Leafs Fire Long-Suffering Ferguson

Posted January 22, 2008 12:00 pm.

This article is more than 5 years old.

After weeks of speculation and an even longer stretch of excruciating internal strife, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally fired General Manager John Ferguson Jr., and replaced him with Cliff Fletcher.

The Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment board of directors met Monday to decide the fate of the position. MLSE president and CEO Richard Peddie initially denied that he had relieved Ferguson of his duties, but the move was confirmed a few short hours later. Ferguson was informed of the decision at around 11am, Tuesday.

“After full consideration of the Leafs’ situation, it has become clear that change and a new direction is needed,” Peddie said in a statement.

“The decision has been made that John will not be receiving a new contract at the end of this year, and it’s in the best interests of the Leafs and of John to begin the transition immediately.”

“John has been given the opportunity and the resources he requested to deliver results from the strategic plans that he put in place when he was named general manager in 2003, and while the new collective bargaining agreement required some re-shaping of those plans, the results have fallen short of what our organization, including John, and our fans expect,” added Peddie.

“We will always be grateful to John for his passion, dedication and commitment to putting a winning team on the ice. He’s a man of the highest integrity, who withstood often unfair public criticism with dignity and class. He represented our organization and our community in a first class manner. We wish him well in what we expect will be a long and productive hockey career.”

Fletcher will now begin his second tenure with the team. He was GM of the Leafs from 1991 to 1997.

“Cliff Fletcher is the ideal person to lay the groundwork of positive change for the Leafs,” said Peddie. “As all of our general managers have had, he will have the autonomy and responsibility for all hockey decisions with a focus on establishing a foundation from which the next general manager can build. He will guide us through the upcoming trade deadline and toward the draft and free agent signing period.”

The Leafs have won three of their last four games, but have largely struggled in January. They’ve also missed the playoffs the past two years and are in 14th place in the NHL’s Eastern Conference standings.

Fletcher’s Resume:

Began career as a scout in Montreal Canadiens’ organization in 1966
Joined expansion St. Louis Blues in 1967 and was later named assistant general manager
Hired by the Atlanta Flames as general manager in 1972
General Manager of the Calgary Flames from 1980-1991
During his regime, the Calgary Flames won the Presidents’ Trophy twice, two Campbell Conference titles and two Smythe Division titles and the 1989 Stanley Cup
General Manager of Team Canada in the 1981 Canada Cup
Spent six seasons as Chief Operating Officer, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs (1991-1997)
Joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1999 for two years as Senior Advisor to the General Manager
Hired by the Phoenix Coyotes as Executive Vice-President and General Manager in 2001