The Randy Carlyle era is suddenly - some might argue, mercifully - over in Toronto, as the Maple Leafs announced his firing on Tuesday morning.
The team’s exact phrase is “head coach Randy Carlyle has been relieved of his duties.” While that’s soaking with corporate speak, it almost feels right in this case, as coaching in the pressure cooker that is Toronto must generate a massive helping of stress.
The Leafs noted that assistant coaches Peter Horachek and Steve Spott will guide the ship for Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals, but didn’t announce plans beyond that contest.
“I want to thank Randy for all of his hard work and dedication,” GM Dave Nonis said. “It’s never an easy decision to make when changing your leadership but our team was not trending in the right direction and we felt an immediate change was necessary.”
TOR hierarchy to review all coaching options over next couple of days but most likely scenario: Peter Horachek becoming interim head coach.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 6, 2015
The Maple Leafs generated a 91-78-19 record during parts of four seasons with Carlyle at the helm. He helped Toronto break a six-season playoff drought, although the 2013 postseason run memorably ended in a disastrous fashion against the Boston Bruins.
Toronto is currently on a two-game losing streak and has dropped seven of nine games. Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets seemed like a microcosm of critics’ biggest beefs with Carlyle: the Jets generated a 40-21 shot edge and prompted a fan to chuck a Leafs jersey on the ice (in Winnipeg).
This stretch seemed like the last straw, although one cannot help but wonder if the writing was on the wall once exec Brendan Shanahan began transitioning the franchise toward a more stats-leaning path. Even a contract extension did little to stop calls for Carlyle’s head, and as we’ve now found out, such speculation was justified.
One interesting thought on the timing of this firing:
Naturally, the replacement rumors will only rev up now that the inevitable happened ...
And the Mike Babcock-to-Toronto watch formally begins. Well, picks up momentum.
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) January 6, 2015
So who wants to start a John Tortorella-to-Toronto rumor chain? Come on, kids, it’ll be fun.
— Ray Ratto (@RattoIndy) January 6, 2015
An abbreviated look at the unraveling of the Carlyle era
Nonis puts onus on players back in November
Cody Franson said players weren’t trying to get him fired
Leafs hand Carlyle a contract extension