TORONTO — When Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Ferguson presents his plan for the future to the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment board of directors Wednesday, his future with the struggling National Hockey League club could hang in the balance.
Even though MLSE chief operating officer Richard Peddie said Ferguson will continue running the club next season because his option year was picked up for 2007-08, a league source indicated that if Ferguson doesn't wow the eight-member board with his presentation, his days with the organization could be numbered.
Among other sports properties, MLSE owns the Maple Leafs, basketball's Toronto Raptors and the Air Canada Centre.
"John should treat this meeting very seriously," the source said. "There are people on the board who want him out. He doesn't have everyone's support, by any means."
Multiple sources insist that while Ferguson has the support of Peddie and the board members who represent the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (Robert Bertram, James Leech and Dean Metcalf), MLSE board chairman Larry Tanenbaum and lawyer Dale Lastman would like to see a change. It is unknown, however, which side of the issue Ivan Fecan of CTVglobemedia, which owns The Globe and Mail, and TD Capital Group's Robert MacLellan stand.
Peddie was asked Tuesday whether Wednesday's meeting could result in Ferguson being let go.
"No, John has a contract through next year, and we're constantly looking at ways to improve and get better, but he has a contract and that's where we're at," Peddie said.
"This is simply a meeting that was planned a year in advance. We're meeting with all the GMs of our four teams [Raptors, Leafs, Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and soccer's Toronto FC]. We'll hear what plans they have to get us closer to their respective [championships], if not win their championships."
But whispers persist throughout the NHL that Tanenbaum has spoken with potential contenders to replace Ferguson.
Besides outlining his plan for the NHL entry draft next month, his strategy for the summer-time free agency period, players in the system and the coaching staff, Ferguson will have to explain why the Leafs missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
No doubt the future of Leafs captain Mats Sundin also will be discussed at length. Sundin, 36, is expected to be examined by a hip specialist in Sweden today to determine whether he will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum that was discovered after the regular season ended.
Under Ferguson, the Leafs have had long-term injury problems with players such as Owen Nolan, Ed Belfour and Alexander Mogilny.
Another pressure point for Ferguson is the quick success of his Raptors counterpart, Bryan Colangelo. Under a different salary-cap system and smaller roster size, Colangelo rapidly rebuilt the Raptors into a divisional champion.
The 39-year-old Ferguson finished his fourth year at the helm of the Leafs and had his option season for 2007-08 — believed to be worth about $850,000 (U.S.) — picked up last November.
The Leafs' budget will not be an issue in 2007-08. Peddie said yesterday the club will spend right up to the salary cap next season, which is expected to be raised to at least $47-million (U.S.).
"We will spend to the max," Peddie said. "Whatever the NHL says we can spend, that's what we'll spend."
Ferguson has recently been a consultant for Steve Yzerman, who put together the Canadian team that is entering the medal round at the world championship in Russia undefeated.
Ferguson returned last Sunday from the world championship and plans to return to Russia Wednesday for the final four days of the tournament.
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