THE ICE MAN
Player decisions are just like any other investment, says Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr.

Photography by Kevin Kelly

I lived in Montreal till I was about nine and my first two years in school were all in French. I have some recollections of my father [former Montreal Canadiens star John Ferguson, Sr.] as a player, but not many because I was only four when he retired. I remember being around the locker room and getting Wrigley's chewing gum from the trainer.

I got to know the players real well in Winnipeg when my father was general manager of the Jets. I was 11 when I got there and used to practise with guys like Laurie Boschman, Randy Carlyle, Serge Savard, Dale Hawerchuk and Thomas Steen, whose son, Alexander, is a Leaf rookie this year. I got extra ice time after practices. It was one of the special parts of having a parent involved in professional sports.

My father always stressed the importance of listening to the coach, of being determined and being competitive. He used to say, "There are no friends on the ice." He was helpful in the fisticuffs department as well. He would tell me, "Hit first and keep swinging."

In my senior year at Providence College in Rhode Island, the sportswriters of New England voted me the most improved player in Division I hockey in the northeast. That got Montreal's attention and they offered me a contract.

In pro hockey, I was a two-way checking centre, never scored more than 19 regular season goals. I could have used a little more ability to finish. Most of the guys I played with in the American Hockey League won the Cup in Montreal in 1993. There were a couple of years when I felt I could play in the NHL, but I never got that chance.

I applied to law school in my fourth year in pro. I had taken the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) as an undergraduate at Providence College and used the same marks to get into law school. In my third year, I did an apprenticeship in the legal department of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. We defended correctional officers in cases brought against them by inmates.

I never considered anything but hockey as a career. I grew up around the game. I saw it evolve both on the ice and off. I was fortunate to have great mentors: my father and NHL executives like Larry Pleau, Brian Burke and Lou Lamoriello. If I'd gone into any other profession, I'd have been forsaking 25 years' experience.

When I was in St. Louis, I had the No. 2 job in the league in terms of duties and responsibilities, but after a while I knew I was ready to become a manager. The challenge in Toronto is to achieve your goals on hockey's greatest stage. That really inspires and motivates me.

The media coverage of the Leafs is the type that most teams can only dream of. It's not always positive. It's our job to ensure that we don't let the media affect our decision-making or how we prepare ourselves to win.

The player decisions I make are the same as any investment decision. You look at your roster. You have a finite sum to commit to players to produce your yields every year. You've got to find value. If you draft a junior player, you have two years to offer him a contract or you lose your rights to him. With a college player, you have four years. We want a mix of assets that are going to mature at different periods. There are always risks and potential rewards.

Winning the Stanley Cup is our No. 1 objective. We want to bring a 12th championship to Toronto. Our plan is to identify, procure, develop and manage our assets better than our competitors over time and to compete consistently for the Cup.

I really think the NHL has improved the game on the ice and on television this year. We've generated greater attack speed through the neutral zone by taking out the red line. Players are being impeded less off the rush and when they attack the net. The game is more exciting for the fans, but it's harder to watch as a manager because leads change hands. It's unpredictable.

We get results in this business every day. You just have to open the newspaper to see where you're at. It's demanding. When I have time off, I spend it at home with my wife and my children. The schedule and the hours are such that time at home and time together are cherished and, unfortunately, rare.

John Ferguson Jr. became the 12th general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2003 and at age 38 is currently the youngest GM in the National Hockey League. He holds degrees in business and law, has worked as a scout and player agent, and came to the Leafs from St. Louis, where he was assistant general manager for the Blues. He was interviewed by D'Arcy Jenish.