TORONTO (June 9) -- I had a chance to talk with Ron Wilson on the phone late this morning from Hilton Head Island, S.C., where he spent the weekend mulling over the coaching offer from interim GM Cliff Fletcher. I was told on Saturday night by a close associate of Wilson's that he'd be announced as the Leafs' 27th coach tomorrow -- on Tuesday -- and that seems to be the case. Wilson and Fletcher will have dinner tonight here in town to finalize their agreement. This was my conversation with the Leafs' new bench boss:
Q. Ron, you are coming full-circle with the Maple Leafs. I remember being at the hockey game in Maple Leaf Gardens [Mar. 4, 1978] when you made your NHL playing debut with the Leafs, against Vancouver, and wound up scoring a goal and setting up Darryl Sittler for another.
A. Yeah, it really is the circle of life. When I scored that goal, the last thing I ever thought is I'd have a chance to coach the Maple Leafs one day. So, in a lot of ways, it's a dream come true for me and I'm really looking forward to helping the Leafs get back to where they once were. I know it's been a long time. I actually moved out of Canada [to the U.S.], believe it or not, in 1967 -- the last year the Leafs won the Stanley Cup. So, maybe in the future, we'll have that opportunity.
Q. Sounds like some karma to me. Obviously you are one of the best coaches that has been let go by another team this off-season. Was Toronto the one and only opportunity you were seriously looking at?
A. Well, right after I was released by the Sharks, I really didn't think too much about what my opportunities were going to be, and I didn't picture myself coaching the Leafs, to be honest with you. But, within a week of my dismissal, I got a call from Cliff Fletcher and he expressed a lot of interest. He asked if I was interested and, of course, I said yes. I'd say yes to anybody, just as an opportunity to talk about the game, but Cliff was in hot pursuit. We met in Charlotte, N.C. before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final and Cliff convinced me that I was the guy for the job. I had done a lot of studying and research, and I was just glad I was going to be given this opportunity before anybody else. For me, it was essentially a no-brainer.
Q. So, what did you have to think about in the interim? There was a lot of speculation that the initial offer -- like in most business transactions -- wasn't exactly what you were looking for.
A. Well, of course you're going to negotiate, but that's just a small part of it. I had to make sure that the whole situation was going to be the right fit for me. Something of this magnitude, I don't think you just rush into. So, yes, I had to think of all the things that are involved. It's quite a shift for me -- from where I've coached, and I had to kind of get my head around it. I felt good all the way through my talks with Cliff. It was unbelievable meeting [Richard] Peddie, and [Larry] Tanenbaum. So, from my point of view, I just wanted to make sure, for myself and my family, that I was 100 percent certain. I didn't want a case of buyer's remorse in two weeks. I've actually been thinking about this job for three to four weeks now, but I can tell you this, with 100 percent conviction: I am very, very excited, and I can't wait 'til I meet everybody in the next couple of days.
Q. You are coming from a 108-point team in San Jose to a club that has missed the playoffs three years in a row. And, to a more intense hockey market than you've previously coached in. What are your thoughts about that change?
A. Well, I'm not really worried about the intense hockey market. I'm actually looking forward to that... having people interested [in the team] all the time. And, I'm not knocking the San Jose market. They have as solid a base of fans as there is in the NHL. But, let's face it, you kind of walk around anonymously there, so there's not a lot of external pressure. But, I'll tell you this: From a pressure point of view, there is none greater than that which you put on yourself. Where the Leafs are today, I don't think I'm expecting a [quick] turnaround. This is a team that's going to be in transition for the next couple of years; I think that's pretty obvious. And, part of my discussions was to make sure I felt comfortable with the forward planning and where [the Leafs] think they have to be in the next couple of years in order to improve. I've gotten my re-assurances there. I've had, I believe, a pretty good track-record in helping teams kind of start somewhere and move forward. That's what my job is right now with the Leafs: To improve and, in my estimation, within the next couple of years become a very real contender in the Eastern Conference. But, it's going to take time and patience. And, I think I've exhibited that on my [NHL] coaching resume.
Q. You've made some rather derisive comments about the Toronto hocey market, and the Canadian hockey media, in the past few months. Might you have a problem adjusting to this environment, or were those isolated incidents?
A. No, those were isolated incidents. I'm looking forward to working with everybody. You're always going to have days when you get emotional and maybe you say something. I'm certainly not perfect and I'm sure I'm going to rub some people the wrong way. But, that's irrelevent. Once everybody gets to know me, they'll know that -- if anything -- I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I'm about as honest as you can be in this business.
Q. So, what's the timetable here, Ron, in terms of coming to Toronto and the Leafs making an official announcement? I've heard it will be Tuesday, is that accurate?
A. Yeah, that's accurate. I have a few things to iron out this evening with Cliff. I'm going to be flying in shortly, and I'll meet with Cliff over dinner tonight to make sure everything is as verbally agreed to. Hopefully, tomorrow, there will be an announcement and everybody can get on with their lives.
Q. Finally, have you been amused with all the talk about the connection between you and Brian Burke? I know you can't say much about that, but what are your thoughts?
A. I am amused. I'm certainly not going to say that Brian Burke is not my friend... we've been friends for 35 years, since we started [playing together] at Providence College in 1973. I shouldn't be embarrassed about my friendship with him, but in no way -- in taking this position -- am I tied to Brian Burke. I can honestly say he's had nothing to do with this process at all. People, I guess, always want to look for things, and read between the lines. But, you know, amazingly, I'm coming into my 15th year as a coach in the NHL. And, considering my ties to Brian Burke, I have never worked with him. So, we're not as tied together as everybody feels. And, I can say the same about Lou Lamoriello, who was my coach [in Providence]. He and I remain very close. But, other than the U.S. Olympic team and the World Cup, I've never worked with Lou either. So, people are always going to speculate. In this whole business, people are tied together in so many degrees, it's unbelievable. But, honest to God, Brian has had nothing to do with my decision-making process in Toronto.
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