Maybe the embattled Randy Carlyle isn't going anywhere.
“I’m here today," said Carlyle on his current status as Leafs head coach at the end of the season press availability at the Air Canada on Tuesday. “In this business, you take on the responsibility for wins and losses and all you do is put your best foot forward, you be honest and forthright with people and that’s what we’ve tried to do as a coaching staff. Decisions will be made whether this person or that person will not be back and I am not the one making those decisions.…
The veteran bench boss discussed the reasons for premature end of the Leafs once-promising season, while not venturing into territory of his future with the club in the wake of the on the hiring of new Team President Brendan Shanahan on Monday.
Carlyle on coaching "If you think you have all the answers, then you are in the wrong business." #leafs
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) April 15, 2014“The last 30 days of the season was the telltaling story for our group.… Carlyle said. “We lacked an ability to get inside and compete, specifically on the defensive side. If you look at our offense and special teams, that’s where the difference(was) in the games. We didn’t win of the special teams in close hockey games.…
The Leafs found it nearly impossible to control the puck, limit shots on goal and offensive chances throughout the season(allowing 256 goals against -26th in the NHL), which Carlyle pointed more to the players being unable or unwilling to pay the price to play two-way hockey.
“We’re not any different as far as a coaching staff, we’re not asking players to do something that they haven’t done before.… Carlyle said. “You have to play and you have to compete on the defensive side of the puck with will and commitment and we did not want to do that on a day-to-day basis.…
Carlyle indicated meeting briefly with Shanahan on Monday, but was not present during his introductory press conference because of one-on-one meetings with players and pointed to losses to Washington and Detroit in the aftermath of the California road trip as the turning point of the season.
The culture, leadership and identity of the club was clearly a focus of critique by MLSE Chairman Tim Leiweke, Shanahan and GM Dave Nonis on Monday, something to which Carlyle thought the team was on the right track to developing during the lockout shortened 2013 season.
“In the lockout season, we had taken steps that we would be a hockey club that would create an identity that would be hard to play against and we never really created an identity for our hockey club this year, we didn’t play to an identity.…
The next couple weeks will see a careful review and thorough evaluation of the roster, the coaching staff and management with Shanahan getting up to speed on the internal workings of the organization. Many see Carlyle as the likely scapegoat for the club’s failings, but it is clear from the statements made on Monday that the collapse down the stretch is not being viewed internally as just a failure of the coaching staff, but also of the Leafs core group.
“Those half dozen guys on long-term deals don’t have no-trades, they’re moveable.… Nonis said on Monday. “Whether or not all the players that are here that are signed end up here long-term, that depends on if we can improve our team.…
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