TORONTO (AFP) - The Toronto Maple Leafs sacked coach Paul Maurice on Wednesday in the wake of a second straight season without reaching the National Hockey League Season.

Toronto had brought in the 41-year-old Maurice to place sacked Pat Quinn shortly after the 2005-06 season.

But Maurice was hired by John Ferguson, who was fired as the Maple Leafs' general manager four months ago.

Upon naming Cliff Fletcher as Ferguson's interim replacement, Maple Leafs president Richard Peddie stated that the club needed to "forge a new beginning" and a "new direction."

Maurice will not be part of that new beginning. In two seasons with Toronto he posted a 76-66-22 record but failed to reach the playoffs.

"My objective is to create the best environment possible for the next Leafs general manager to bring in his own staff and to create a new culture around the team," Fletcher said in a statement.

Toronto went just 36-35-11 this past season and recorded 83 points, 11 short of a postseason berth.

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