High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Maple Leafs entered the 1996-1997 NHL season with the hopes of making the postseason for the fifth consecutive year. Mike Murphy was hired prior to the season as the head coach replacing interim coach Nick Beverley. The team played mediocre for most of the season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1992. This season, would be Cliff Fletcher’s last as General Manager of the Maple Leafs. In one of his final moves, Fletcher (in February) traded Captain Doug Gilmour to the New Jersey Devils.