Brian Burke carries the hopes of Leaf Nation
Everyone is expecting Burke to turn things around, unfortunately the Leafs will need more then a new GM to become cup-worthy. The Cliff Fletched Train Wreck will haunt Leaf Fans for years to come. Nevertheless, Brian Burke is a step in the right directions. Here’s some of his highlights
Toughness: Burke believes in muscle, not fancy pants European style hockey. “I make no apologies for that. Our teams play a North American game. We’re throwbacks. It’s black-and-blue hockey. It’s going to be more physical hockey here than people are used to.”
The draft: While his time with the Canucks resulted in no NHL picks, Burke has a history of working hard to form relationships and most importantly, Burke realizes the importance of the draft. This is the guy who picked up Chris Pronger from nowhere, Marek Malik, Nolan Pratt and Manny Legace. He approaches the draft like a game of chess, and this is something the Leafs need right now, new talent.
The end of the untouchables: Burke has said that he will not allow “no free trade clauses”, you know, the ones Ferguson loved so much, he gave them to Mats Sundin, Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Darcy Tucker and Bryan McCabe. Finaly we can get back to a team where players have to prove themselves during each and every game, not just before they sign their contract.
Burke has full control: In an odd move, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has handed over full control to Burke. Perhaps MLSE has realized that their meddling has damaged the team, Burke now has an arrangement similar to the Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo.
Burke is not afraid to start over: The Leafs need a tear down, before they can start again. And Burke is the guy for the Job. In Vancouver he traded Pavel Bure in a seven-player deal with Florida that brought defenceman Ed Jovanovski to the team. In the 1999 draft Burke traded Bryan Mccabe and two third rounders for a first overall draft pick, this helped him get the Sedin twins.
What do you think should be his first moves? He needs to totally rebuild the Leafs scouting organization. He also needs some good trades, I say get rid of Kaberle and Ponikarovsky, and bring in some good prospects, like Bobby Ryan from Anaheim. He should try and get Marian Hossa, and stay away from Sundin!
Burke was a bomb in Vancouver and he’s going to be a bomb in Toronto too. They will always be the Toronto Make Me Laughs. Why doesn’t sportnet cover the Canadiens more often?
I’ve been bleeding blue since the early 70’s, born to late for the glory years of the cups in the 60’s, but old enough to endure the mismanagement of the Leafs through the Harold Ballard reign, Cliff Fletcher x 2, The Pat Quinn era, and Ferguson, plus many I . Burke has shown he can build a team that can at least compete, it can’t get much worse. It’s sad but true, but in Toronto it does not matter if the Leafs win or lose there will always be fans in the seats willing to pay for mediocrity.
I’ve been bleeding blue since the early 70’s, born to late for the glory years of the cups in the 60’s, but old enough to endure the mismanagement of the Leafs through the Harold Ballard reign, Cliff Fletcher x 2, The Pat Quinn era, and Ferguson, plus the unmentioned. Burke has shown he can build a team that can at least compete, it can’t get much worse. It’s sad but true, but in Toronto it does not matter if the Leafs win or lose there will always be fans in the seats willing to pay for mediocrity.
The second thing Burke should do is shut his idiot coach’s mouth we are not back in the dark ages as far as i know. the reason i said second is because off that big big trade he has made for May
he is a bomb
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