Roger Lajoie operates Triumph Sports Communications, a leader in providing editorial, broadcast and public relations services.

Roger's weekly sports column "The Rog's Rant" is now available here every Monday.

The Rog's Rant

Fletcher’s challenge is to build for the future

Cliff Fletcher certainly has the experience to be able to handle the role of interim general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After all, the man is 72 years old. He’s been involved in the game of hockey for 50 years. He’s in the Hockey Hall of Fame for his work as a builder and manager of the sport.

He’s been the general manager of the Leafs before, so he knows the media and the pressure and spotlight he’ll be under. And frankly, I have seen enough of him to know that not only will he tolerate that scrutiny, he’ll kind of like it.

There is no ambiguous time frame or confusion here – he’s interim, there’s a search going on for his replacement and once he’s hired, Cliff stays as a consultant until his 19-month deal is up and then he goes and does what he’s been doing recently – play golf.

But here’s the rub – he comes in at a crucial time in the team’s development. He has to make a call on Mats Sundin, and make calls on what should be done with several huge contracts this team is saddled with to very mediocre players.

It’s not an easy assignment. But what he does in what will be a very short term as GM may very well decide the future of this team for the next several years.

In his first run at being GM, he did a great job adding to an already veteran team and making them better. “Draft shmaft” are his famous words from back then, but the truth is now he has to forget about band-aid solutions and build this team properly from the roots up.

He certainly seems to understand that, judging by his comments at the press conference when he was hired.

"The rules of putting a team together are much different today," said Fletcher.

"Today, if you want to compete, you have to draft well and develop your own core of young players.”

Well said. And if that’s his attitude and the attitude of the board, then he is indeed the best person available to handle these next few weeks.

It’s been said before but it bears repeating – the Toronto Maple Leafs have to rebuild properly, get the best hockey man they can get, give him a 5-year contract at $1.5 million a year and leave him alone to do his work.

They do that – and put it in writing he’s the guy with total control, as they did with Bryan Colangelo with the Raptors – and they will have no shortage of quality candidates to choose from.

And the fact that Gord Kirke, noted sports lawyer is helping in the search, could be a plus when it comes to that. The candidates can stare him in the face and say they need autonomy and Kirke will know just what they mean. If the contract is structured possibly, folks there are a LOT of hockey people who would take this job in a heartbeat.

If it’s another deal like John Ferguson’s (and by the way, he’s a classy guy who I certainly wish well), then they will not be any further ahead.

As always, it will be fascinating to watch. Love them or hate them, the Toronto Maple Leafs sure are interesting, aren’t they?

And the future direction of the most interesting sports franchise in the country will be demonstrated in the next few weeks by 72-year-old interim GM Cliff Fletcher. Leaf fans should hope he’s true to his word – develop a young core of your own players in order to win.

If he starts doing that with his next few moves, maybe this team will actually do the right thing for once.

And the right thing is to hire a great forward thinking GM and let him to his job. That would be a first for MLSE, by the way.

Comments on The Rant of January 13 on Leafs rebuilding:

“I am completely sick and tired of the Leafs Rog. It’s always the same thing…after 40 years of being a fan, I’ve put my jersey in the closet.” – Ian in Toronto

“Maybe if somebody tells them they can rebuild AND save $20 million in payroll – like you did the other night on The Fan – then the board will rebuild properly.” – John in Etobicoke

Email your comments to therog@rogerlajoie.com

Other Rog's Rants & Reader Comments

To read Roger's previous Rants, please visit the Rant Archives section of the website.