Well they got one from the Ducks....



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Al Coates truly does have ties to that region, and I am glad for him to have landed a job that he has earned. Good luck to him.

hmmmmmmmm.......you can read this a coupla ways...whether or not this signals an eventual move by BBurke will be debated until such time as it actually happens. In the meantime, it looks like Cliff Fletcher (whose history with Al is long and extensive) is stocking the kitchen cabinet with key hockey minds....just as the Ducks have done (Bob Murray, David McNab, Rick Paterson, Thomas Steen, Trent Yawney, et al)....

Those of us who lug notebooks in Portland for a living are grateful to Al for all of his availability, insight, and class...

Question for those who know more than me....(many will qualify )....

Was this out of the blue, or was Coates known to be looking for something different?

Well said!!!

It was certainly a rumor. <link>


Thanks for the many good years and best wishes to Al Coates.

Thanks! (Sad part is, I probably read that at the time, but there's apparently a hole in my brain).

Original link is now no good. Interesting that the quote from the story was "contract will not be renewed". Leaves one to wonder if it was HIS choice, or the teams choice. No matter....

Guess my original inquiry was in order to determine if this was a Leafs poaching expedition, (lending support to the Burke rumors...even if overblown), or if it was just a normal course of business.

Given that this was alluded to way back on May 18th, appears to be independent of any Leafs interference, and Coates has a history with Fletcher, I see no reason to read anything more into it.

Thanks for the years spent with the Ducks, Mr. Coates!

Congrats to Al. This is a great position for him and a great hire by the Leafs. I don't think he gets enough credit for not blowing up this team right before the lockout. With our GM leaving town, our ownership selling the team and the league on the cusp of a lockout he could have easily traded away most of the team but didn't. He held onto Pahlsson, Niedermayer, Salei and a few others. A lot of other rebuilding teams were just dumping players but Al held onto to these guys. Plus he drafted Smid which help land us Pronger. Thanks again Al, hope you help turn Toronto around.

All I have to say is thanks Al. For your hard work, you turn our team from chumps to champs.

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