Not sure you can compare to pre-cap era when first round picks weren't as crazy valuable. Why trad a bona fide all-star for unknown pieces who may be developed into quality players when you can simply buy free agents at whatever cost (see Mogilny, Reichel, Renberg).
- Eliminason

then compare the rest of the top ten from last year, would any of those teams have traded those guys for anything less than 2 first rounders?

They still have to deal with the Redden situation. And resign MDZ, McDonagh and Stepan, Hagelin and Sauer. All with the cap being reduced 5+ million.
- Iggysbff

buyout of redden up the cap to 12.48 million dollars, assuming they do in fact buy out redden.

FIST


Man who Fired Burke
- Feeling_Glucky

and it had nothing to do with Lou.

so if redden gets injured in the AHL this season and is out long term, what are you going to do? there goes the cap space...
- sensnucksnocups

cross that bridge when they get to it.

cross that bridge when they get to it.
- tomburton99

imagine if gm's had the same thought process as you...

and it had nothing to do with Lou.
- Fakepartofme

The loungo thing might be a factor though. But BB yapped too much. He'd tell all the plans he had all the time leaving the club wide open for criticism. Nonis will be quiet which will allow the team to function behind the scenes properly. The on ice product gets enough scrutiny without the media and fans analysing whether the gm fulfilled all the stuff he was yapping about.

and it had nothing to do with Lou.
- Fakepartofme

The loungo thing might be a factor though. But BB yapped too much. He'd tell all the plans he had all the time leaving the club wide open for criticism. Nonis will be quiet which will allow the team to function behind the scenes properly. The on ice product gets enough scrutiny without the media and fans analysing whether the gm fulfilled all the stuff he was yapping about.

imagine if gm's had the same thought process as you...
- sensnucksnocups

if he's injred bad enough just put him LTIR. Worked for Boston with Savard and Philly With Pronger. Why wouldn't that be acceptable.

in 5 years!

Lawton said it today.. it takes longer than 5 years.
3.5 years is not 5 years.
If the Leafs make the playoffs this year or next and get through a round... will your position change?
- HipHopisDead

no my position will not change because the only way the Leafs have a 'trucculent team who is hard to play against' and a 'contender' is if Nonis works absolute miracles in a year and a half.
Burke built a small, soft, mediocre team with very few top end prospects.

then compare the rest of the top ten from last year, would any of those teams have traded those guys for anything less than 2 first rounders?
- aminnes

I'm sure Kovalchuk could be had for that now, possibly Spezza given the strength of this years draft depending of course on the trading partner.

IMO it takes a different kind of Gm to be able to take a team from nothing and build a cup contender than it does to take a team and add some pieces to get them over the hump. I think Burke is the latter as he showed with the Ducks however I do not agree with some of his moves in Toronto. Now getting Lupul to play so effectively with Kessel was a great move on his part however I dont believe the trade for Kessel was the right move. When you're rebuilding a team draft picks are very crucial so you can be competitive for a long time. As some have said they would have gotten Seguin and Hamilton and I believe that would be a much better solution. Then you bring is some vets who can still play...Arnott as an example who can mold these young players into stars. The kind of struggles that the leafs have had are too much to try and fast track in 3 years.

I thought he didn't believe in untradables
- HipHopisDead

that was yesterday.

what concerns me now is that it becomes Kadri and Frattin.

The loungo thing might be a factor though. But BB yapped too much. He'd tell all the plans he had all the time leaving the club wide open for criticism. Nonis will be quiet which will allow the team to function behind the scenes properly. The on ice product gets enough scrutiny without the media and fans analysing whether the gm fulfilled all the stuff he was yapping about.
- aminnes

this is true - and I hope you are correct about Nonis - and I also hope that the "new Suit Leadership - yes the pudgy guy pictured earlier in the thread" don't get drunk on their own popularity and new found fame... and start managing you know the hockey team as opposed to the business.

The loungo thing might be a factor though. But BB yapped too much. He'd tell all the plans he had all the time leaving the club wide open for criticism. Nonis will be quiet which will allow the team to function behind the scenes properly. The on ice product gets enough scrutiny without the media and fans analysing whether the gm fulfilled all the stuff he was yapping about.
- aminnes

I know what you mean, but i actually take a different view. I think Burke was perfect for Toronto. Kessel has managed to stay productive and hasn't had many scoring droughts. I think Burke could handle the media and take the pressure off the players. The newspapers spend 99% of their time talking about Burke, that the players could play without scrutiny, relatively speaking. Now, with Burke gone, if fear we may see a different Kessel for example.

cross that bridge when they get to it.
- tomburton99

I think I am in the minority, I liked Burke.

It takes a guy like Burke to operate in Toronto; and deal with the media and fans that have been waiting on the re-emergence of a hockey team, for what has seemingly been forever.

