from Cathal Kelly of the Globe and Mail,

Though Carlyle is not really his guy, Nonis knows he’s the next man on the plank if the coach gets the sack. No one in this organization wants Carlyle to thrive more.

The new wonks in assistant GM roles have begun to assert themselves, after the early clipping of enforcers Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren.

It’d suit them in the short term if the Leafs do well, since they’ll naturally be connected to a combination of fresh thinking and positive results. If things go sideways early – and Toronto is looking at a very tough month of October – they’ll take the heat from traditionalists. They also need Carlyle to succeed, for now.

Above them all sits the real power – Shanahan. His position is simple. Whatever happens to the Leafs or Carlyle this year, Shanahan wins.

If the Leafs make the playoffs, Shanahan takes the credit. That’s natural. Between last year and this one, he’s the most visible thing that changed. All of his options are still open if that happens. He can stick with things as they are, and reference continuity. He can make huge changes, and reference improvement.

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