The sensational beheading of the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke yesterday provided an electrifying start to the 2013 season along with the kind of finish all hockey fans needed to the stultifying months of the NHL lockout. No one saw this coming....not Brian Burke, not Dave Nonis, not the media and not me.
When Brian Burke went to manage the Leafs 4 years ago he was asked about what it would take to turn the Leafs into a winner. Confident as always, as is necessary, to his answer, he added the remark that ultimately describes the depth of his experience after decades in the game...."if management gives me the time." The management that hired him gave the time, contractually speaking, but the management team that fired him is not the same one. ( Bell and Rogers announced they were buying a 75-percent stake of MLSE last August). Most know that new bosses often clean house to make way for staff that they know and trust. But this considered, unless there are underlying reasons that no one is privy to except the inner, top management team of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, this firing is a beautiful target for mud slinging and fair game for many rounds of analysis.
We still don't know why one of the most dedicated, experienced, passionate, successful, controversial and best known managers in all the world of hockey was summarily dismissed yesterday, ten days before the start of the season and with 2 years to go on a multi million dollar contract. The applauders can point to the lack of playoff success, the questionable wisdom of trading away valuable draft picks to aquire Phil Kessel, the parachute like implementation of Dion Phaneuf as team captain, and the accusation that the the Leafs of today are no better than the Leafs of 4 years ago, especially if one is looking down center ice and onward toward the Leafs' net. ( Meaning that the Leafs don't have a brand name center nor goalie.)
But a more philosophical analyst would point out that building a winning team out of a perennial loser is a time consuming balancing act at the best of times. The GM has to put a certain number of corner stones in place fairly early in his tenure and then fill in the remaining bricks as best he can over the following seasons as they become available, all the while reacting to the on going ups and downs of injuries, scandals, bad luck and other unforseen situations.
GM's that get fired often get to watch their replacements reap the rewards of firees efforts, Ask Brian Murray about that, or ask Dave Nonis.
Speaking of Dave Nonis, if MLSE didn't like the moves that Brian Burke made, why didn't they whack the guy that helped make those moves. Everyone knows that Nonis and Burke are a tight and loyal team. Maybe the bean counters thought that since Dave was in place they didn't need Brian..I'm not sure how Brian's buyout clause reads.....but that can't be it because every one knows that the Leafs' are awash in money and the GM's contract doesn't have to come in under the cap....So one could say that Brian helped facilitate his early demise by having an assistant in place that is TOO GOOD!
As for my never humble opinion, the prudent thing for MLSE management to have done would have been to stand by and watch the GM do what he was hired to do for for the length of time it takes to get it done. After all, if the Leafs are no closer to a cup now than they were 3, 4, 5 or 40 years ago....at least they are no farther away. The stands are full, the season start imminent.....folks, this firing makes no sense. Yep, well it's a world gone mad and sports reflects that so lets play hockey you might say.
Well then, will Dave pull the trigger on the what will surely be the most dramatic trade of this truncated season? Will the guy that brought Roberto Luongo to Vancouver bring that same goalie to Toronto? Many say yes. If money is no object then why not bring the best, brand name goalie on the market to the biggest, hockey market in the world that needs a brand name goalie? The answer is, because its not just about money. The Canucks aren't getting rid of Luongo to dump salary. They are getting rid of Luongo because...uh....well actually it's not clear why they are getting rid of Luongo....nor if they even are. Mike Gillis has said repeatedly that he really likes having two good goalies. I wrote last spring when the "trade Luongo drums" became thunderous that it makes no sense to trade Luongo...and Mike Gillis has a lot of sense. Also, the cap squeeze that the Canucks felt last spring has eased a little because several players that were part of that squeeze have popped out...Sami Salo signing in Florida is a case in point. So now the Canucks are in exactly the place that they were in last season. They have two very good goalies...and they can afford them as well. Just like the LA Kings for example, who with an injured cup winning Jonathon Quick are very glad to have Jonothan Bernier ready to go.
The Leafs are in a different spot. James Reimer has shown glimpses of brilliance and Ben Scrivens has yet to get a big break at the NHL level and was not a high draft pick. But eviscerating the Leafs roster to get Luongo makes no sense to me from Toronto's stand point which is why Burke didn't want to do it. The price is just too costly to the roster...not only to the cap hit.
Right so here's what makes Canucks fans scream and Leaf fans dream. The Canucks should trade Cory Schneider to the Leafs for James Reimer, Tyler Bozak and sting 'em for a draft pick as well. Both teams have their brand name goalies with backups. The Canucks don't need Luongo's permission. Both teams are under the cap. The Canucks have their second line center and an ace in the pocket for giving up a brand name goalie for prospects. Ok so talk amongst yourselves!
