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Burke:Leafs::Tallon:Hawks ? Oilers interest in Del Zotto(e4) |
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From all indications the Leafs are by far the front-runner now in the Luongo hunt. If the fans were certain Luongo wold be a Leaf before, they are now even more so.
There has been a rift in Toronto for almost a year about Luongo, where Brian Burke had mild interest and everyone else had Major interest in Roberto. It was behind the scenes and off-the-record until now, but I can tell you it was a very REAL thing. And it was a constant internal debate. It never seemed to bother Burke, but it was there.
From my sources and more I can tell you that Brian Burke always felt the asking price would come down for Luongo, and while he liked Roberto he also had a lot of faith in the Leafs young goalies and believed in patience. There was no need to panic at this point.
When the Leafs missed the playoffs last year it became very clear that the pressure was on Burke to get them there this year and some felt Luongo would be that difference maker. Time will tell.
Brian Burke deserves a ton of credit for doing what no one else could have done in Toronto. Build a team the right way and take the time needed to develop players in order to create a larger window for the team in which to succeed.
In many ways I see the Burke firing as similar to the firing of Dale Tallon in Chicago in 2009.
Tallon was fired just days after signing free agents Marian Hossa and John Madden. Tallon drafted Kane and Toews, brought in Niemi, Versteeg, Keith, Campbell. Hjalmarsson, Barker and Bolland. He built a team slowly and the right way as Burke has done in Toronto, and like Tallon, Burke won't get to see all that patience come to fruition...although if you ask Burke I bet he would say he will still enjoy it from afar. He really loves the players he has assembled. He is personally connected to a very good/solid group of players to which he gave the time to develop, and Toronto will not only succeed because of the players Brian brought in, but stay successful for an extended period if time.
It is there that Tallon and Burke diverge. Tallon's Hawks were built with a much smaller window and then had troubles sustaining a high level...But of course, Tallon's Hawks won a Stanley Cup the year after he was fired.
The age old argument "go for it all at once, or put yourself in a position to win it year after year." It worked for Chicago, but it is usually fails teams who "go for it" and those teams are left in the basement for years to dig out.
Burke is probably the ONLY GM who would have had the balls to be as patient as he was in Toronto. He was amazingly patient...deadline after deadline with Leaf fans screaming for trades and who can forget the Kaberle saga? In the end Burke's waiting paid off in the Kaberle deal in a big way.
I know Burke saw a difference in the amount of opposing GMs who tried to "take him to the cleaners" in Toronto versus his time in Anaheim. Other GMs would see the pressure on Burke to make moves and they would offer up ridiculous proposals...Burke never bit, and continued to 'old school' build a team from the ground up the right way.. He wouldn't be bullied. He didn't care about the pressure. He saw the situation as a game of patience. And that is rare in sports today.
When he did make moves though....he made them boldly. It is still too early to judge the Kessel trade. Yes he gave up a lot, but trades are always about who got the best player. And team building for Burke was about creating a winning environment over years and years. The same people who fault Burke for his patience should realize that to this point at least...Kessel is the best player in that trade and the addition of Lupul last year, a Burke gem of a trade gave the Leafs a legit #1 line....with youth and promise.
I know some will take issue with this view of Burke, and for now it is hard to argue against not making the playoffs in his tenure. I am sure even Brian would say bottom line is "no playoffs, no job" but I firmly believe time will judge Burke's time in Toronto much more favorably...as it has in Vancouver.
I can see the Leafs being a playoff team for a good 7-10 years because of the groundwork laid by Burke. I really believe that they would have been better off allowing him to take the next step and like he did in Anaheim turn a solid team into a Cup contender...but either way the Leafs are better off for his work there. Burke hated losing. And Leaf fans, who endured losing seasons in order to build a better more solid franchise, hate losing as well.
The time wasn't wasted time though. You'll see....
Oilers interested in Del Zotto (e4)
There is a ton of speculation that the Oilers will make a very bold move before the puck drops on January 19th and this morning I am hearing the Oilers are showing a huge amount of interest for Rangers RFA Micheal Del Zotto. The Rangers have a ton of money tied up in a few players, and with next years Cap falling the Rangers are in a bind... while they don't want to lose Del Zotto, the Oilers could give NY something it does need. "Talent on Entry Level Contracts..."
More to come including...
"What might it take to get Subban out if Montreal?"
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