LEAFS TO ENSURE STANLEY CUP DROUGHT CONTINUES

by E. Spencer Kyte, Bugs and Cranks

Sometime later today, the Toronto Maple Leafs will unveil Ron Wilson as their new Head Coach. They don't have a General Manager in place, but the interim guy has hired a coach and given him a four-year deal...

Wilson, axed from San Jose following another playoff disappointment and some of the stupidest comments uttered by a losing coach in quite a while, has an decent track record - in the regular season.

Come playoff time, Wilson's teams have had a propensity for coming up short. While he was behind the bench for the Washington Capitals surprise appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, that was a decade ago and he has failed to make it beyond the third round since.

Obviously, some of the onus for sits on the shoulders of playoff pansies like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, but the fact still remains that Wilson couldn't lead a supremely talented team in San Jose to the Conference Finals, yet alone a Stanley Cup birth or victory.

So why make this hire now?

Not that the Leafs didn't need to get a deal done with someone, but wouldn't getting a General Manager make more sense? Usually, who ever is running the franchise likes to have "his guy" behind the bench, so what's to say that the next General Manager / Maple Leaf Scapegoat isn't a Ron Wilson fan? Ask Mike D'Antoni and Steve Kerr about this one.

Of course, the speculation is that Wilson's hiring is an indicator that his close friend and media christened "Best General Manager in the NHL" Brian Burke will be joining him in Hockey Hell.

Two problems there though - (1) Detroit's Ken Holland is the best GM in the NHL and (2) Burke is under contract to Anaheim and I don't see them letting him walk very cheaply, if at all.

Secondly, Wilson couldn't get the job done with a highly skilled team in San Jose, so what exactly is he supposed to do with this Toronto team that lacks a single star and is about as deep as a kiddie pool?

Additionally, while Wilson will undoubtedly make for great copy from a sports writer's point of view over the coming months and years, is a candid, spotlight guy really the best way to go behind the bench of the most heavily scrutinized team in the NHL? I say Wilson doesn't make it six weeks into the season before he drops a tirade on the Toronto Sports Media.

Lastly, why not do a lap before making this decision? You don't go to the bar and hook up with the very first girl you see; you round up the boys and check out the talent before making any decisions and even then you still change your mind after noticing a late arrival.

Not Toronto.

They want to dance with one girl and one girl only - the first one to talk to them. Doesn't matter that she's been around the block a time or two and always seems to disappoint in the end.

Good Old Toronto...