Cliff Fletcher "refused to serve as a figurehead and
resigned his position" as President/GM of the Maple Leafs
Saturday, according to Gare Joyce of the Toronto GLOBE &
MAIL. According to the "principals," the MLG board wanted
to "divide" the duties of the President and GM, which had
"long been [Leafs Chair Steve] Stavro's desire and seemed
inevitable, given the need for corporate direction of the
Leafs' proposed arena development." Fletcher was offered
the chance to stay on as President, but Joyce wrote, "With
more than 30 years experience in hockey operations and with
little interest in counting the evening's take at the
concession and souvenir stands, Fletcher turned down the
offer" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/26). Stavro also resigned
as CEO, "removing himself from the day-to-day operations of
the team, or so he says," according to Alan Adams of the
TORONTO STAR. Stavro: "We need a hockey man and a building
man and I won't be either" (TORONTO STAR, 5/25).
MOUNTING A SEARCH: A CANADIAN PRESS story said "there
are reports the club believes" Blue Jays President Paul
Beeston "is the ideal choice" to replace Stavro as MLG CEO
(OTTAWA CITIZEN, 5/26). Candidates for team presidency
include lawyer Brian Bellmore, an MLG board member; Hall of
Famer Ken Dryden; and Tom Anselmi, who heads the team's new
arena project (Gare Joyce, Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/26).
