Tim Leiweke on state of the Maple Leafs: 'October was not a fluke'

Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Tim Leiweke appeared on the Fan 590's Tim and Sid program on Monday and addressed the state of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Currently in a playoff spot, the team has slipped in recent weeks; after going 10-4-0 in October, they've posted a record of 12-16-5 since, and sit 30th in the league with an astounding 36.4 shots against per game (generally considered to be the opposite of a recipe for success). 

Their overall win total has also been boosted by a league-high eight shootout wins, including their past two victories which occurred Sunday against the New Jersey Devils and at the Winter Classic on Jan. 1.

Despite all that, Leiweke appears ready to stay the course, believing the team that racked up the wins to start to the season is its true incarnation.

More specifically, he addressed whether the club is considering a coaching change and/or the jettisoning of young players for proven talent.

"We won't do that anymore," Leiweke said. "We're not going to knee-jerk... and give away a kid like [defenceman Morgan] Reilly." 

Leiweke added the Leafs will not sacrifice the future for a quick fix: "Patience is important, and prospects and draft picks will be held tight to the vest."

Here's perhaps the most telling of Leiweke's view of the team: "The issue is not the coach. This issue is, October was not a fluke. We got to get back to playing the way we were then."

Toronto's next three games are against divisional opponents (Boston, Buffalo and Montreal), serving as an opportunity to prove that October's performance indeed was no fluke.