The Brian Burke Thread

[Guilt Trip]

I don't think it's a like/dislike situation at this point.  If prices were high yesterday, then Burke should have sold to build for the future.  At some point spots have to be opened up for guys like Frattin, Kadri and Colborne.  IF you don't think they can play in the NHL, then deal them for something else.  Not moving guys like MacArthur and Kulemin yesterday does seem a bit weird.  I might understand not trading Kulemin, because it may be hard to draft a guy like him even in the first round, but MacArthur I don't get.  You signed this guy for nothing, if you can turn him in to a 2nd or a late first rounder, then why not do it?

Because Mac is a 20 goal scorer and they don't grow on trees. The odds of a late 1st/early second scoring 20 in the NHL isn't that great. Mac can also be packaged in the summer for a player that the team needs sooner rather then later.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Let us get this straight...if the Leafs make the playoffs, Brian Burke will have looked like a genius for not having traded half the team for a superstar, and, if the Leafs don't make the playoffs, he will look like a dunce for having done absolutely nothing major...


Am I correct, for simplicity's sake? 

 

[Guilt Trip]

Most likely...People will complain regardless of outcome.

 

[lc9]

Burke is full of crap if you ask me.

Talking about pressure on his team during the deadline and that its murder for players in toronto are you friggin kidding me?  This is the biggest joke i have heard

I agree with this.  How does trade talk make Gustavson deflect a shot that is going wide into his net?

I am not buying, for one second, that the Leafs have lost 8 out of 9 because of rumors and the media. 

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Regarding the Leafs being the youngest team in the league, with the call-up of Frattin and Colorado trading Winnick and Galiardi, they should return to the youngest team spot.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I agree with this.  How does trade talk make Gustavson deflect a shot that is going wide into his net?

I think you're micro-analyzing that a bit there.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Of course his mistake is saying anything public... the exact case and point as to why they are trying to come up with this type of idea in the first place.... media and hyper active fans jumping on tidbits of info and running around with it like naked drunk frat boys.

Yeah, JFJ was ripped and it became a joke the whole confirm/ deny crap. So Burke is damned if he talks and damned if he doesn't say anything.

 

[cw]

I agree with this.  How does trade talk make Gustavson deflect a shot that is going wide into his net?

and after all these years, I thought it was a team sport .. 

 

[bustaheims]

I agree with this.  How does trade talk make Gustavson deflect a shot that is going wide into his net?

Distractions lead to a lack of focus. Lack of focus leads to mental errors. Mental errors lead to careless mistakes. Careless mistakes lead to pucks that are going wide being deflected into your own net.

 

[Redleaf]

Wow. The natives are getting restless. This is exactly the type of reaction that lead previous GMs to make those stupid deals at the deadline in the past.

Be thankful Burke isn't listening to most of the nay sayers and media 'experts'  right now and following his plan regardless of all this scuttlebutt.

I don't care how long its been since the Leafs have been to the playoffs. Patience is still in order for a while yet.

I have all kinds of time for Burke and his blueprint. He's shown on a consistent basis that he intends to build this team in small increments where most of his trades have a means to an end.

And BTW this team is the largest hockey fishbowl on the planet, currently possessing one of the youngest teams, currently fighting for their 1st playoff spot in nearly 8 years, and just getting over the largest media circus a pro team can have with the 'NHL trade deadline day'. For those of you saying pressure isn't an issue, they're absolutely wrong.

 

[rdowdall]

I don't think it's a like/dislike situation at this point.  If prices were high yesterday, then Burke should have sold to build for the future.  At some point spots have to be opened up for guys like Frattin, Kadri and Colborne.  IF you don't think they can play in the NHL, then deal them for something else.  Not moving guys like MacArthur and Kulemin yesterday does seem a bit weird.  I might understand not trading Kulemin, because it may be hard to draft a guy like him even in the first round, but MacArthur I don't get.  You signed this guy for nothing, if you can turn him in to a 2nd or a late first rounder, then why not do it?

Because Mac is a 20 goal scorer and they don't grow on trees. The odds of a late 1st/early second scoring 20 in the NHL isn't that great. Mac can also be packaged in the summer for a player that the team needs sooner rather then later.

