Burke Fired

[Deebo]

Friedman says that this decision was made this morning, Burke was scheduled to attend the BoG meeting today.

 

[maplesyrup]

I'm more inclined to believe Nonis would follow Burke wherever he goes. Anyway, I'd really hate to see wanting to or not wanting to trade for Luongo be the reason here.

 

[Tigger]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger

Timing of Burke dismissal very odd. He and all brass were at Marlies game last night in Hamilton. Truth will surface. Something fishy.



I'm with PG, this isn't hockey related.

I think we can say bye to Carlyle too.  Hello Coach Eakins!

Probably not, there's little reason to fire Carlyle at this point.

 

[lamajama]

I doubt that. In all likelihood, Nonis will be taking over, and he and Burke had a similar visions for the team.

Which would have me even more confused.  If you are getting rid of Burke for the team's performance, it doesn't make sense to promote his right-hand man to the position.  You'd think they'd undertake a huge cleanse. 

But then it could justify some of the posters' beliefs that this isn't hockey related.

That would be an expensive cleanse with all 15 Asst's too.

 

[Sudafederov]

Simmons and Feschuk must be doing a jig

 

[Joe S.]

I doubt that. In all likelihood, Nonis will be taking over, and he and Burke had a similar visions for the team.

Which would have me even more confused.  If you are getting rid of Burke for the team's performance, it doesn't make sense to promote his right-hand man to the position.  You'd think they'd undertake a huge cleanse. 

There's precedent for it. 

That's why, the more I think about this, the more I'm agreeing with the speculation that this is not hockey related.

 

[lamajama]

I'm more inclined to believe Nonis would follow Burke wherever he goes. Anyway, I'd really hate to see wanting to or not wanting to trade for Luongo be the reason here.

You think so? I don't know if there is any other team that could afford to be so top-heavy in management people or salaries...but I get your point.

 

[Kin]

Which would have me even more confused.  If you are getting rid of Burke for the team's performance, it doesn't make sense to promote his right-hand man to the position.  You'd think they'd undertake a huge cleanse. 

Not necessarily. Being the #2 guy doesn't mean you're necessarily on the same page regarding strategy or direction.

 

[Mr. Leaf]

I think I am almost in a state of shock after hearing about this!  I will miss Burke because I thought he was doing a good job of rebuilding the Leafs and he was always an entertaining interview.  I don't know yet if I just want to see Nonis promoted to GM or if I'd rather they bring in someone from the outside for a fresh, new perspective.  I hope the reason behind the firing comes out.

 

[bustaheims]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Dave Nonis is the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unclear whether that is interim or unconditional appointment.

 

[ZBBM]

Which would have me even more confused.  If you are getting rid of Burke for the team's performance, it doesn't make sense to promote his right-hand man to the position.  You'd think they'd undertake a huge cleanse. 

But then it could justify some of the posters' beliefs that this isn't hockey related.

I imagine if they were going the full front office cleanse route, we'd have heard about that by now. Nonis is a prominent enough hockey guy that it would be newsworthy, and you'd think his connections to Dreger would have lead to that getting out by now.

Unless they haven't decided his fate yet.  Sounds like they do things rather abruptly.

EDIT: Or it could be that they have already promoted him! 

 

[drummond]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Dave Nonis is the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unclear whether that is interim or unconditional appointment.

Unfortunatelly Luongo will not be interim solution

 

[Corn Flake]

Joking aside, I have to say I'm relatively torn on this one. On the one hand, I really liked Brian Burke in the abstract. I think he was a guy who I very much liked having as the public face of the hockey club and who I respected even when I disagreed with.

On the other...his record justifies this. The team is not in a particularly good place and people's dreams of a return to respectability via UFA's and trading for people with terrible contracts is a reflection of the crummy state Burke has left the club in.

If the record justifies it then that is fair, but this should have been done in May/June last year, not 3 days before a completely frantic race to the start of a shortened season gets under way.  MLSE would have had 8 months to replace him.  Ridiculous to fire him now based on how the last 4 years have gone.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Dave Nonis is the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unclear whether that is interim or unconditional appointment.

That would be the most prudent thing to do IMO. Whether he stays or not, I have my doubts, unless of course, Brian had something to do with it.

 

[ZBBM]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger

Timing of Burke dismissal very odd. He and all brass were at Marlies game last night in Hamilton. Truth will surface. Something fishy.



I'm with PG, this isn't hockey related.

I think we can say bye to Carlyle too.  Hello Coach Eakins!

Probably not, there's little reason to fire Carlyle at this point.

Now that Nonis has been anointed, you are probably right.  Although who knows?

 

[mc]

I think whoever comes in, cleans house, Leafs tank and draft 1st overall in this talent heavy draft???

 

[Corn Flake]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Dave Nonis is the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unclear whether that is interim or unconditional appointment.

That would be the most prudent thing to do IMO. Whether he stays or not, I have my doubts, unless of course, Brian had something to do with it.

Definitely the least amount of upheaval possible given we are 3 days from GMs being able to do their jobs.


edit: This is the path that Nonis took when he took over in Van.. Burke was disliked and fired by the new owner, gave Nonis the job.

This is still wacky.  Bizarre timing.

 

[Kin]

If the record justifies it then that is fair, but this should have been done in May/June last year, not 3 days before a completely frantic race to the start of a shortened season gets under way.  MLSE would have had 8 months to replace him.  Ridiculous to fire him now based on how the last 4 years have gone.

Different owners though. It's not all that uncommon for new ownership to evaluate their new employees and make changes.

 

[KW Sluggo]

I doubt that. In all likelihood, Nonis will be taking over, and he and Burke had a similar visions for the team.

Which would have me even more confused.  If you are getting rid of Burke for the team's performance, it doesn't make sense to promote his right-hand man to the position.  You'd think they'd undertake a huge cleanse. 

But then it could justify some of the posters' beliefs that this isn't hockey related.

The problem with your argument is that it's based on logic.

In the Bizzaro Ballardo world it is axiomatic that despite an abysmal 4 year record, the GM is retained, allowed to sack and replavce the coach (long term contact too) and then is fired days before the start of a lock out delayed and severly truncated season and as evidence of ownership's dissatisfaction with BB's management style and direction, it follows that elevating Nonis is the only course.

Just yesterday I thought MLSE had acted strange by firing the TFC coach and hiring a replacement who will be playing soccer in Britain for the first two months or so of our season.

Today, MLSE showed consistency if nothing else.

Just nuts.

Last year sure: sh*tcan Burke with a mountain of justification ..... but you don't do this, not now.

 

[harps64]

Mats Sundin please!