Please feel free to contact me directly at
- Atomic Wedgie[email][email protected][/email] if you want to talk about this past year or the upcoming season.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Anselmi

Tom Anselmi
Chief Operating Officer
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

How about my letter from Burkie in 2008? Enjoy!


Dear Season Seat Holder,

Almost two weeks ago, I accepted an opportunity to become president and general manager of your Toronto Maple Leafs. I want to thank the Board of Directors and owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Richard Peddie, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, for entrusting me with one of the most important jobs in hockey.

Managing the Toronto Maple Leafs is a dream job for me. It's a true honour to be associated with an iconic team with passionate fans, and a strong sense of history and tradition.

I spent the last three seasons with the Anaheim Ducks where as President and General Manager I was fortunate to be part of a Stanley Cup Championship. We intend to create the same winning culture for Leafs fans.

The Leafs are now turning a page in their storied history, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. Rebuilding this team will require commitment and dedication, and Cliff Fletcher has taken many positive steps in the right direction. Over the next few months, our management team will evaluate our players and begin to address the opportunities that will support our team's progress on the ice.

We have a number of areas that are working in our favour, including a stable ownership that is committed to winning and an established coach in Ron Wilson. Ron and I share the same philosophies on how the game should be played. Under the tutelage of Ron and his coaching staff, we have already started to see a shift in how our team plays every night.

We have started to create a strong nucleus of young talent like Luke Schenn and Mikhail Grabovski, who will continue to grow, develop and excel under the Leafs system. The biggest advantage of our team is an arena filled with loyal fans every night who want to see their team succeed.

As I said in my introductory news conference, I have three pillars that I base my teams on:

1.) Having a team that has an exciting and entertaining style of play. The Leafs will justify the price of the ticket every night they are on the ice. We are committed to providing value to all of our Season Seat Holders, as you are an important part of our team.

2.) I believe teams need to operate in a fiscally responsible manner. We will spend our fans’ and our sponsors’ money intelligently, and make decisions that are right for the team.

3.) I expect all of our players and coaches to be leaders in the community. Community service is not optional. I am thrilled to see the Leafs organization already has a strong culture of giving back to the community through initiatives and programs led by the Leafs Fund for Kids, Leafs Hockey Development and Leafs Community Relations. The Leafs lead the NHL for community initiatives, team appearances and fundraising. This will continue to be a priority for our team.

These three pillars have created a winning culture for my teams in the past, and I anticipate they will continue to have the same positive impact on the Leafs going forward.

Last weekend, the Leafs announced the hiring of hockey executive David Nonis as Senior Vice-President of hockey operations. I have had the fortune of working with Dave for more than 14 years in Anaheim, Vancouver and at the NHL. He will be a great addition to our hockey organization as he brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge.

I would like to thank Leafs Season Seat Holders for welcoming me to Toronto. This is a great time to be affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs. I hope you’ll share in my excitement as we get started with the work ahead.

On behalf of our owners, Board of Directors, and the entire Leafs organization, I want to thank you for being a Season Seat Holder and for your support and commitment to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Best wishes for the holiday season and the New Year.

Sincerely,

Brian Burke

President and General Manager

Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club

I guarantee Brett will be back when the Oilers make the playoffs, much like a lot of Sabres fans
- jcragcrumple

and he has every right to after everything the oilers and sabres have put their fans through. They don't deserve loyalty anymore

(frank)ing guy must've perfected writing B's, E's and T's.

Problem is we could win the cup 5 years in a row and people would still complain.

fans in Edmonton are (frank)ing horrid. Not just Oilers, Eskimos as well. No matter what the team does people are pissed off. Yet they really do (frank) all about it other than complain.

and he has every right to after everything the oilers and sabres have put their fans through. They don't deserve loyalty anymore
- FLAM3SFAN

sorry, do you not think the flames have done the same thing? i've been struggling with my love of this franchise this summer, especially.

the team has had one lucky run in more than 20 years. they are constantly near the top of the league in attendance and support, and yet can't ice a consistently competitive team. ownership wants to hold an arena deal as a gun to the city's head.

professional fandom is the completely insane. the flames sucking causes me stress. i hate the oilers based on geography and some sort of brotherly-competition mindset, and so seeing them do well or win a draft lottery or get a good d-man at #10 causes me stress. flames/oilers games cause me stress. i would love to stop being stressed about these things. i hate the cfl and don't follow it. stamps/esks games mean nothing to me and i appreciate that.

i swear to god if they try to do "forever a flame" with iggy and not retire his number, i'll want to stop following forever. i'll want to, but i probably won't because loving the flames is all i've done for more than 25 years at this point. it's just a shame it's unrequited.

I don’t disagree Kruger should have been given another season, but only idiots think that Yak would have somehow been less retarded over the long term with Ralphie.
- HonkyTonkMan

Krueger utilized Yakupov effectively. That's all I care about. That's all any fan should care about. He wasn't so tight on the leash, he gave Yak room to do his thing. Krueger understood what Yak brought to the game and tried to exploit his talents while trying to improve him as a player. Meanwhile, Eakins came in thinking that he could enforce what he demands from a player, which with Yakupov was the wrong way to go.