When Brian Burke went to manage the Leafs 4 years ago he was asked about what it would take to turn the Leafs into a winner. Confident as always, as is necessary, to his answer, he added the remark that ultimately describes the depth of his experience after decades in the game...."if management gives me the time." The management that hired him gave the time, contractually speaking, but the management team that fired him is not the same one. ( Bell and Rogers announced they were buying a 75-percent stake of MLSE last August). Most know that new bosses often clean house to make way for staff that they know and trust. But this considered, unless there are underlying reasons that no one is privy to except the inner, top management team of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, this firing is a beautiful target for mud slinging and fair game for many rounds of analysis.
We still don't know why one of the most dedicated, experienced, passionate, successful, controversial and best known managers in all the world of hockey was summarily dismissed yesterday, ten days before the start of the season and with 2 years to go on a multi million dollar contract. The applauders can point to the lack of playoff success, the questionable wisdom of trading away valuable draft picks to aquire Phil Kessel, the parachute like implementation of Dion Phaneuf as team captain, and the accusation that the the Leafs of today are no better than the Leafs of 4 years ago, especially if one is looking down center ice and onward toward the Leafs' net. ( Meaning that the Leafs don't have a brand name center nor goalie.)
But a more philosophical analyst would point out that building a winning team out of a perennial loser is a time consuming balancing act at the best of times. The GM has to put a certain number of corner stones in place fairly early in his tenure and then fill in the remaining bricks as best he can over the following seasons as they become available, all the while reacting to the on going ups and downs of injuries, scandals, bad luck and other unforseen situations.
GM's that get fired often get to watch their replacements reap the rewards of firees efforts, Ask Brian Murray about that, or ask Dave Nonis.
Speaking of Dave Nonis, if MLSE didn't like the moves that Brian Burke made, why didn't they whack the guy that helped make those moves. Everyone knows that Nonis and Burke are a tight and loyal team. Maybe the bean counters thought that since Dave was in place they didn't need Brian..I'm not sure how Brian's buyout clause reads.....but that can't be it because every one knows that the Leafs' are awash in money and the GM's contract doesn't have to come in under the cap....So one could say that Brian helped facilitate his early demise by having an assistant in place that is TOO GOOD!
As for my never humble opinion, the prudent thing for MLSE management to have done would have been to stand by and watch the GM do what he was hired to do for for the length of time it takes to get it done. After all, if the Leafs are no closer to a cup now than they were 3, 4, 5 or 40 years ago....at least they are no farther away. The stands are full, the season start imminent.....folks, this firing makes no sense. Yep, well it's a world gone mad and sports reflects that so lets play hockey you might say.
Well then, will Dave pull the trigger on the what will surely be the most dramatic trade of this truncated season? Will the guy that brought Roberto Luongo to Vancouver bring that same goalie to Toronto? Many say yes. If money is no object then why not bring the best, brand name goalie on the market to the biggest, hockey market in the world that needs a brand name goalie? The answer is, because its not just about money. The Canucks aren't getting rid of Luongo to dump salary. They are getting rid of Luongo because...uh....well actually it's not clear why they are getting rid of Luongo....nor if they even are. Mike Gillis has said repeatedly that he really likes having two good goalies. I wrote last spring when the "trade Luongo drums" became thunderous that it makes no sense to trade Luongo...and Mike Gillis has a lot of sense. Also, the cap squeeze that the Canucks felt last spring has eased a little because several players that were part of that squeeze have popped out...Sami Salo signing in Florida is a case in point. So now the Canucks are in exactly the place that they were in last season. They have two very good goalies...and they can afford them as well. Just like the LA Kings for example, who with an injured cup winning Jonathon Quick are very glad to have Jonothan Bernier ready to go.
The Leafs are in a different spot. James Reimer has shown glimpses of brilliance and Ben Scrivens has yet to get a big break at the NHL level and was not a high draft pick. But eviscerating the Leafs roster to get Luongo makes no sense to me from Toronto's stand point which is why Burke didn't want to do it. The price is just too costly to the roster...not only to the cap hit.
Right so here's what makes Canucks fans scream and Leaf fans dream. The Canucks should trade Cory Schneider to the Leafs for James Reimer, Tyler Bozak and sting 'em for a draft pick as well. Both teams have their brand name goalies with backups. The Canucks don't need Luongo's permission. Both teams are under the cap. The Canucks have their second line center and an ace in the pocket for giving up a brand name goalie for prospects. Ok so talk amongst yourselves!
