Randy Carlyle
Oct 22, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle talks to defenseman Dion Phaneuf (3) during a break in the action against the Anaheim Ducks at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Anaheim 4-2. Reuters

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Randy Carlyle last Tuesday ending the coaching stint of the club’s former player who was with the team as a mentor since 2012.

"I think we'd all agree we've had some good periods, good stretches, but I don't think I can stand here in front of you and say that we've been consistent," general manager Dave Nonis said in a press conference. "We just felt at this point this was the right time to make the change and move ahead and try to get this team back playing like we have played for periods this season.”

Assistant coach Peter Horachek has been assigned the interim head coach and the team announced that Steve Staios, the team’s manager for player development, will join him in the sidelines during the games.

As a player, Carlyle was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round as 30th overall of the 1976 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. Carlyle was hired as head coach of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2005 and spent his time there for six years. He led the Ducks to the Stanley Cup title in 2007. He moved to the Maple Leafs as head coach in 2012 and has accumulated a win-loss-tie record of 91-78-19 over those four seasons.

“I have a relationship with those people. It’s courteous, it’s professional. Do I like what happened? No. But that’s part of the business and now it’s time for me to just go low for a little bit in my life,” Carlyle said to the Toronto Sun days after being fired. “[Being fired] is part of the pro business. We didn’t win enough. And, obviously, I don’t feel good about it. And I’m not looking at [management] and saying ‘Those rotten, effin’ ...’ whatever word you want to use. I’m looking at it and saying, ‘Hey, they made a decision.’”

The 58-year-old Carlyle joins Paul MacLean (Ottawa), Dallas Eakins (Edmonton) and Pete DeBoer (New Jersey) as the four coaches who have been fired in the 2014-2015 NHL season.

To contact author of this article, email j.gloria@IBTimes.com.au