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Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • Fan 590 •
TORONTO (Nov. 3) – The Maple Leafs, as anticipated, are doing all they can to manage expectation with Phil Kessel, but the scoring winger won’t be able to dodge the spotlight for long. As with any player coming off a six-month rehab from shoulder surgery, Kessel deserves a grace period to establish endurance and timing. Once that happens [or doesn’t], he’ll be sharply and fairly judged on the basis of the trade that was made for him. It could be a long time before another general manager in the National Hockey League gives up two first-round draft picks in the same deal, but that’s what Brian Burke has to live with as Kessel works his way into the Maple Leafs’ line-up. It will prove to be an immediate burden on both the player and the GM.
Fortunately for Kessel and Burke, they operate in a hockey city whose fans are in a constant a state of denial. Most of those that cover the team, however, understand what’s at stake here. In pulling the trigger for Kessel, Burke has cornered himself as it pertains to the current season. Double-B claims he’d have made the same deal today – even with the Leafs dead-last in the overall standings — but that’s probably a bit of hogwash. There’s no way the GM believed his club would be sitting with only one victory after 12 games, and if Burke truly would jettison a pair of first-rounders in THIS predicament, he’s more irresponsible than I ever expected.
As it stands, the Maple Leafs have no choice but to immediately improve. Otherwise, the trade becomes a potential disaster.
In a normal restructuring circumstance, a pragmatic GM would look at his 1-7-4 team and seek ways to augment the future. Burke has a defenseman – Tomas Kaberle – performing miracles with the puck right now; perhaps better than any player in the league. But, Kaberle, as always, is having minimal effect on a bad hockey club. Strategically, there’d be no better time than the present for Burke to sound out fellow GMs and determine if he could swap Kaberle for a useful package of prospects and draft choices… in other words, strike while the iron’s hot. He would need Kaberle’s cooperation, as the defenseman controls his fate with a no-movement clause. But, the veteran blue-liner has often hinted he would waive that restriction if he concludes the Leafs no longer want him.
Such a scenario would further weaken the hockey club as the season progresses, which wouldn’t be much of a concern if Burke still had his own first-round pick. With that prize in Boston’s possession, however, the GM has little choice but to hope for the best.
Another option would be for Burke to aggressively try and recoup one of the first-rounders in a deal for Kaberle. He had most of the summer to work a trade for the Czech-born player, but held onto him on the basis of Kaberle’s perceived value to the team. At 1-7-4, the value of ANY player is questionable.
The Leafs, meanwhile, will get an earful from the denizens of the ACC tonight – and deservedly so – if they play as lethargically as they normally do after a decent road trip. On the surface, Tampa Bay offers an exceptional opportunity for the Buds to finally record their first home victory of the season – and to become the last NHL team to do so. The Lightning has an identical road mark [0-4-1] to the Leafs’ home record, and Tampa played a tough game yesterday in Philadelphia while the Toronto players were lounging at home.
Of course, the Steven Stamkos factor has to be considered. One of the fast-rising stars in the NHL – it says here he’ll eventually win the Hart Trophy, even with Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin around – gets jacked up to play in his home town, as he proved during his rookie season. If the Leafs fall behind early in this game – and begin to wallow in self-pity – it could be another long evening for fans of the Blue & White.
Otherwise, you’d think a pumped-up Kessel, and a poised Jonas Gustavsson, should be able to handle whatever Tampa Bay offers.
E-mail howardlberger@gmail.com
Fortunately for Kessel and Burke, they operate in a hockey city whose fans are in a constant a state of denial. Most of those that cover the team, however, understand what’s at stake here. In pulling the trigger for Kessel, Burke has cornered himself as it pertains to the current season. Double-B claims he’d have made the same deal today – even with the Leafs dead-last in the overall standings — but that’s probably a bit of hogwash. There’s no way the GM believed his club would be sitting with only one victory after 12 games, and if Burke truly would jettison a pair of first-rounders in THIS predicament, he’s more irresponsible than I ever expected.
As it stands, the Maple Leafs have no choice but to immediately improve. Otherwise, the trade becomes a potential disaster.
In a normal restructuring circumstance, a pragmatic GM would look at his 1-7-4 team and seek ways to augment the future. Burke has a defenseman – Tomas Kaberle – performing miracles with the puck right now; perhaps better than any player in the league. But, Kaberle, as always, is having minimal effect on a bad hockey club. Strategically, there’d be no better time than the present for Burke to sound out fellow GMs and determine if he could swap Kaberle for a useful package of prospects and draft choices… in other words, strike while the iron’s hot. He would need Kaberle’s cooperation, as the defenseman controls his fate with a no-movement clause. But, the veteran blue-liner has often hinted he would waive that restriction if he concludes the Leafs no longer want him.
Such a scenario would further weaken the hockey club as the season progresses, which wouldn’t be much of a concern if Burke still had his own first-round pick. With that prize in Boston’s possession, however, the GM has little choice but to hope for the best.
Another option would be for Burke to aggressively try and recoup one of the first-rounders in a deal for Kaberle. He had most of the summer to work a trade for the Czech-born player, but held onto him on the basis of Kaberle’s perceived value to the team. At 1-7-4, the value of ANY player is questionable.
The Leafs, meanwhile, will get an earful from the denizens of the ACC tonight – and deservedly so – if they play as lethargically as they normally do after a decent road trip. On the surface, Tampa Bay offers an exceptional opportunity for the Buds to finally record their first home victory of the season – and to become the last NHL team to do so. The Lightning has an identical road mark [0-4-1] to the Leafs’ home record, and Tampa played a tough game yesterday in Philadelphia while the Toronto players were lounging at home.
Of course, the Steven Stamkos factor has to be considered. One of the fast-rising stars in the NHL – it says here he’ll eventually win the Hart Trophy, even with Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin around – gets jacked up to play in his home town, as he proved during his rookie season. If the Leafs fall behind early in this game – and begin to wallow in self-pity – it could be another long evening for fans of the Blue & White.
Otherwise, you’d think a pumped-up Kessel, and a poised Jonas Gustavsson, should be able to handle whatever Tampa Bay offers.
E-mail howardlberger@gmail.com
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