Report: Leafs fire Maurice

Posted: Wed May 7 12:34 PM

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday afternoon, at which time the team is expected to announce the firing of head coach Paul Maurice.

TSN of Canada has reported that Maurice will not be retained for the final year of his three-year contract.

The Maple Leafs posted a record of 76-66-22 during Maurice's two years at the helm, but the storied franchise missed the playoffs in both seasons and has not reached the postseason in the three years since the NHL lockout.

Maurice took the Leafs job after spending the 2005-06 campaign as the head coach of the club's AHL affiliate in Toronto. He was also the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes franchise for seven full seasons and parts of two others.

The 41-year-old native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario began his NHL head coaching career at the age of 28 with the Hartford Whalers 12 games into the 1995-96 season and remained with the club when it moved to Carolina in 1997. He led the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, losing to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.