The Brian Burke Thread

[maplesyrup]

anyone listen? Did he say anything worth listening too?

He said Luongo ain't happening. Has had zero conversations with Gillis about him or any other player on his roster.

So it's happening.....   I realize Burke can't say anything about a player under contract but "ain't happening" means "not right now as it can't without a new CBA" and "zero conversations with Gillis" means not in the last hour/day/week/month - you choose. And that's BS anyway as Burke has never talked to Gillis about Luongo?  That's a poor GM then - or perhaps it was the Asst GM to Asst GM...

Listen to the interview... He said while he's not allowed to talk about other players, he said there's nothing stopping him from talking about conversations that never happened and he seemed pretty genuine there when he said they've never happened. 

 

[LuncheonMeat]

anyone listen? Did he say anything worth listening too?

He said Luongo ain't happening. Has had zero conversations with Gillis about him or any other player on his roster.

So it's happening.....   I realize Burke can't say anything about a player under contract but "ain't happening" means "not right now as it can't without a new CBA" and "zero conversations with Gillis" means not in the last hour/day/week/month - you choose. And that's BS anyway as Burke has never talked to Gillis about Luongo?  That's a poor GM then - or perhaps it was the Asst GM to Asst GM...

I thought one of the points from Elliotte Friedman's last '30 thoughts' column was telling: 

19. I think the only members of the Canucks organization who haven't scouted the Toronto Marlies are the Odds.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opinion/2012/11/30-thoughts-holding-the-line-on-contracts.html

 

[Tigger]

anyone listen? Did he say anything worth listening too?

He said Luongo ain't happening. Has had zero conversations with Gillis about him or any other player on his roster.

So it's happening.....   I realize Burke can't say anything about a player under contract but "ain't happening" means "not right now as it can't without a new CBA" and "zero conversations with Gillis" means not in the last hour/day/week/month - you choose. And that's BS anyway as Burke has never talked to Gillis about Luongo?  That's a poor GM then - or perhaps it was the Asst GM to Asst GM...

Listen to the interview... He said while he's not allowed to talk about other players, he said there's nothing stopping him from talking about conversations that never happened and he seemed pretty genuine there when he said they've never happened.

In the interview I'm pretty sure he says 'there's no deal in place', not that they haven't talked, fwiw.

 

[maplesyrup]

anyone listen? Did he say anything worth listening too?

He said Luongo ain't happening. Has had zero conversations with Gillis about him or any other player on his roster.

So it's happening.....   I realize Burke can't say anything about a player under contract but "ain't happening" means "not right now as it can't without a new CBA" and "zero conversations with Gillis" means not in the last hour/day/week/month - you choose. And that's BS anyway as Burke has never talked to Gillis about Luongo?  That's a poor GM then - or perhaps it was the Asst GM to Asst GM...

Listen to the interview... He said while he's not allowed to talk about other players, he said there's nothing stopping him from talking about conversations that never happened and he seemed pretty genuine there when he said they've never happened.

In the interview I'm pretty sure he says 'there's no deal in place', not that they haven't talked, fwiw.

I'd have to hear it again. Either way, I was left with the impression there just isn't any interest at the moment.

 

[Beowulf]

I pray that he genuinely doesn't have any interest in Luongo.

 

[Boston Leaf]

I pray that he genuinely doesn't have any interest in Luongo.

me too

 

[Justin]

Luongo would be the absolute wrong move for the Leafs. Not only that, but all signs from Burke's history accurately point to him having no interest in this player. Let's end this charade of Luongo speculation, please. 

 

[ZBBM]

To be honest, I don't think there's much truth-value to be gleaned from parsing a BB interview at this stage.  If the CBA were solved at 3:00pm tomorrow afternoon you could have Burke and Gillis announcing a Luongo deal at 4:00....

 

[hockeyfan1]

A meaningful gesture for humanity...raisng $ and awareness for the homeless....

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/downtown-toronto-maple-leafs-gm-brian-burke-slept-212424275--nhl.html

 

[Redleaf]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

 

[rdowdall]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

 

[Justin]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

He traderaped the Ducks TWICE, got Phaneuf for nothing, found someone to take Lebda, got Colborne, a 1st, and a 2nd for Kaberle who went to shit right after the trade, got Liles for only a 2nd, and received a 1st and a 3rd for shitty Versteeg. Burke has a very good trade record.

