The Big Lie

LONDON--Truth has often been the first casualty of many a Leaf off-season. Like, say, this one.

Look, John Muckler's a terrific hockey man who could help a lot of NHL teams, and he's meeting with Leaf representatives today. Apparently he's meeting with both Richard Peddie and Larry Tanenbaum, but not necessarily together.

Whether Muckler will take the job, if offered, isn't clear. First of all, he'd like to know what the job would be, which nobody seems to really know. Second, he would want to make sure that he wasn't seen as a threat to GM John Ferguson, and so might insist that he wouldn't be able to join the organization without Ferguson getting some contractual security beyond next season.

But really, hockey is not what this is all about. You can see that all the way from these lawns of Wimbledon.

This is not about the Maple Leafs looking to add depth, experience and expertise to their hockey department. In fact, it could add confusion, disagreement and dissension. The Phoenix Coyotes, for example,were not pleased with the way in which Cliff Fletcher functioned as "senior consultant," and fired him. Muckler couldn't co-exist with Bryan Murray. This is not like having grandpa clipping hedges in the backyard, available if you need to know how to find a good plumber.

Anyways, as mentioned, none of this is about hockey.

This is about Leaf politics, pure and simple. This is Peddie and his political allies giving in to the demands of Tanenbaum and his allies, but not totally.

Tanenbaum and Co. want Ferguson out, and have successfully made sure, at least so far, that the promises made to extend Ferguson's contract by the end of June have not yet be kept.

Peddie, the epitome of a corporate politician, supports Ferguson, but understands a little compromise will buy him - and JFJ - some time to stabilize the status quo.

So you pretend, through the addition of a Muckler or someone like him, to be improving the team's hockey office, when in reality what's going on is jostling for positions of strength at the MLSE board of directors level.

Make it about hockey if you want. But that's not what this is. Not even for a second.

The Leafs, of course, have been hobbled by this kind of nonsense for almost a half-century. It all started back in the early 1960s when Conn Smythe decided to sell to his son Stafford and his partner, John Bassett, not knowing that his son had also secretly made Harold Ballard part of the new Leaf ownership team.

The younger Smythe and Ballard ended up forcing Bassett out. Then, when Smythe died, Ballard outmaneuvered the Smythe family to gain total control of the Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens.

That lasted for about 20 years until Ballard's death, and then the executors of his will, Don Giffin and Steve Stavro, tried to engineer their own power plays for control, with Stavro winning out in the end. Just before that happened, however, Giffin managed to manoeuvre Fletcher into the GM's chair against Stavro's wishes, a hockey decision clearly influenced by internal politics.

Later, when in full control, Stavro chopped Fletcher's hockey budget, and then ultimately fired him while listening to the advice of Ken Dryden, a pal of Stavro's lawyer, Brian Bellmore. Dryden then moved in and established a bizarre management structure with Bill Watters, Mike Smith and Anders Hedberg. Soon after, Smith and Hedberg were at each other's throats, and Smith eventually took at run at displacing Dryden, but failed.

Dryden, meanwhile, eventually became locked in his own internecine struggle with Pat Quinn.

Tanenbaum also became part of the ownership picture, and ultimately elbowed Stavro out. Eventually, that resulted in Quinn - a Stavro favorite - being ousted as GM, with Ferguson being brought in over his head. Quinn and Dryden were so alienated that when they were interviewing candidates for that job, neither would escort interviewees to the other man's office, leaving them lost in the bowels of the Air Canada Centre without necessary pass cards.

Meanwhile, somewhere along the way, insiders say, Tanenbaum and Peddie became estranged, which has left them on opposite sides of the Ferguson divide.

Now, Tanenbaum and his buddies believe they've got Ferguson and Peddie on the run, having achieved clearance to hire Muckler or another senior hockey person.

Peddie, a survivor if there ever there was one, probably believes he's held the Tanenbaum forces at bay for now.

Can you believe this guy? "We think (Ferguson) has lots more upside." So, four years after they hired him, they believe Ferguson has almost got things figured out? Does that mean they were lying their asses off when they hired him and said they were trying to win the Stanley Cup immediately?

"And we think he should get some help." Thus, feelers have been sent out to any number of experienced hockey people, the best of whom have told the Leafs to take a hike and in so doing made the team a laughingstock. Rumours persist that Tie Domi, of all people, was one of the people in contact with Scotty Bowman when the Leafs were courting him.

Apparently, Domi wanted to let Bowman know that he had recommended him to Tanenbaum. I mean, can you imagine Bowman's reaction to such a thing?

Meanwhile, the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund just worries about counting dollars.

It's all rather interesting, if not really new, and the manner in which Ferguson sorts things out with the person that presumably is going to be hired will be just as interesting as the Andrew Raycroft-Vesa Toskala goaltending competition.

Just don't believe it's about making the hockey team better.

