Ron Wilson Adds Controversy

On Tuesday night, Ron Wilson made a bold statement that he is not the type of coach who will go, strictly, by the book.

Wilson, who is only six games into his tenure as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ head coach, had the media and arm-chair hockey fans in disbelief; after pulling starting goalie, Vesa Toskala for the shootout. During regulation and overtime, Toskala, who is the undisputed number one goalie for the Leafs, only surrendered two goals, in what was, eventually, a  3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

Coach Wilson decided to use his second stringer, Curtis Joseph, who was coming in cold, without a warm-up. At 41, Joseph is not exactly a spring chicken. Still, Wilson couldn’t ignore the stats. Since the shootout was implemented in 2005, Joseph has been successful 72% of the time, while putting together a shootout record of 5-3. Meanwhile Toskala has only a 46% success rate, and a 2-9 record. Still, there was plenty of debate, despite the numbers.

“I would not have taken Toskala out,” said former NHL Tampa Bay Lightning coach, and current hockey broadcaster, John Tortorella.

“I know there’s been a problem with his (shootout) stats, but he’s got to learn to fight through that. He’s your number one guy. I think you need to keep him in there – and find a way to win.”

Only three times, since the shootout came into existence, has a coach gone against the norm, and pulled their starting goalie. Overall, no goalie coming in from the bench, has been able to nab that extra point.

The first coach, to pull the trick, was Linday Ruff, who on November 22, 2005, was forced to pull Mika Noronen, after he was injured on a shootout goal from the New York Rangers’, Martin Straka. Backup, Martin Biron, came in – and surrendered two consecutive goals.

Edmonton Oilers coach, Craig MacTavish, also pulled the trick,back on March 7, 2006, when Mike Morrison, who was undefeated in five straight shootouts, came off the bench, and yielded two goals.

The third time, it happened, was on October 26, 2006, when Thrashers’ coach, Bob Hartley, put young net minder, Kari Lehtonen, in net for the shootout, where he — promptly – gave up two goals.

When Wilson pulled the trick, even some of the Ducks’ players were surprised, including their young forward, Corey Perry, who was notably stunned.

“I’ve never seen it happen before,” said Perry after the game. “I saw (Joseph) warming up and I turned to the bench and querried … they’re putting him in?”

To Wilson’s credit, he answered all the questions about the switch, before adding that he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

“Tonight it (shootout) didn’t work, but it’s the law of averages,” he said. “We’re going to keep practicing it.”

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