NHL - Wilson Savior of Leafs?
Before we get started it needs to be stated that I am not a Leaf fan. I am the furthest thing from a Leaf fan and normally their misfortune gives me great satisfaction. I personally feel they are the worst franchise in sports, not financially, but intelligence wise and ethically. They gouge their fans at every turn charging ridiculous ammounts for tickets, jerseys, and most importantly beer. Who has $11 for a cup of Molson Canadian honestly?
With that being said I think the hiring of Ron Wilson is a step in the right direction for the Blue and White. Wilson is the 9th winningest coach in NHL history and brings a winning attitude to a team who is desperately in need of it. He also has a history of making terrible teams great. In his previous jobs he brought the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals, made San Jose a powerhouse in the West after miserable seasons in the cellar, and in just their 4th season as a franchise brought Anaheim into the second round of the playoffs. Lets not forget his success on the international stage when in 1996 he led the USA to the victory at the World Cup of Hockey and coached the USA Mens Olympic team in 1998.
Now Wilson will not have the talent that he is used to having around him in San Jose. There will be no Nabokov, Thorton, Cheechoo, Cambpell, and Marleau. But Wilson is used to this as when he first arrived in San Jose the Sharks were an older team with very little young talent. Wilson is also known for being stand-offish with the media which should help him thrive here in Toronto as the media here is relentless. Wilson will hope to win games early and get media attention away from him and focused more on his team.
So I must give my congratulations to the Maple Leafs on this one as they have hired themselves a proven winner in Ron Wilson. He did get a 4 year $6.5 million contract so fans will look for him to earn his salary early. But I don’t think he will going anywhere anytime soon as I heard they gave him a no trade clause.
