Maple Leafs Fire Coach Paul Maurice

The NHL club fired Paul Maurice in their first big move of what may be a busy off-season for the team. Assistant coach Randy Ladouceur was also fired and assistant Dallas Eakins was offered a position elsewhere in the organization. Keith Acton will remain as an assistant. They are now looking for a new General Manager after firing John Ferguson earlier this year.

When informed of the decision, Maurice said it was not a total shock. The Maple Leafs finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 36-35-11 record and missed a playoff spot by 11 points. "The way the season ended up and the changes that are going to take place on the team," said Maurice. "So I was very aware that it was a possibility and can't say that I was surprised."

Maurice had another year left on his contract. In 2003, he was fired as coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. Maurice being fired will pave the way for the new management team to bring in its own staff. This decision will allow Maurice to look for other NHL jobs. Maurice was quoted saying that he appreciated it happening sooner rather than later and that this dismissal was easier to take than the first one.

His job was spared in January when the team fired Ferguson and replaced him with Fletcher on an interim basis. Ferguson hired Maurice in 2006 after firing Pat Quinn, after the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998. Both Maurice and Ferguson thought that the Maple Leafs would be a playoff team competing for the Stanley Cup. Maurice declined to answer questions about his highlights and deficits during the 2 years he was coach.

Maurice played junior hockey for the OHL's Windsor Spitfires but his playing career was cut short due to an eye injury. Afterwards, he spent 6 years as an assistant coach with the Detroit Jr. Red Wings and was promoted to head coach in 1993-94. He coached the Wings to the OHL title and a berth in the Memorial Cup.