Comments

[Steve Barnett]

Exactly Damien. This has zip to do with hockey.It is enough to make one gag when King Richard exposes his vast knowledge of hockey upon the fifedom of fans eager to hang on his every musing. And lets not forget that Tannenbaum is no Conn Smythe himself. And if Blaine Lastman is anything like his brother the furniture salesman we are in trouble not again, but still. Until these clowns are removed and a real hockey man is installed we are doomed to be the laughing stock of the league for another couple of decades. Peddie has that annoying habit of talking to you like you are his underling and could not form an opinion without his twisted bizarre view of the world. So the answer is not to just get rid of Dick. We have to expunge the whole group of social image zealots and put in a guy who may actually know a hockey player when he see's one. These imposters we have now would not know a hockey player if they tripped over him. And last but not least our beloved team is owned by a bunch of teachers. And as they say "Those who know it, do it.
Those that do not, teach it"

[chris]

If Jim Balsillie had any common sense, he would offer the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund a sizeable fee for their share of MLSE. Then he could start buying out the other shareholders in the group until he gained control of the decision making at MLSE. He'd certianly have a better chance of getting Gary Bettman's approval than his rampaging bull-in-a-chinashop approach of bringing an NHL team to Hamilton.

As for JFJ, he should take the Eric Cartman approach and tell Tanenbaum, Dale Lastman et al at MLSE "screw you guys, I'm goin' home"!

[Kevin Fauth]

As a life long Leafs fan I have to admit that the front office politics have been embarrasing and extremely annoying. It is the reason that this team can never take that next step and has always left the fans wanting for more. In any high performing organization, strong and stable leadership is always the difference.

[Guido]

The problem with Muckler is that he's proven multiple times he can't play well with others, so this job would be the exact opposite of who he is.

The problem with the whole setup is "who has the ultimate say"? JFJ has too many hoops to jump through now, so why add another layer of garbage?

I may be one of the few, but I actually think JFJ has done a pretty good job this off season.

But I don't believe the Peddie buying time part .. Peddie isn't going anywhere, he's doing too good of job $$ wise for MLSE, they could care less about anything else as far as his job is concerned.

[Sean]

Muckler was an embarassment in Ottawa, almost single-handedly preventing a stacked team (that he never built but rather inherited) from ever winning a Cup.

That said, he could be a good fit for the Leafs in one sense. The Toronto media, and to a lesser extent the fans, go into a well-rehearsed frenzy every time the Leafs sacrifice even the smallest scrap of "the future" in an effort to get better now.

Well, if you really believe that the Leafs should refuse to even consider parting with a decent young player or a first round pick ever again, then Muckler is your man. His deer-in-the-headlights management style at the trade deadline sounds like exactly what the experts think the Leafs need.

[Matt]

The whole situation just stinks. We have yet another lame-duck, overmatched, unqualified GM, who Tanenbaum & Co. rightly want out, but Peddie once again, as he does with the Raptors, is getting in the way of running a sports team. How is Peddie still employed?

Not that I agree with bringing in Muckler, either to try to co-exist with JFJ or replace him. That would be a HUGE (and no doubt costly) mistake. Muckler's days are over - just because the team wants a senior advisor doesn't mean doesn't mean one has to be a senior citizen to qualify!

The more I think about it, the more I feel that the Leafs bringing in Muckler would disgust me just as much, if not more, than the stupid personnel decisions that have been made over the past decades (trading the pick that became Scott Niedermayer, trading for a creaky Owen Nolan, bringing Tie Domi back, continuing to use Wade Belak, trading a blue-chipper for a crappy Raycroft and giving him a big contract, etc.....).

[driftwood]

Toronto needs a real manager.They have to get rid of Ferguson because he is the worst manager that Toronto ever had.I t would great if they could get rid of McCabe,Kubina,Antropov.They should not resign Peca,O'Neil.They should resign Perrault.

[Gav]

Agreed! It should be an honor to run the front office of the best hockey city in the NHL. Its such a shame how everything is about money.

[Pat]

Is it so hard to believe that whoever is chosen they would carry on a professional working relationship with JF? We are talking about adults here not children in a sandlot. If the Raptors can manage a three headed monster why can't the Leafs manage a two headed one?

[Paul]

As much as I can't stand most of what Cox says I am on his side that all of this crap is about office politics. Its not about hockey and making the team better. If the Leafs actually had an owner they might step up and "take a run at the cup" from the front office to the stick guy commit to it emmotionally and financially. As long as there is a Board of Office Types that don't know hockey or never played hockey with their heads in the Leaf food dish this team will never win the Cup.

[Kevin]

it just amazes me that a sports franchise, in a league where only Canada and a few select US markets care for, have such a large political base; one in which infighting has been a major cause of the hockey teams inability to win championships over the last 40 years.
It is frustrating and embarrasing to be a leaf fan sometimes.

[Jeff]

Hey Driftwood, Perreault was signed by Chicago.

[Margaret Sutherland]

First and foremost, management and politics should be completely separate. Management role also includes showing the best leadership on the team by the management. This is very important because the meaning of true SPORTMANSHIP is instilled by good leaders. The Toronto Maple Leaf fans---longtime fans like me especially---would truly enjoy spending our time and money watching great TML games with performance results, such as the Stanley Cup staying in Canada.

