Leafs Drop the Axe: What Comes Next in the Center of the Universe

The hockey world got a huge surprise on Monday afternoon as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brad Treliving parted ways. That is a kind way of saying Brad got the axe. What surprised me was not so much the firing as the timing. I was not surprised at the firing, since it's usually the coaches or managers who suffer through a bad year. The timing is rather curious. Why not wait until the end of the year? I am expecting a coaching change at the end of the year.

Where do the Maple Leafs go for a new General Manager? I would stay with the division, as with the Florida Panthers.

Rick Dudley

Rick is serving as the Senior Advisor for the Florida Panthers. He has been heavily involved in the Panthers' success. He has been General Manager for Florida, Tampa, Atlanta, and Ottawa. He has also been a head coach. He knows how to maintain a stable franchise. He can step right in with very little training. Perfect for a team that does not want to rebuild.

Doug Armstrong

The process is probably pretty much done. I am sure if the Toronto Maple Leafs had their choice, Doug would be their man. The Maple Leafs need a man who can work under plenty of scrutiny and pressure from the media and the emotional fan base. Doug knows how to work with people, having been the General Manager of Canada's hockey team.

The wild card

If Toronto were going through a total facelift, is there one name I should look for? Mark Messier.

Mark has never been a General Manager, but he has learned from Glen Alther, who was one of the best. Mark brings in some new blood, which could bring some life back into the center of the universe.

Final word

Whoever gets the job, the General Manager's first responsibility will be the future of Matthews. He will have to work on the fly; there is no rest for the wicked. The Leafs are not in the business of rebuilding; this is a retool on the fly.

Randy 

Flames hire Brad Treliving as new General Manager

The Positives

Burke went into this process with this process with three basic objectives. The biggest would be to get a great hockey mind. Someone who knows good young talent when sees it. He also had to make sure he got someone from the type of organization the Flames would want to model themselves after. 

No objective could be achieved without the others. In Burke's mind, the Flames are a good young solid team with potential. Something the Coyotes started out to be. We needed a man who specialized in good young talent. The Coyotes are a very good young team, who have gotten that way by developing good young talent. So who better to get than the man who was in charge of that process? 

Brad will be a huge asset in the draft. Remember Burke's complaints about our drafts? We have to hit more homeruns. Our drafts have to be bigger, more skilled players. We have to more diligent in finding the superstars. Brad Treliving specializes in developing young talent. He knows young talent when he sees them and knows what to with them when he sees them. Basically, he relates to the young talent.

Burke is very good at negotiating for developing stars. He knows how to bring in the big names. His hockey savvy is finding ways to make a deal work. What he needs help with is finding diamonds in the rough. Let's put it this way—he can make a diamond into a shinier diamond. What he lacks is getting it to the diamond stage.

The Flames have always had problems developing their own. That is why they have always had other team's prospects. Brad fills the gap here. The Flames drastically need to start developing their talent. The process has reevaluated. They have to clean up the mess in the organization. Mr. Treliving is a good start to get back where we were.

What does this mean in the rebuild?

Basically, it is telling us we are rebuilding, with a hint of retooling. The main reason Burke wanted Treliving is because Burke is really in charge. Brad's job is really closer to Head of Scouting, in charge of the rebuilding. 

Burke will be in charge of the retooling. All transactions will go through Burke. In other words, if Cammy resigns, it will because of Burke. He is a very good salesman. I am sure he could sell me anything he wanted, and make me think I wanted it. So yes, Brad might still be puppet, but we have a very good, devoted GM who has a mind of his own.

Originally posted at Flames Jambalaya