Leaf Players React To Front Office Shuffle
Posted January 22, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Mats Sundin is revered as a captain because he understands that good leadership means not only leading the troops in the dressing room, but accepting responsibility for the team’s performance on the ice. He reiterated that on Tuesday when news of G.M. John Ferguson’s firing, and Cliff Fletcher’s hiring, reached the players.
“We’re ultimately the last resource out there on the ice that can control what’s going to happen on the ice and how the team is going to be playing and it doesn’t matter who is above us that are controlling the team, we have to make sure that we perform, and so far this year, we haven’t lived up to expectations,” the captain said. “It doesn’t really matter who is above us, we have to do a better job down on the ice.”
Jason Blake, one of Ferguson’s off-season acquisitions, followed his captain’s lead with his comments.
“I’ve only been here for a few months, and you know, there are certain things you can’t control. For us as players, the only thing that we can control is how we play. You know, we weren’t getting the job done. There’s a change made and I think it’s the players that have to be accountable to make sure that we’re ready to play.”
Alex Steen expressed his sympathy for Ferguson, who many believe unfairly took the brunt of media abuse.
“Obviously it’s tough to have a fellow member of the organization leave and you know, John meant so much to a lot of us, and he’s always been a first class person.He’s a great person, and I wish him well.”
