Toronto media soft on Burke
October 15, 2009 · 10 Comments
If you’re waiting for a Toronto hockey commentator to rap Brian Burke for the horrendous start of the Toronto Maple Leafs, don’t hold your breath.
Through force of personality and, as Sun Media’s Steve Simmons acknowledged this week on TSN, an element of intimidation, Burke has become an untouchable in Toronto.
And that’s unfortunate, because more than anyone else in the Leaf organization, Burke, the general manager, is responsible for what this team is.
The dilemma for the hockey media is that criticizing his moves puts them in an uncomfortable position.
They can’t, with any credibility, cite mistakes he’s made or question his judgment, because they’ve been praising his work for months.
The entire group either endorsed his off-season moves or voiced no criticism.
They either picked the team to make the NHL playoffs or to challenge for a playoff spot.
That, of course, is not going to happen. The Leafs, winless in six starts, are last among the 30 teams and likely to stay there or near the bottom.
During the off-season, the media gave thumbs up to Burke for bringing in free agent defensemen Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin. Some commentators thought the two additions would give the Leafs one of the best bluelines in the league.
Not even close. On a good team Komisarek is not a front line defenseman, but rather a No. 3, 4 or 5. Beauchemin, so far, has been weak defensively.
It’s worth noting that the two best free agent defensemen available were NHL veteran Jay Bouwmeester and, from the college ranks, Matt Gilroy. Burke was unable to sign either.
To his credit, he hustled and was able to ink a deal with Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who, if he can stay healthy, may steal a few games for the Leafs.
As for the forwards, the absence of Dominic Moore and Nik Antropov coupled with Burke’s mediocre additions make an already weak forward position even weaker.
Moore is no star, but he’s a superior centre to Matt Stajan, who is the Leafs’ No.1.
Burke said recently he chose not to re-sign Moore, who was available cheaply before training camp, because the team had “moved on”.
It certainly has. Due south.
In an attempt to toughen up a soft team, Burke acquired a couple of guys who can fight. But fighting doesn’t make a team tough. As Pittsburgh Penguin star Sidney Crosby pointed out last weekend, toughness in today’s game is defined by physical play. It is not defined by guys who engage in staged fights.
Still, Burke’s poor decision making would amount to little, and would not merit a lot of scrutiny, if he had not mistakenly viewed the Leafs as a playoff team and then made a trade that will haunt him for years to come.
By giving away the team’s first round draft choice in 2010 and 2011 as well as the No.2 in 2010 to the Boston Bruins for Phil Kessel, he has squandered the team’s future.
Kessel could turn out to be a forward for scores 30 to 40 goals a season, and is defensively responsible. Or he could be Jason Blake.
This much we know. He is not physical, he is weak defensively and he is prone to physical ailments.
We also know this: Unless a non-playoff team (which is what the Leafs have been for the past four years) receives a Crosby type player in a trade, it does not – like never — give up a first round draft choice.
The Toronto media didn’t see it that way. They were enthusiastic about the Kessel deal.
A few days ago, Damien Cox, the Toronto Star’s hockey columnist, used the word “aggressive” to describe Burke’s giving up the two first rounders and a second for Kessel.
Aggressive? That’s a little like describing a guy speeding headlong into traffic on Toronto’s 401 expressway as aggressive.
Burke’s trade was high-risk, reckless and irresponsible.
A smart general manager, without Burke’s ego and impulsiveness, would have taken a pass on Kessel. He would have sat back and watched the season unfold.
Another losing season would have been, well, unfortunate, but it would have produced a reward in June — a lottery pick. That’s how championship teams are built. With high draft picks in June.
The 2010 draft is described by an NHL source as “excellent”. The two top prospects are Taylor Hall, a forward with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL, and Tyler Seguin, another OHL forward with the Plymouth Whalers.
Absent the Kessel trade, one of these players — a young star with a brilliant future — would likely be with the Leafs next year. Instead, he’ll end up in Boston.
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Nice to have your incisive and incendiary comments available in the ether again.
Wonderful!
SO great to see your words again.
Welcome back. It’s a treat to read unfettered and intelligent analyses of the sports environment.
Although I’m a Habs fan I do feel for the “Leaf Nation” and Burke should be taken to task, particularly by
Toronto sports writers and announcers.
Well said. While I’ve never been a big fan of Brian Burke, I still believe he was the best AVAILABLE GM the Leafs could have signed when they desperately needed to make a change. Since arriving I’ve enjoyed his interviews and must admit I got caught up in the fever of his off-season maneuvering. Having said this, I’ve been shaking my head at most of his moves. Beauchemin, and Komisarek would have been great pickups if the weren’t so expensive. Kessel probably will be a star, but the price was too steep. As for team “truculence”, he seems to have instilled this quality in management but the team has shown no sign of the toughness he promised they would show. No draft choices, capped out, nothing to trade, last place … the fickle Toronto media will wake up soon. I hope he’s a thick skinned as he says he is.
TC
http://leafsandstuff.blogspot.com/
TC, I have to disagree. Scotty Bowman was the best possible candidate for the Leafs GM postion, but they would not give him full control of the team as was his demand (to take the job).
Too bad for them! I don’t even feel sorry for them. Look what Burke did to the Ducks before leaving them. I am only surprised that he didn’t trade Ryan to the Leafs before bolting to GM THE LEAFS!
I’m just so sick of everybody and their brother praising Burke and claiming he is such “the perfect GM” and that he does “things the right way”.
Look to Detroit if you want to see things done the right way.
“They either picked the team to make the NHL playoffs or to challenge for a playoff spot.
That, of course, is not going to happen. The Leafs, winless in six starts, are last among the 30 teams and likely to stay there or near the bottom.”
How can you make a statement like that so early on in the season? The Philadelphia Flyers went winless in their first 6 games last season yet they went on to finish 5th in the East and lost to the eventual champion Penguins in the first round. I am not saying the Leafs have the talent Philly had but to flat out say that Toronto will not compete for a spot less than 3 weeks into the season is shameful.
On the Kessel deal, no responsible journalist can say this was a good/bad deal yet because #81 has yet to play a game this season and the draft picks given up for him will not be known until June, even then, who knows if those picks will translate into bonafide NHLer’s.
It is so obvious that the author of this post has a problem with Brian Burke that he is trying to find ways to criticize the man with no facts, evidence, proof, etc.
Will Brian Burke’s early moves stultify the growth of this team in the long run? Maybe. But to suggest that Burke has or has not hurt this team right now is downright laughable. If you’re looking for non-bias journalism you’ve come to the wrong place.
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