Joel Quenneville Moves To Top Of Leaf Coaching Rumour List After Being Fired By Avs

The Leafs may no longer be playing hockey this season, but there’s a brand new game in town surrounding the team: the guessing contest about who might take over for the newly ousted Paul Maurice behind the Buds’ bench.

And while just about everyone has an opinion, one guy may have just taken the lead because he’s available immediately. Joel Quenneville was fired by the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, just days after his team was swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round.

The Avs beat the Wild in the first round but were completely overmatched in the second and that was apparently enough to get him turfed. GM Francois Giguere claims the parting was an agreed decision between the now ex-coach and the team he piloted.

“After meeting with Joel, we mutually agreed that the best decision for both parties involved is to go separate ways,” his boss notes in the kind of statement that saves face but says nothing.

Quenneville had been with the team since 2004 and is one of only seven active bench bosses to have coached more than 750 games. But if he plans to continue in that line – and indications are he does – he’ll have to find a new gig.

Which is where the Leafs may come in. Quenneville’s name has continually come up as a possible Maurice replacement and he comes with an added bonus – he’s familiar with the team, after playing here for two seasons between 1978 and 1980.

He leaves the Avs a winner, with a record of 131 wins and 92 losses and a number of successful playoff runs – including beating the favoured Stars during his first year behind the Colorado bench in 2004.

His dismissal comes at a time when both he and the Leafs are hunting for the right person for the top position. The question now is: is he interested in coming here and are the Leafs interested in having him?

Whatever the answer, his sudden availability in the final year of his contract moves him to the top of the list in many hockey pundits’ minds.

But interim GM Cliff Fletcher wasn’t willing to speculate on anything. “What this does now is pave the way for when a new management team is in place to bring in their own coaching staff with them,” he remarked after confirming the Maurice axing on Wednesday. “There was a board of directors meeting yesterday and out of the board of directors meeting I moved forward.”

Whether that ‘forward movement’ is toward the ex-Colorado veteran is a mystery that will be solved one way or another this summer.

Meanwhile, the hunt remains on for Fletcher’s replacement. The Leafs are expected to meet with leading candidate Dave Nonis, who took over the Canucks when Brian Burke left. Many fans aren’t happy with the idea. Nonis’s squad also missed the post season two of the last three years. Brass will meet with the possible new Leaf GM next week.

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