[Basil]

I agree. The Toronto head office is a disgrace and definately needs more hockey smarts. That said, adding another person (especially Muckler) will not solve the problem. It is simply a political move with almost no upside. All this is is placing another rooster in the hen house. The best way to solve the front office problems is to clean house (i.e. Ferguson) and pay top dollar to get a proven executive. There are only a small group of people that should be considered (Scotty Bowman and Brian Burke) to name a couple. Since there is no salaray cap on the front office I think it is worth the investment to get the best in the business running the show. Instead of paying Muckler (or some other washed up old fart) & Ferguson combine their salaries add 50% and create a offer that a quality GM can't refuse. Quality clubs are built by gifted hockey personel.

[Gabe Byatt]

It's annoying, sure, but when it comes down to it this isn't an odd situation whatsoever. You want to read more about situations like this read the Wall Street Journal or even the business section of the Star. The Toronto Maple Leafs (soon to be fully owned by the OTPP as soon as they complete the purchase of Bell Media) are a business and, when it comes down to it, one of the most reliable businesses in Canada. Like any other business they will have in fighting and power struggles, however no matter what the internal troubles are, the actual product(the 41 assured home games a year) will stay no matter what. Unless, of course, there's another lockout and then season ticket holders will get another tour of the building and still feel good about the rise in ticket prices that will surely be awaiting them when hockey returns and they return to their seats (albeit 5 minutes after the period starts).

BTW Peca is a necessary re-signing and if they can't find the money to do so then they need to hire someone who can budget...maybe charles schwab or warren buffet, someone high profile)

[Ron Wagnell]

I love it, being a Habs fan. Toronto is nothing but about "CORPORATE" and making money. I really wish the Toronto public would boycott the "LEAFS", don't buy tickets, etc and you would see a Stanley Cup parade in Toronto within a couple of years.

But being a HABS fan, I realyy don't want that, so thanks Ontario Teachers and MLSE, keep up the good work.

Go Habs Go

[Kevin Reidy]

Too often we read about the GM going before the board to seek approval for something that, in my opinion, shouldn't go beyond the hockey officials.
Why would anyone want to jump into this mess?

[Jeff Iles]

If they are looking at some help for ferguson...what does that say about the current "assistant GM" and the rest of the staff? Might as well fire them all if they arent worth consulting.

[Dennis Edwards]

Another great article, Damien, explaining the convuluted politics in the front office, which, inevitably, as many people have suggested, have absolutely affected the performance of the team.

It seems like everyone agrees with Ron Wagnell (except about the Habs being the best) that simply not paying for this crappy product will bring about change. Yet, year after year, they sell out and decade after decade, the problem persists.

My point: even disinterested (in hockey), mercenary, big business OTPP will be forced to make effective changes if nobody supported the team and they lost money from MLSE! Until Toronto enacts tough love, it will never change.

[Ahsan Zaidi]

There is no place for Muckler in this organization. On what merit is he being given an interview ? In his extended tenure with the Senators, he took them to the final once. And got fired for it. I love the leafs, but there is no method to their madness.

[Steve Stolte]

Maybe the majority shareholders (Teachers) are Senators fans. Why would they not step in and fix the hockey side the way the basketball side was fixed? Are they happy being perceived as laughingstocks?

[Tom]

On what merit you ask? The man has won 5 Stanley Cups, 2 Canada Cups, been to 2 if not more All Star Games as a coach, built the Buffalo Sabres with no money and helped his team get to the cup finals in Ottawa. Some great hockey players and teams never see the finals...this man has 7 times! He didn't get fired for making the finals...he got let go because Ottawa's owner and coach had other plans for the future of the team (Backstabbing Bryan strikes again). Toronto should be thrilled to get such a legendary person in their organization. Our loss is your gain.

[Julian]

The corporate shenanigans might be a joke but at least players want to play in Toronto eh Wagnell?

[Chewie]

Just so somebody says it: Mike Peca was probably the smartest signing that Ferguson made last summer. I hate it when people rag on him for that one. Peca was arguably the best two-way forward we had last year. Thank GOD his defensive-mindedness was so strong because he was able to negate the grossly overpaid Bryan McCabe and his littany of defencive screw-ups.
If you were paying attention, the Leafs season started it's nosedive immediately after Peca broke his leg.
The man was invaluable to the Leafs and they should absolutely re-sign him.
I believe that if he had not been hurt, we would have made the playoffs.

[Canzinator]

The Leafs continue their dysfunctional ways ad nauseum. How is this startling news? Isn't one definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result"? Maybe that's why they just signed another goalie. How can anybody cheer for this team? They do the same thing over and over again, but Leaf fans drink the Kool-Aid and expect a different result.

It's been forty years, figure it out. Stop rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic and jump into a lifeboat. There are 29 Carpathia's out there ready to save you and your sanity. Even the Habs who, if I'm not mistaken, have won 10 Cups since the Leafs last won.

And Julian: Players don't really seem to want to play in Toronto; instead, they just enjoy collecting overpaid salaries (see Brian McCabe among others). If they truly wanted to PLAY in Toronto, they wouldn't have missed the playoffs two years in a row.