He was tried to fill needs with pieces that weren't going to hurt the team, while trying to get rid of bad contracts that were signed by someone else. He had a lot of mistakes to correct, and he did make some of his own. But his will be gone in the next year or so.

You can argue both sides on the Kessel trade. Seguin and Hamilton are good players, Knight is right up there. With any draft pick, no matter how high you can always run into the unforeseen. Seguin would not have the support he has in Boston. It is hard to argue that these players would develop the same being the guys saddled with all the hopes of savage Leafs fans.

I am not saying that Brian Burke was the best GM, that he made all the right decisions, but what I am saying is that he is so much better then what came before.. and I think that is what Leafs fans should remember.

- IrishRage

you know that's staged right? Rockets set that all up. Guy in the lakers jersey gets paid for that.

Phil Kessel was 6th in scoring last year playing on a team win almost no other proven offensive options. teams keyed on Kessel and yet he still out scored Tavares, the Sedins, Hossa....all of whom you would probably take over Seguin and Hamilton...right? Oh, and Kessel just turned 25.
- Eklund

I for one am not sure why so many people seem to hands down
claim that the kessel trade was bad for TO...I like all of the players
So am not biased. Kessel has been very good and very
Consistent as well as electrifying to watch.
Hard to say whether Seguin will eclipse him Though certainly
possible -perhaps likely but if so, maybe not by
Much as Kessel is still young too. As for
The other guys, sure they look to be great
But haven't done anything yet so the jury is
Still out. You also have to consider that
We are talking about specific players rather
Than 'picks' which may have been made
Differently (not Seguin) and are often a crap
Shoot.

You can argue both sides on the Kessel trade. Seguin and Hamilton are good players, Knight is right up there. With any draft pick, no matter how high you can always run into the unforeseen. Seguin would not have the support he has in Boston. It is hard to argue that these players would develop the same being the guys saddled with all the hopes of savage Leafs fans.

- Blueman2010

I agree. Seguin's role in boston was to learn and develop on the fly. If he went to TO instead, there would have been immediate expectations and the possibilities of TO fans saying the same thing about Seguin and they are saying now about Kessel.

On another note. I am absolutely drooling over the idea of MDZ to Edmonton, but I cannot think of a scenario that would make it work. MPS + Marincin for MDZ? The only thing that I cling too, for MDZ coming to E-Town, is Lowe's relationship with Sather.

i remember all the hate that the habs as an organization received last year after the whole coaching firing and camalleri situation and how it was embarassing and so on especially from you leafs fans

and yet as Tessier pointed out

"Why allow a governor, to participate, negotiate and influence the next CBA for the NHL's largest market, richest team and then fire him? Let alone at the beginning of a shortened season? Thank you Maple Leafs for giving us such great fodder."
how is this any better? how does this make your organization look leafers?

pretty brutal timing imo

The loungo thing might be a factor though. But BB yapped too much. He'd tell all the plans he had all the time leaving the club wide open for criticism. Nonis will be quiet which will allow the team to function behind the scenes properly. The on ice product gets enough scrutiny without the media and fans analysing whether the gm fulfilled all the stuff he was yapping about.
- aminnes

The Media should shut there hole now.... since they own the team.

This is for the best interest of the players.

Keesel was 22 years old when he was aquired by a team that had just signed $9 million in defenceman. Burke didn't see his team as the second last place team in the league. Not many did after the moves that made in the summer. The problem was Vesa Toskala couldn't stop anything, (Fergie) Hard to win a hockey game when Vesa Toskala is letting in 200 foot shots and inspires 0 confidence.
- tmlfan17

islanders game? or did he do that more than once? lol

Keesel was 22 years old when he was aquired by a team that had just signed $9 million in defenceman. Burke didn't see his team as the second last place team in the league. Not many did after the moves that made in the summer. The problem was Vesa Toskala couldn't stop anything, (Fergie) Hard to win a hockey game when Vesa Toskala is letting in 200 foot shots and inspires 0 confidence.
- tmlfan17

islanders game? or did he do that more than once? lol

Keesel was 22 years old when he was aquired by a team that had just signed $9 million in defenceman. Burke didn't see his team as the second last place team in the league. Not many did after the moves that made in the summer. The problem was Vesa Toskala couldn't stop anything, (Fergie) Hard to win a hockey game when Vesa Toskala is letting in 200 foot shots and inspires 0 confidence.
- tmlfan17

islanders game? or did he do that more than once? lol

On another note. I am absolutely drooling over the idea of MDZ to Edmonton, but I cannot think of a scenario that would make it work. MPS + Marincin for MDZ? The only thing that I cling too, for MDZ coming to E-Town, is Lowe's relationship with Sather.
- oj4lif3

dont u guys need a shutdown D badly though? if you have Schultz as your PP QB why are they gonna waste the players they could use to get a really good shutdown D on MDZ who couldnt crack the rangers consistently until last year BECAUSE of his shaky ways in his own end???

makes no sense to me