Ferguson not about to make changes to Maple Leafs
It didn’t get much better for Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala after he replaced Andrew Raycroft who gave up two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Leafs lost 5-1 to Phoenix.
Steady as she goes for listing club despite ugly outing against Phoenix
Nov 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Mark Zwolinski
Sports Reporter
GLENDALE, ARIZ. – Leafs GM John Ferguson emerged from an hour-long, post-game meeting with coach Paul Maurice last night to announce that the club will stay the course with its coaching staff and roster.
After an alarmingly bad performance in a 5-1 loss to Phoenix at the Jobing.com Arena, there was a strong sense that something had to give.
But Ferguson expressed confidence in his roster and the team’s ability to turn around what is now a three-game losing streak and losses in six of the last seven games.
“We sat here tonight and talked about a lot of different things, and it is a time now when we are not getting things done we need to get done,” Ferguson said.
“We addressed … that we need to get more out of the group we have.”
That seemed a stunning appraisal to critics who had just watched the Leafs’ performance.
While they’ve ruined good efforts with giveaways during their current funk, this was the first time this season the Leafs had the look of a team that knew it had no chance from the start.
But Ferguson was joined by Leafs captain Mats Sundin and the rest of the players in giving a vote of confidence to Maurice.
“I think Paul Maurice has done a great job since he’s been here … the results are because of the players on the ice,” Sundin said after last night’s loss.
“Paul Maurice has done everything he can to prepare the players and what’s going on in games has nothing to do with him.”
As for his job security, Ferguson said his focus is strictly on the team and bettering its performance and results.
“I don’t, not at all,” Ferguson said when asked if he’s worried about losing his job.
“All our focus is on competing with other teams, with getting into the top eight and going from there. And right now it’s an ongoing challenge.”
The biggest challenge remains goaltending, something which is tied directly to Ferguson’s off-season moves over the past two years.
Last night, Andrew Raycroft allowed goals by Daniel Winnik and Peter Mueller off big rebounds. Maurice yanked him after the second goal, and there was no denying afterwards that the well-liked Raycroft had not performed up to expectations.
“Obviously, Andrew has to be better than he was tonight,” Ferguson said.
“But that goes the same for every one of our players. Our standards are high, the standards in the league are high, and he (Raycroft) has to be better.”
The Leafs weren’t in the game from the opening faceoff, and when Steve Reinprecht scored on the first shot replacement goalie Vesa Toskala faced, things were about as bad as they have been all season.
Kyle Wellwood’s slap shot goal breathed some life into the game for the Leafs, but Derek Morris scored less than two minutes later for Phoenix.
Darcy Tucker and Mark Bell dropped the gloves for spirited bouts to show the Leafs had at least some character in the face of their poor play.
Afterwards, the players staged a meeting in their dressing room to address not only their weak effort last night, but the predicament brought on by their growing winless streak.
While they are just three games under .500, they have won only eight games in their first 24 – a streak of futility that, if continued, will leave them well shy of a playoff berth.
“Losing is never fun, and it’s part of the business to have to answer for losing,” Sundin said.
“We’re in a winning business. You have to win to stay in it and we’re not winning right now. We’re in a rut, a funk, but we’ve been there before. And good teams find way to get out of it.
We have something like 60 games left, and as a group, we have to get on the right side of the line. So far, we haven’t had the right things go our way. But I wouldn’t call it rock bottom. No … we have to realize what it takes to win in this league, and go out as a group and do it.”
