Ek just stop acting like you now hockey.... Jeff Finger was signed before Brian Burke even got to Toronto by Cliff Fletcher....
It was the same year Fletcher hired Ron Wilson.....Just stop
- tmlfan17

I apologize. My mistake. Fixed the finger

And where does that leave Grigorenko?

I think he made big mistakes with early signings like Komasarek and Finger when he thought he could turn it around quicker...but the Kessel signing was not a quick fix.
- Eklund

Pretty sure Eck that Fletcher signed Finger.... Connolly was not a good signing

Eklund: wil
- Eklund

I guess Burke can go back to Anaheim, god knows Bob Murray is sinking that franchise faster then the Titanic.

I think he made big mistakes with early signings like Komasarek and Finger when he thought he could turn it around quicker...but the Kessel signing was not a quick fix.
- Eklund

what was it then?

the patient thing to do would have to been to draft with the picks he gave up.

seguin and hamilton in toronto means burke would be too.

Burke I think thought the leafs had a better team and Kessel would have been a huge piece to make them better a bit quicker. Don't think he dreamed of being the 2nd worse team that year of Seguin

I guess Burke can go back to Anaheim, god knows Bob Murray is sinking that franchise faster then the Titanic.
- Alexzanki

I suggested Columbus yesterday. Players seem to like him, maybe the Jackets would gain a little credibility (toward NHLers) by hiring him.

can someone tell me what all this e4 e5 stuff means that Ek puts at the ends of his blogs

I think he made big mistakes with early signings like Komasarek and Finger when he thought he could turn it around quicker...but the Kessel signing was not a quick fix.
- Eklund

Hey Ek,

I really do appreciate you engaging in the back and forth on here, thanks for that.

I love Kessel, I bought a beauty jersey with his name on it last season and he is one of my fav players, the kid is electric. But BB still doesnt get a pass for that move. It may not have been done as a quick fix BUT in my opinion after that season went off the rails he scrambled and changed his game plan.

what was it then?

the patient thing to do would have to been to draft with the picks he gave up.

seguin and hamilton in toronto means burke would be too.
- Fountain-San

Kessel is only now turning 25 and he has 165 NHL Goals and almost 400 points? Will Seguin be there at 25? We will see. Kessel was a quick fix, but ALSO a long term one.

can someone tell me what all this e4 e5 stuff means that Ek puts at the ends of his blogs
- OilerFanFromBC

the higher the number next to E the more it seems to be close to happening in a nutshell.. I blevie E5 is the highest befoer it atually happens. (E1) is like a passing rumor ..

I still don't get why Burke didn't get Ben Bishop last year. I think that move could have saved his job.

The sens only gave up a 2nd rounder, and the leafs 2nd would have been a higher pick.

The kid will probably turn out to be at least an average starter.. better than anything Burke has ever drafted, signed or traded for as a GM on any team.

Kessel is only now turning 25 and he has 165 NHL Goals and almost 400 points? Will Seguin be there at 25? We will see. Kessel was a quick fix, but ALSO a long term one.
- Eklund

Kessel won't finish his current deal in Toronto. If they remain at the bottom of the standings, they'll trade him to a contender for a high price.

Burke I think thought the leafs had a better team and Kessel would have been a huge piece to make them better a bit quicker. Don't think he dreamed of being the 2nd worse team that year of Seguin
- Popcorn Kid

Agreed 100%. The season before Burk got there, Leafs finished 9th in the East. Burke thought getting a goal scorer like Kessel would help them make the playoffs. Problem was, no one, not even BB thought Toskala would turn into a large pile of donkey poop overnight

FIST


Man who Fired Burke
- Feeling_Glucky

In Burkes tenure who are you bummed about?
The signings of Komisarek and Beauchemin didn't pan out but I certainly didn't see many in these forums cursing the signings when they were made. i remember everybody being pretty excited about the hard hitting D-Man they aquired. How about a little bit of anger being directed at the players for failng.
Not to mention being coached by a guy he didn't hire and employing a system that wasn't designed for the team he wanted to ice. (Burke is guilty of being to loyal to Wilson)
In closing he turned a complete mess of a hockey team and has set the team up with decent propects in the system. He also set Toronto up Salary Cap wise for the new impending CBA. If you look to how the Leafs were set up for Fergie coming out of the last CBA it's been 7 years and never able to recover.
Brian Burke put the Leafs in a good position in his time with the Leafs.

That's cute.
Like someone said earlier if they were not willing to part with Couturier for the number 1 or 2 dman in the world what about the trade above makes you think they would do it?
- opeth_pa

What makes you think that is true?

Luongo, Raymond + Ballard for Couturier, Briere + 1st.
- Scooby_Doo

it's people like you that make all canucks fans seem retarded. the only thing worse is the leafs fans who think theyre getting getz/perry to sign as ufas

It is funny how fast some people change their opinion after someone gets fired... all of the pro-Burke's disappear and the other guys come out....

Where are all the guys that loved Burke and his constant "fleecing"?

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 to succeed in.


Sorry Ek . Very few will agree with your comment about Burke. Why does any GM deserve credit for ensuring his team makes the bottom 5 for the last 4 years. Other GMs refused to deal with the loudmouth .He fell short of many of his promises . He overpaid mediocre talent because he couldn't attract top end UFAs . He was stubborn and difficult . What part of this deserves credit?

Kessel won't finish his current deal in Toronto. If they remain at the bottom of the standings, they'll trade him to a contender for a high price.
- Pecafan Fan

Not a chance. He signs an extension before it comes to that. Trading him would be a step backwards and Nonis has no plan of blowing it up

Kessel won't finish his current deal in Toronto. If they remain at the bottom of the standings, they'll trade him to a contender for a high price.
- Pecafan Fan

Luongo + Raymond for Kessel, MacArthur + Frattin

I apologize. My mistake. Fixed the finger
- Eklund

Don't worry we've all given him the Finger

it's people like you that make all canucks fans seem retarded. the only thing worse is the leafs fans who think theyre getting getz/perry to sign as ufas
- sensnucksnocups

People like you, Systemtool,and Burke that put up a good fight for top prize.

can someone tell me what all this e4 e5 stuff means that Ek puts at the ends of his blogs
- OilerFanFromBC

What is the E-System (e1, e2, e3, etc.)?

The E-System was devised with the intelligent hockey fan in mind as a way for Eklund to give subtle clues to rumors that are posted, as well as to gauge the likelihood of a rumor turning into an actual trade or free agent signing.

E1 - This is a rumor that comes from a single reliable source not in any way directly connected to the players or teams involved.
E2 - This rumor is simply more than one reliable sources not in any way directly connected to the players or teams involved and not connected to each other. It does not have to equate to two E1's. It could be several E1's.
E3 - This rumor comes from a single source with ties somehow to the players or teams involved.
E4 - This rumor comes from more than one source with ties to the players or teams involved.
E5 - This rumor comes from source telling Eklund the deal is 100% done and just has not been announced yet.

Luongo, Kesler + Raymond for Bozak, Franson, MacArthur + Frattin
- Scooby_Doo

Fixed