Ron Wilson

On Christmas Day, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson tiptoed downstairs and tweeted to his followers that he had received a very special gift this year: a brand spanking new contract extension. Well, that and a Red Ryder BB Gun:

"He came! He came!" Remember saying that as a little kid? Well he did: I got a new Red Ryder BB gun and a contract extension!

So many theories have been made over the last several seasons as to why the Toronto Maple Leafs have had such terrible special teams.

Some have said that it is the players, some have said it is the goaltending, some have said it is coaching.

But coming back to this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs were ranked 22nd on the power play and 28th on the penalty kill. Something that has been a constant for the Maple Leafs in the past.

The Globe and Mail is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has given Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson a vote of confidence by stating that Wilson will be back behind the bench for the 2011-12 season.

"I said back in the fall, we would not consider a change, even when all the hounds were baying," Burke told The Globe. "I feel the same way now. Ron is coaching this team next year."

When you look at the Toronto Maple Leafs' season, it is easy to point to their eight-game slump in late October through early November as the catalyst as to why they are so close, yet so far away from a playoff spot this season.

On the other hand, last night’s game against the Florida Panthers is another example of a missed opportunity to further their chances at making the playoffs for the first time since what seems like a decade ago.

Playing for the University of Denver out of the WCHA, Tyler Bozak did enough to catch the attention of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke and his staff of amateur scouts, resulting in Burke signing the undrafted Bozak to a healthy contract.

There’s been a lot of speculation regarding Toronto.

Speculation about personnel changes following another disappointing start to the the season. The media speculates that Ron Wilson’s job is on the line. Then the Maple Leafs maintain that they have faith in their coach.

The media likes to stir up trouble, and they’ve done it again in Toronto.

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I would like to be the first to point out some inconsistencies with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season (Note: heavy sarcasm).

I'm simply fed up with the Maple Leafs Love Fest going on in the professional and amateur media circuits these days.

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Toronto media was desperate to grab some hockey news somehow.

Ron Wilson has had an outstanding career as a hockey coach. Six hundred-plus wins in the NHL is nothing to sneeze at. Nor is 16 years as a head coach, making it to the cup finals in just his fifth season.

On the international stage, he coached the Americans to the 1996 World Cup Championship, and won the silver medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Unfortunately for Leafs fans, his decent career hasn’t transposed into any form of success for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fresh off his infamous snub at the 2011 All-Star Game, Toronto Maple Leafs “sniper” Phil Kessel is making headlines again. Kessel, who is currently enjoying a ten game scoring drought, has been criticized for his lack of defensive prowess and, to some extent, seems to be having his work ethic questioned. When he was asked about his current slump Kessel made the following comment, “I’m trying. Obviously it’s not going right. Like I said, might not be working out here.