The article kind of glosses over what I think might be a big part of the difference here - summing it up only in this one paragraph:
Ironically this may lead to a debate around "fronting" and Wilson's use of the shot blocking tactic. Firstly, I am not sold on the idea that the Leafs were particularly effective at blocking or tipping shots, but that is neither here nor there. Secondarily, it is often asserted that the attempt by the D men to block shots often results in screens that damage a goaltender's ability to track shots from the point, thus lowering SV% on long distance shots.
Wilson did put a significant emphasis on blocking shots. In his 3 full seasons behind the Leafs' bench, they ranked 5th, 7th and 2nd in the league in total blocked shots. Last year, where Wilson and Carlyle split the year, they finished 11th and they're currently 9th (though, with the uneven number of games played so far limits the usefulness of that ranking). The article is absolutely right in saying that increased attempts to block shots lead to increased instances of the goalie being screened or, something the article doesn't mention, shots being deflected. Carlyle's Leafs seem less concerned with getting in front of shots, which means the goalies are seeing more shots, and, as any goalie will tell you, it's much easier to stop shots when you can see them all the way and no one is getting a stick/foot/leg/whatever on them on the way through.
