FanHouse MLSE

The Toronto Maple Leafs, under Interim/Semi-permanent GM Cliff Fletcher, have been busy this summer trimming the fat from the roster in anticipation of a new GM *cough*Brian Burke*cough* coming in to right the ship. Kyle Wellwood's fat ass, Darcy Tucker's temper, and Andrew Raycroft's five-hole have all been told to get the hell out, and Trader Cliff isn't done yet.

Cliff's next target seems to be Bryan McCabe, the highly-paid defenseman with the big shot and woeful defensive ability.

The problem? McCabe has a no-trade clause, a huge contract, and the Leafs are unwilling to pay to have the rest of his $10M contract bought out.

The solution? According to The Sports Network, the Leafs could strong-arm the guy and MAKE McCabe want to leave.

Sources tell TSN the Maple Leafs approached McCabe's agent, Ian Pulver before the NHL Entry Draft hoping to encourage the veteran defenceman to waive his no-movement clause to open the door for a trade.

However, this time, whether intended or not, Toronto turned up the heat and according to sources, hinted McCabe may be asked to stay home, rather than join his teammates for training camp if he wasn't willing to change his mind.

Of course, these 'sources' could easily be the janitor at the Air Canada Centre, or Cliff Fletcher's nephew's brother's friend. Take it all with a grain of salt.

All I can say is that IF the Leafs decided to play such games, they can ensure themselves that future free agents are going to stay the hell away from Leafland. What player is going to want to put up with that? It's not McCabe's fault the Leafs lavished him with one of the worst contracts this decade.

How many of you think the Maple Leafs, owned by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), have one of the most inept management/ownership groups in the NHL?

Yep, that's a lot of you. I know quite a few Leafs fans think the same way, and the hometown media certainly love to fan the flames, inducing angry fans to call into their favorite radio station and rant about the state of their beloved franchise.

Rather than worry about running their hockey team (into the ground), it appears that MLSE is more concerned about appearances and public perception. How else can you explain this latest blatant bit of censorship?

Out of the playoffs and under attack from fans, the Toronto Maple Leafs have turned their attention to the real problem - the media.

Reacting to criticisms from Bill Watters, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the Leafs, has expunged from the Air Canada Centre all references to the Toronto broadcaster.

"We provided them with new material once we were told the Watters stuff had to come down," Gord Harris, AM640's program director, said yesterday.

John Lashway, MLSE's senior vice-president of communications, said the company pulled the signage because it felt Watters's criticisms were excessive and "deeply personal."

I don't doubt that Bill Watters (pictured) has some personal issues with the Leafs, but everything he says is pretty much spot-on. It's not as if Watters is committing slander, or giving fans the inside edge on Mats Sundin's conquests at Toronto nightclubs. Watters is paid to have opinions, and the Leafs must understand that everyone and their mother will have a strong opinion about their club, good or bad.

"With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

A day after it was reported/rumored Leafs GM that John Ferguson Jr. was not allowed to fire coach Paul Maurice, we get word that the president of the Leafs owning body is regretting the team's decision to hire Fergie in the first place.

John Ferguson's job may be in jeopardy as the Leafs continue to struggle, though the team's president says management won't make any rash decisions.

"To be honest, it was a mistake on my part for not fully understanding at the time what the job of being [the Leafs GM] in this market fully entailed," said Peddie, who was behind the hiring of Ferguson in August 2003.

"Let's face it. It probably was the wrong place for a rookie general manager to start. I mean, all GMs make mistakes, but they are not under the constant microscope and scrutiny that you have in Toronto, which is, in our opinion, the top hockey market there is.

Wow, we can honestly see that JFJ is now a lame-duck GM with absolutely no support from those above him. How can JFJ expect to do his job if his employers think he's unqualified?

"We won't make any rash decisions" probably equates to the Leafs beginning a behind-the-scenes GM search, waiting until they have a good candidate before booting JFJ out the door.

Pure class, MLSE, pure class.