Fanatic said:
There is no point in firing Wilson now anymore, and I say that for two reasons.
1. Even if a change was made now I think at best the Leafs would squeak into the playoffs but still get bounced out quickly. Keep Wilson and let them get the highest draft pick possible.
2. Eakins is very likely the guy. Let him finish the season with the Marlies and possibly win a championship.
Wilson will be done as soon as this dreadful season is over.
Yes there is a point to firing Wilson now.
First, you get to see if Eakins can coach at the NHL level. If he is to be the next coach, it is time to use the last 19 games to have him get used to the personnel in on ice situations and to make his own estimation as to who can and cannot perform and it what roles.
Secondly, having done so, Eakins will have a better idea which Marlies might best fill in the weak spots.
Thirdly, you get to see how the current players react to a different coach, This will allow you to see which players are failing due to Wilson's coaching and which ones are failing on their own account.
Fourthly, you avoid losing Eakins to another NHL team that is currently coach hunting but waiting until the end of the season to formally dump its current coach. I would say that such discussions are well under way at this point in the season.
Fifthly, it does send a message to the Muskoka 23 presently on the roster.
Finally, after swapping players constantly for the last 4 years and after axing assistant coaches, a coaching change is the only variable left. If not now, when? If Wilson has not earned immediate dismissal (I would say he did so long ago), what more does he need to do?
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Wilson is not the former, ergo he is the latter.