 

[Bender]

Funny enough I actually disagree with Tim Connolly being number 2. I mean, he played one year and he's off the books in the event of a season ending lockout. Basically: Who cares? It was a failed gamble but hardly something that handcuffed the team like the Komi deal or atrocious goaltending. I'd rename it as an inability to find talented centres.

 

[Kin]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

I agree and I think the article kind of reveals that when it lists his five "best" moves. Most of them rely on Enron-style accounting putting future profits on the books right now. I mean...if the Phaneuf trade is his second best deal then it's not a trade record to brag about to anyone.

 

[Redleaf]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

The Beauchemin trade for Lupul and Gardiner was pure robbery. Can anyone think of a bigger heist over the past few years in the NHL? Anaheim was fleeced in that deal, and that, at least to me, makes up the for slim pickings that he's picked up in free agency.

 

[dappleganger]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

The Beauchemin trade for Lupul and Gardiner was pure robbery. Can anyone think of a bigger heist over the past few years in the NHL? Anaheim was fleeced in that deal, and that, at least to me, makes up the for slim pickings that he's picked up in free agency.

What was a bigger fleece? The Beauchemin trade or the Kessel trade?

 

[Kin]

The Beauchemin trade for Lupul and Gardiner was pure robbery. Can anyone think of a bigger heist over the past few years in the NHL? Anaheim was fleeced in that deal, and that, at least to me, makes up the for slim pickings that he's picked up in free agency.

I think that deal all depends on how you see Lupul. I think it'd be impossible to look at that deal and not acknowledge that Anaheim would have seen Lupul as a player who they wanted to get rid of primarily for salary/health concerns. The fact that he was productive last year and healthy, or at least healthy with regards to his back, makes it look like a really good trade but I don't know if that's the final word on it.

To look at it another way, if the lockout lasts the whole season then Lupul will be a UFA when things are resolved. Would you be confident giving him a long term deal that paid him like he was a PPG player? I wouldn't. It was a good deal, and looks like a great deal if Lupul is healthy and Gardiner develops the way he could, but I don't know how amazing it looks going forward.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

The Beauchemin trade for Lupul and Gardiner was pure robbery. Can anyone think of a bigger heist over the past few years in the NHL? Anaheim was fleeced in that deal, and that, at least to me, makes up the for slim pickings that he's picked up in free agency.

What was a bigger fleece? The Beauchemin trade or the Kessel trade?

Given Kessel is a superstar and Hamilton hasn't done anything in the NHL yet, the Beauchemin trade, Boston wins the Kessel deal, but the Leafs received a franchise player so no matter what it's not nothing.

Jake Gardiner is a hell of a player and Lupul has been great.

 

[Redleaf]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

The Beauchemin trade for Lupul and Gardiner was pure robbery. Can anyone think of a bigger heist over the past few years in the NHL? Anaheim was fleeced in that deal, and that, at least to me, makes up the for slim pickings that he's picked up in free agency.

What was a bigger fleece? The Beauchemin trade or the Kessel trade?

You're kidding, right? Burke ended up with Kessel. It wasn't cheap, but he got a potential 50 goal scorer when all is said and done. Anaheim got Beauchemin back. What was your question again?

 

[Champ Kind]

A four year breakdown.......

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/01/pressure-will-be-on-leafs-gm-burke

I disagree with this statement:

"That said, he has clearly been a winner in his trades, helping to balance off the shortcomings in free agency."

The Beauchemin trade for Lupul and Gardiner was pure robbery. Can anyone think of a bigger heist over the past few years in the NHL? Anaheim was fleeced in that deal, and that, at least to me, makes up the for slim pickings that he's picked up in free agency.

What was a bigger fleece? The Beauchemin trade or the Kessel trade?

My mother always told me to never answer a question with a question, but here I go anyway:

What was a bigger fleece, the Kessel deal or the Kaberle deal?

(We can all play this game if we want)