Friday night while watching the New Jersey Devils trounce the Washington Capitals, I received unexpected news from the world of Twitter: Ron Wilson is fired. Do the two events have any connection? I doubt it, but maybe, just maybe, Burke saw the Caps’ loss as a shot at a last gasp on the 2011-12 season.
The Leafs had two options with which to replace Wilson: either Randy Carlyle, the former Ducks’ head coach, or Dallas Eakins, the current Marlies’ head coach. Hiring either of these guys would have been a move to not only try and salvage this season, but attempt to improve on the next. Anyone else would have been hired on a strictly temporary basis and Burke’s decision spoke volumes about the future of the Leafs: he chose Carlyle.
Going into the final eighteen games of the season maybe Burke has not given up hope. Still only 5 points out of the playoffs with two games in hand on the current 8th place Jets, the Caps’ loss to the Devils was essential. Losing 5-4 to the Blackhawks on Wednesday after being up 3-1 was difficult, but if the Leafs’ had held on that game, they would only be 2 points behind Washington at this point with the same number of games played. It’s a close race, and those games are tough to swallow.
I thought Ron Wilson would at least finish the season and then lose his job when the Leafs’ missed the playoffs, apparently Burke has other plans. I think he sees a new coach as a new opportunity. With the team going 1-8-1 in their last ten games and still in the hunt for a playoff spot, maybe this is the shakeup they need. I know one thing: tomorrow’s game in Montreal just got a lot more interesting.
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Nick McIsaac is Toronto Standard’s sports writer. Follow him on Twitter (for everything sports related) at @nickclass.
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