Furthermore, Eakins came in thinking he needed to teach teenagers analytics-based strategies and made things more complex than need be. Krueger used a different approach with Yakupov, one that was simple to understand and straightforward. Below are some quotes on their strategies used and some comments made by other that I think suffice the overall outlook of things and how it all turned out.

"Like Eakins, Krueger wanted more focus on the defensive side of the ice from Yakupov. The way he went about doing it was to point out that improved defensive effort generates more offense. He used the possibility to score more goals as the motivation to focus on defense. Krueger said when Yakupov put in the effort, he rewarded him with time in the top six. When Yakupov didn't, he dropped to the third and fourth lines."

http://insider.espn.com/b...stance/insider/post?id=22

"One of the biggest mistakes a new boss can make is implement radical changes immediately rather than observe and assess the strengths and weaknesses of both the individual and the collective. A lot has been written on how Eakins overthought everything, and how his analytics-based theories on making the Oilers tactically competent were seemingly too complex for teenagers like Yakupov to grasp."

http://www.sportingnews.c...bmbyjep900621n0n77tn2albd

"What Eakins has developed in Yakupov is a young player second guessing every play who is playing scared to make a mistake."

https://oilonwhyte.com/20...ailures-cost-job-earlier/

Eakins Edm coaching job summed up in one GIF:

Kruger / Nelson should have been given the reigns as a tandem.
- Reveen.

I'd dig it.

Krueger - HC
Nelson - AC

I'd dig it.

Krueger - HC
Nelson - AC


- EdmHockeyMan

See Honky !!!! This guy understood what I meant.

Gonna have to firmly disagree on MacTavish not qualifying as a failure. His abject failures in talent evaluation (Nikitin), his blase attitude towards respecting some of his key players (Petry, Dubnyk), his absolute inability to acquire support players of significance (Ference and Gordon) and his fear of making moves are precisely what led us to the hiring of a guy with a track record of making big moves at a loss in value.

Change for the sake of change became appealing due to MacTavish's absolute incompetence in moving the team forward and his further inability to conceptualize any manner of plan to his team's fans. MacTavish's ONLY redeeming quality is his unwillingness/inability to make a big move because he was worried about losing the trade- all while his team continued to lose games.

If you're going to trash on Chiarelli, at least be reasonable and recognize that MacTavish's brand of incompetence was equally awful for the team. Despite his faults (of which there are many), at least Chiarelli can and does acquire support pieces, has a clear identity for his team and his staff's drafting philosophy seems to make sense. The argument can easily be made that the road to Chiarelli's biggest misplay (Hall for Larsson) was paved by MacTavish's incompetence ("testing" Petry).
- MaximumBone

MacT lacked Experience in upper management and it showed (only one year of upper management xp prior to his hiring). He was rash, indecisive with regards to a plan of action and overall direction for the team, and displayed a Blase attitude as you mentioned. However, the Perron trade (both acquiring him and trading him) and the 2013/2015 draft pick trades were quite crafty.

A few years of xp in upper management would do well with regards to giving him a better understanding of the whole process and how to look at things from a management approach.

See Honky !!!! This guy understood what I meant.
- Reveen.

MacT lacked Experience in upper management and it showed (only one year of upper management xp prior to his hiring). He was rash, indecisive with regards to a plan of action and overall direction for the team, and displayed a Blase attitude as you mentioned. However, the Perron trade (both acquiring him and trading him) and the 2013/2015 draft pick trades were quite crafty.

A few years of xp in upper management would do well with regards to giving him a better understanding of the whole process and how to look at things from a management approach.
- EdmHockeyMan

The fact that he lacked experience doesn't make up for the fact that he was a failure pretty much across the board.

I agree with his poor talent evaluation, but disagree with his “fear” to make moves. The time wasn’t right. We still had too many holes and were just creating new holes to fill another.
- HonkyTonkMan

I believe putting it off because the time wasn't perfect is what led to Chiarelli and the moves he made. Creating new holes is fine so long as they're filling a hole that's harder to fill than the guy you're giving up.

And further to that, had he just not (frank)ed around with Petry, the desperation to get a RD wouldn't have reached critical mass the way it did. Instead, we could've had Petry continue to cover for and shelter Schultz and still likely signed a guy like Sekera when we did.

06 ring a bell? Only grabbed like 5 guys at the dealine that year.
- wreckage

Completely different. Grabbing guys for a run Is a lot different then signing high quality players for long term contracts. Lucic is not an example. It can be argued other GMS weren't willing to give him the dollars he wanted and rightfully so.

Completely different. Grabbing guys for a run Is a lot different then signing high quality players for long term contracts. Lucic is not an example. It can be argued other GMS weren't willing to give him the dollars he wanted and rightfully so.
- benmacw

Montreal offered him more money than we did

Montreal offered him more money than we did
- Reveen.

Proof?