But the first isn't to replace MacArthur.  Kadri, Colbourne, Frattin, or even Armstrong is the player that is going to replace MacArthur.  The first is the piece that is used to draft an asset to be groomed for the future.

 

[Corn Flake]

And BTW this team is the largest hockey fishbowl on the planet, currently possessing one of the youngest teams, currently fighting for their 1st playoff spot in nearly 8 years, and just getting over the largest media circus a pro team can have with the 'NHL deadline day'. For those of you saying pressure isn't an issue, they're absolutely wrong.

Look at what pressure and insane amounts of distraction did to the Habs this year.  Basically the same team that was a playoff team last year is turned to mush this year, goes into disarray over the new coach who can't speak French and then into complete bizarro world.  Just another example of a fishbowl market where distractions start the ball rolling downhill fast.

 

[Kin]

I don't care how long its been since the Leafs have been to the playoffs. Patience is still in order for a while yet.

As I said yesterday, the difference between patience and complacency is progress. This team is not showing an acceptable amount of progress and, to me, that makes any kind of wait and see attitude misplaced.

 

[lc9]

I agree with this.  How does trade talk make Gustavson deflect a shot that is going wide into his net?

I think you're micro-analyzing that a bit there.

Less offensive than suggesting correlation=causation. 

I'm not suggesting the rumors didn't play a role, but there is a much bigger problem...for any team...when you lose 8 out of 9.  They just aren't a very good hockey team.

The media/rumors is one of 1,000 excuses being thrown around lately. 

 

[Kin]

How is it a joke?

There are 3 sports TV networks, two sports radio stations, four major newspapers, two weekly magazines and 5 billion blogs out there covering this team.  Are your expectations that these players should have some sort of super-human powers, capable of not hearing or being at all distracted by trade talk, rumors, all sorts of vile opinions on their performances, etc etc etc?

Please don't give us this "they are millionaires paid to be under the microscope" stuff because it's hogwash.

Hopefully, the players aren't you or I. The players are under no obligation to read blogs or listen to sports talk radio. Millions of people who live in Toronto go through their entire days without reading, watching or listening to anything Leafs related. Everything I've ever seen of player's lives indicates they're not sitting around reading hockey trade rumours on Twitter.

The only thing that's unavoidable is interacting with the media and there's really no difference there between Toronto and New York. Saying otherwise with any kind of certainty is just hogwash.

 

[Redleaf]

I don't care how long its been since the Leafs have been to the playoffs. Patience is still in order for a while yet.

As I said yesterday, the difference between patience and complacency is progress. This team is not showing an acceptable amount of progress and, to me, that makes any kind of wait and see attitude misplaced.

Then you and I have a different view of what progress is. Without getting into a long deep conversion about it, you really only need to look at what this team was when Burke took over. Yes. I get its been 4 years, but I see progress in every single facet of this team.

 

[Kin]

Then you and I have a different view of what progress is. Without getting into a long deep conversion about it, you really only need to look at what this team was when Burke took over. Yes. I get its been 4 years, but I see progress in every single facet of this team.

Last year the team had 85 points. This year they're on pace for 86. If that counts as progress enough to show patience in then I can't dissuade you of that notion but don't try to suggest anyone who thinks it's insufficient is somehow impatient.

 

[Redleaf]

Then you and I have a different view of what progress is. Without getting into a long deep conversion about it, you really only need to look at what this team was when Burke took over. Yes. I get its been 4 years, but I see progress in every single facet of this team.

Last year the team had 85 points. This year they're on pace for 86. If that counts as progress enough to show patience in then I can't dissuade you of that notion but don't try to suggest anyone who thinks it's insufficient is somehow impatient.

I guess we'll have to see how accurate 'on pace for' is by years end if thats your only measuring stick for progress.

 

[Kin]

I guess we'll have to see how accurate 'on pace for' is by years end if thats your only measuring stick for progress.

Dream catchers are not measuring sticks.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I'm not suggesting the rumors didn't play a role, but there is a much bigger problem...for any team...when you lose 8 out of 9.  They just aren't a very good hockey team.

The media/rumors is one of 1,000 excuses being thrown around lately. 

See Busta's explanation above, I think that is pretty much how it happens. The whole team has to have their head in the game, it's a team sport.