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Hollow Words From The Leafs' GM

June 27, 2009, 1:47 AM ET [ Comments]
Howard Berger
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
MONTREAL (June 27) – Brian Burke’s foray into Round 1 of the 2009 National Hockey League draft was doomed on two fronts: a) he had only one asset that rival general managers were interested in, and b) he talked too much.

Neither factor is likely to change anytime soon.

Burke is an accomplished GM and will ultimately move the Leafs in the proper direction. But, he made a giant blunder by evoking the name of John Tavares in his wrap-up meeting with reporters at the Air Canada Centre on Apr. 14. He had no more chance of landing Tavares than the Leafs did of winning the Stanley Cup last season. His unwillingness to include defenseman Luke Schenn in trade discussions, and his complete lack of relationship with New York Islanders’ GM Garth Snow made this a pie-in-the-sky gimmick from the outset. And, while Burke found no harm in volunteering Tavares as his prime target, he raised the bar of immediate expectation way beyond legitimacy. That’s a dangerous precedent to establish in a hockey-mad region that craves any sign of progress, and one that takes to heart even the most innocuous pledge from the Maple Leafs.

It turns out that Burke had no chance to move into any of the coveted top five draft positions. As we’ve been suggesting all along, who might he offer to rival teams for such a privilege? Lee Stempniak? Jonas Frogren? Jamal Mayers? Schenn was his only marketable asset, and he long ago determined it was untenable to consider moving the Leafs’ top draft pick from last summer. So, we ask again: Why even mention the name John Tavares and get Toronto’s hockey juices flowing in such a disingenuous manner?

Though Burke fancies himself as a brusque, cunning operator – and has demonstrated an ability to execute high-level maneuvering in the NHL – he still has lots to learn about his new hockey environment. Start trotting out the biggest names in the annual draft and there’d better be some action to support your words. Otherwise, you leave the appearances of deception and falsehood – neither of which is necessary. If Burke had no intention to barter Schenn in mid-April, he fully understood, at the time, it would be impossible to contend for Tavares. As such, it appears he got carried away with a captive audience at the ACC. But, cry wolf too many times in Toronto and it'll come back to haunt you.

Unfortunately for Burke and the Maple Leafs, his brash conjecture overshadowed what could be another watershed moment for the franchise. London forward Nazem Kadri – selected No. 7 overall – is a splendid prospect that could provide the hockey club a second invaluable building block. Though it might have been sexier to trade up for Schenn’s younger brother, Brayden (who went to the Los Angeles Kings), Burke landed an immense talent by simply remaining in his assigned slot.

His desire to trade upward was admirable.

His gratuitous elicitation of Tavares was not.

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