Pat Quinn fired as Leafs coach

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Paul Maurice is the new coach.

 

TORONTO (AP) -- Paul Maurice was hired Friday as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who finished ninth in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs the first time since the 1997-98 season.

 

He replaces Pat Quinn, who was fired April 20. Maurice was considered the eventual successor to Quinn when he was hired last year to coach the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

 

"It's humbling in a lot of ways to be charged with task of coaching this team," he said.

 

He takes over a team that went 41-33-8 during the regular season but finished two points behind eighth-place Tampa Bay in the conference.

 

The 39-year-old Maurice was hired as coach of the Hartford Whalers (now the Carolina Hurricanes) in 1995 at 28. Maurice led the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup final before losing to Detroit. He was fired by Carolina in 2003 after compiling a 268-307-99 record over nine seasons.

 

Maurice is the 26th head coach in Maple Leafs' history and understands the job's demands.

 

"You're not prepared for it and you can't be until you live it," he said. "But I'm also looking forward to that. ... This is the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's a dream. I know it's not always going to be friendly."

 

Leafs general manager John Ferguson called Maurice an "ideal candidate."

 

"I did know from Day 1 that Paul was brought in here to coach, his capabilities as an NHL coach had been demonstrated for seven-plus years with Carolina-Hartford," Ferguson said. "Out of respect for this organization it was the right thing to do for our organization to conduct an appropriate process."

 

Maurice instilled a fast attack with the Marlies and wants to bring that approach to the Maple Leafs.

 

"I believe the style of game that will best suit the Maple Leafs is the style of game we played with the Marlies," he said. "The game you're seeing in the National Hockey League is far more up-tempo, up-pace."

 

Ferguson and Maurice said Leafs captain Mats Sundin, who will enter the final year of his contract next season, remains in the club's plans despite Sundin's decision recently to sell his Toronto house.

 

"I've spoken to Mats on numerous occasions, leaving aside the speculation about his real estate transactions. ... We've received nothing to make us doubt that he's still our leader," Ferguson said.

 

Maurice added: "Your best players have to play. You have to be fair, but you can't treat everyone equally or we'd be all trying to buy his house."

 

Last season, Maurice led the Marlies to a 41-29-6-4 record and fourth place in the Western Conference's North Division. The season ended with a loss to Grand Rapids in the opening round of the playoffs.

 

Maurice, born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, began coaching with the OHL's Detroit Jr. Red Wings in 1993, leading the club to the Memorial Cup final in 1995. He was hired as the Marlies' coach in 2005.

 

He got into coaching after an eye injury during a charity game when he was 17. That was the season before visors became mandatory in the OHL and he was left with peripheral vision in only his right eye. It ended the possibility of an NHL career. The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Maurice 252nd, last overall in 1985, and he attended two training camps with the team.