TORONTO (Aug. 24) — Put the global hockey community together in this city and you get lots of meaningful dialogue on the world-wide state of the game. Put the global community AND Maple Leafs’ general manager Brian Burke together in this city, and the talk unavoidably turns local.
That’s what happened – briefly though strikingly – during the first night of the World Hockey Summit on Monday… Burke joining such other notables as NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly; International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel; prominent agents Don Meehan, Pat Brisson and Don Baizley; Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman; Canadian women’s hockey legend Haley Wickenheiser; Ottawa Senators’ captain Daniel Alfredsson [no, he wasn't booed]; broadcasters Bob McCown, Glenn Healy, Greg Millen, Jim Hughson, Bob McKenzie and Paul Romanuk in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
After answering a couple of questions on the lack of transfer agreements between the NHL and most European hockey nations, Burke was asked if he’d address some Leaf issues. “Sure, why not?” replied the always available GM. The topics were neither novel nor unpredictable, but Burke was at his oratory best. With the exception of Ilya Kovalchuk, no NHL player had his name mentioned as frequently this summer as Tomas Kaberle, who the Leafs held onto amid rampant trade speculation. A related bit of innuendo has long suggested that Kaberle and Leafs’ coach Ron Wilson meander through an untenable alliance – a notion substantiated by comments from the defenseman’s father, Frantisek Kaberle Sr., to a Czech publication last week. Kaberle Sr. suggested his son would not likely wish to play much longer with the Blue & White if Wilson were to remain behind the bench.
I have spent many-a-day sitting with Mr. Kaberle during Leaf practices at the Air Canada Centre; he’s a fine gentleman who loves talking about the game, and is fiercely proud and protective of his sons: Tomas, and Frantisek Jr., who played in the NHL with Carolina and Atlanta. Mr. Kaberle comes to Toronto from his home in the Czech Republic at least twice each hockey season… he never misses a practice, a morning skate or a game. Neither is he a hockey neophyte. Frantisek Kaberle Sr. was a member of the Czech national team throughout much of the 1970s; he played defense for Czechoslovakia at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria; the inaugural Canada Cup tournament of ’76… and he even skated in a game against the Maple Leafs as part of the touring Kladno hockey team in January, 1978.
Frantisek Sr. played an unfortunate role in that exhibition at Maple Leaf Gardens – he was pitch-forked in the stomach by an annoyed Dave (Tiger) Williams, who received a match penalty for attempt to injure. Williams clearly wasn’t happy with his club’s 8-5 capitulation to the Czech no-names; the Leafs choosing to “rest” star players Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald and Borje Salming, even though the friendly was part of the 1977-78 season ticket package [I was at the game and I remember groaning incessantly]. I still have a scrap-book photo from the Toronto Star the next day that shows Kaberle Sr. writhing in agony on the Gardens’ ice; Williams snarling above him. Mr. K laughed uproariously when I brought the photo to him last season at the ACC, though he admitted he was hardly in a jovial mood the moment the picture was snapped.
The point I’m making is that Frantisek Sr. has a wealth of hockey experience, and was certainly empowered to speak from the heart about his son last week. He probably had no idea his comments would venture beyond the Czech Republic, but nothing is sacred in the Internet era. His translated remarks were first made public by the Leafs-devoted website Pension Plan Puppets. Burke, however, would have nothing of the accusation that Tomas Kaberle and Ron Wilson are oil and water in the dressing room.
“Mr. Kaberle doesn’t play for us… I say that with great respect,” Burke offered. “We’re not pouring any gasoline on that fire; he’s entitled to his view. That [problem] has never been communicated to us. I talked to Tomas’s agent, Rick Curran, today… there’s no issue as far as Tomas is concerned. And the coach isn’t going anywhere anyway. So, if there’s any other player out there that thinks he has an issue with the coach… pardon the poor grammar but the coach ain’t going anywhere.”
Though Burke also claimed Wilson has no issue with Kaberle, it’s difficult to imagine Frantisek Sr. concocting his remarks about the apparent rift… particularly given that such whispers were prominent last season. That said, Burke is entirely justified in supporting his coach, even if that coach desperately needs to avoid another calamitous start to outlast his veteran defenseman.
Whether the two can truly co-exist will be a hot topic early in training camp next month.
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