Lalonde In: Leafs Shake Up Staff as Tanev Returns

The Toronto Maple Leafs made the announcement yesterday that they have relieved assistant coach Marc Savard of his duties. Savard had been tasked with running the team's powerplay, an area where the Leafs have struggled mightily this season. In fact, the Leafs enter this afternoon's game ranked dead last in the league on special teams.

While I personally disagreed with Savard’s termination, preferring instead to see head coach Craig Berube removed, I do agree with the organization's decision not to look externally for a quick fix to their coaching woes. It appears the Maple Leafs have already decided on an internal solution to run the man advantage.

The team announced that Derek Lalonde will assume powerplay responsibilities for the time being, while also retaining his management of the penalty kill.

This decision comes as little surprise, but it raises the stakes significantly. It forces the current coaching staff to find a solution immediately or risk exposing Berube as the team's primary issue. If the powerplay begins to magically find success, Savard will remain the scapegoat. However, should the struggles continue, it will reveal that the head coach has been the problem all along.

On a positive note, the Leafs will get a major boost on the back end for this afternoon's game. It was announced that defender Chris Tanev is set to make his long-awaited return to the lineup.

With the Maple Leafs' recent struggles in full swing, the return of Tanev is a welcome sight for a team desperat

e for stability.