TORONTO - The whistle was in Peter Horacheks mouth and players eyes were on him when the Toronto Maple Leafs began the post-Randy Carlyle era. There was little doubt who was in charge.The Maple Leafs officially named Horachek interim head coach Wednesday after 24 hours of uncertainty about the role he and Steve Spott would play in the aftermath of Carlyles firing. Horachek had the experience of being the interim coach last season with the Florida Panthers, so it was natural to give him control in Toronto.I think he did an excellent job with the Panthers last year, said Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz, Horacheks longtime boss in Nashville. This is a great opportunity for him on an interim basis. Theres no question that hes head-coach material.Horachek lost his Leafs debut to his mentor, 6-2.Trotz, who had Horachek on his staff with the Predators for 10 years, said he has always seen his protege as a head coach.Hes knowledgeable and hes got good balance in terms of player relationships, systems, all that, Trotz said in a phone conversation Tuesday. Hes disciplined, he demands accountability, but he can communicate. Some guys demand accountability and cant communicate. He demands accountability and he gets respect because he communicates.Carlyle was demanding, but one of his drawbacks was a communication disconnect with players. Thats an old-school mentality that can work to a point, but also wears thin with players who want to know why theyre sitting or getting less ice time.Unlike Spott, whos a popular players coach, Horachek isnt a polar opposite of Carlyle. The 54-year-old is more of a hybrid.I would say hes fair, Trotz said. Players will recognize that hes very fair in his decision-making and his doling out of ice time and all that. Hes not afraid to tell it like it is when its needed and hes not averse to putting his arm around a guy.Defenceman Jake Gardiner, never one of Carlyles favourite players because of mental mistakes, has appreciated Horacheks honesty all season as an assistant coach.I think hes been really good about that this year, Gardiner said. Its nice when you know where you stand with coaches and on the team in your role.Horachek, a Hamilton boy born in nearby Stoney Creek, Ont., wants players to be accountable to each other and not see him and the rest of the coaching staff as enemies.You have to make them feel like its OK to talk to them, Horachek said. My door is open, they can come in and have their opinions, I can tell them whats going on. I can (give) them an opportunity to say what they want. Theyre not feeling like my thumb is on top of them, theyre feeling like were in this together.For a decade, Horachek and Trotz were in it together. Horachek was on Trotzs staff from 2003 to 2014 and was promoted to associate coach for his final three seasons with the Predators.When Horachek stepped in front of the cameras to address the media at Air Canada Centre for the first time as interim coach, he joked that he thought Trotz would talk alongside him. No, this was his stage.Horachek had already coached 66 NHL games going into Wednesday night, going 26-36-4 last season with the Panthers after replacing Kevin Dineen. Before his foray into the NHL on Trotzs staff, Horachek was an accomplished coach in the minors.He led teams to the playoffs in the Colonial Hockey League, International Hockey League, East Coast Hockey League and American Hockey League. Horacheks Orlando Solar Bears won the IHL title in 2001.Hes had head-coaching experience at every level, hes had success at every level, Trotz said. Having some brief experience with the pressures of head-coaching in the National Hockey League, he did that in Florida for a while, and then obviously being in that fishbowl in Toronto, I think hes very prepared.Until this year, the Maple Leafs did not let assistant coaches speak to the media, but on at least a handful of occasions from training camp on either Horachek or Spott took Carlyles place to talk on a given day.Trotz thinks it mightve been a bit overwhelming for Horachek if he went right from a decade in Nashville to the centre of the hockey universe. But the Panthers experience and half a season on staff with the Leafs built up a tolerance to the spotlight.I think he has a good grasp of what the demands are there, Trotz said. Hes very good with the media, hes very personable, he tells it like it is. Thats what youre going to get with Peter. You get an honest approach. From a media standpoint and from a player standpoint youre going to know where he stands.That may have been an issue with Carlyle, who had the ability of rubbing players the wrong way. Its impossible to forget Mikhail Grabovskis comments on the way out, and the coachs OK, just OK review of James Reimers play in one game last season in Detroit was emblematic of a strained relationship.On Tuesday, star winger Phil Kessel didnt sugarcoat that his relationship with Carlyle wasnt always sunshine and roses.It was fine, Kessel said. I think every relationship has its ups and downs. Obviously, Im not excited to see him go or anything like that. Im disappointed because its a reflection on us as a group that we didnt get it done.Horachek feels a part of that, too, so hes not celebrating taking over for Carlyle.Nobodys happy when this happens, when a coach gets removed its a part of our fraternity, Horachek said. Im not happy about it. Though its given me an opportunity, its still not a happy day for everybody.Being in charge for just two practices before the Leafs took the ice against the Capitals, Horachek knew he couldnt make sweeping changes right away. He could have, actually, but his years in hockey taught him not to try.As we go forward, there may be things that we may talk about changing, Horachek said. If you go in the first day and make it all about change, thats what youre going to get: a little bit of a confusion, a little bit of an unfocused attitude. We want to make sure were focused, were ready to play.This summer, president Brendan Shanahan and the Leafs could have a laundry list of experienced coaches to choose from, including Mike Babcock, Dan Bylsma, Pete DeBoer and perhaps Todd McLellan. The long term is on the minds of executives, who watched Wednesdays morning skate with a keen eye, but the immediate future is what Horachek is concerned about.Weve got half a season and we have to make sure were going to do something positive with that, he said.Because of that, Horachek insists hes not worrying about being the long-term, full-time coach of the Leafs. Last year he took over for Dineen and was let go in favour of Gerard Gallant, so Horachek knows the deal.Im not worried about what theyre going to do or what theyre going to say, Horachek said. When its time if they feel like its warranted, theyre going to come to me and say, OK thats whats happening. Until that time I can only worry about worrying about preparing players, making sure theyre feeling that theyre in the best light and the best opportunities to play their best game.Notes When naming Horachek interim coach, the Leafs also announced manager of player development Steve Staios would go behind the bench. Staoiss title is not changing but he was in that spot against the Capitals. ... Forward Carter Ashton cleared waivers at noon Wednesday and was assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. ... Horacheks second game as Leafs coach is Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.___Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Cheap Jerseys Wholesale .C. -- Lewis Ratcliffe scored twice -- including the winner in overtime -- and added five assists to lift the Vancouver Stealth over the Colorado Mammoth 14-13 in National Lacrosse League action on Friday. Wholesale Jerseys .ca. Hi Kerry, Everyone does it, everyone knows it happens but what can referees to stop the delaying tactics used by teams after an icing call? In the first period between Vancouver and Buffalo on Sunday, Buffalo iced the puck and suddenly Zenon Konopka needed a new stick. http://www.jerseysnflwholesalecheap.us.com/ . 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