TRADE DEADLINE TALK: The topsy-turvy world of the Leafs
March 3, 2010 · 22 Comments
A slow morning at the NHL trade deadline made for all talk and no action, or little anyway, for TSN and Rogers Sportsnet.
To fill time, the networks hooked up with hockey personalities, and it worked out pretty well. Sportsnet had a conversation with Gary Roberts, the fitness guru and former NHL star. TSN did a remote with Sidney Crosby, who talked about the Olympics and the acquisition of Toronto Maple Leaf forward Alexei Ponikarvosky.
On the scoop ledger, it was even during the morning. Sportsnet first reported the Derek Morris trade to Phoenix from Boston. TSN countered with the Martin Skouda deal to New Jersey from Toronto, and also the Dennis Seidenberg trade to Boston from Florida. Sportsnet had the Aaron Ward trade to Anaheim from Carolina.
Guest analysts included Mike Peca and Mike Keenan for TSN, and Marty McSorley for Sportsnet. TSN assembled its Reporters panel of Dave Hodge with Damien Cox, Mike Farber and Steve Simmons.
It’s always an education to hear Cox talk hockey and assert his approval of Toronto Maple Leaf general manager Brian Burke. He’s been a Burke supporter from the get-go, enthusing about the talent the Leafs have on the farm and rating the Phil Kessel trade as brilliant.
Based on what Kessel has done with the Leafs, and showed at the Olympic tournament, that assessment doesn’t square with the real world. Truth is, the Kessel trade, for two first round picks, plus a second, going to Boston, was a reckless, irresponsible decision that has set back the team’s development for years.
Still, Cox yesterday continued to express support for Burke’s “blueprint” for success, arguing Kessel could develop into a star. As for the loss of the two first rounders, he said the Leafs just need to compensate by acquiring draft picks from other teams. True, but they won’t be first rounders. They got a fifth for Skoula.
The TSN panel – in fact, nobody in the Toronto sports media that I’ve heard, with the exception of perhaps Bill Watters – did not take Burke to task for the insanity of the Kessel trade.
Simmons did make a valid observation about the upside-down world of Leaf decision making. He noted that a year ago the Leafs, well out of the playoffs, could have played out their losing hand and finished low enough to draft very high.
Instead, they went out and acquired goalie Martin Gerber, who won some games. So, instead of finishing in the top three or four, the Leafs drafted seventh and took Nazem Kadri, who is no sure thing by any means.
What if, instead, the Leafs had continued on their road to mediocrity and drafted third? That gets them Matt Duchene, and the rebuilding begins in earnest.
Fast forward to this season when it makes sense to the Leafs to try to win a few games to keep Boston from picking in the top three. What does Burke do? He cleans house – Pierre McGuire described the talent up front as an AHL lineup — thus basically ensuring Boston will pick in the top two or three, perhaps even No.1 overall. That’s the Leaf blueprint for success.
UPDATE: Slow day at the deadline. Minor deals. No big names. Hockey fans are still withdrawing from the intensity and high level of play at the Olympic tournament. My guess is the audiences figures for both networks will be below average.
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Maybe I'm alone in this – but I find the 8 hour NHL trade deadline extravaganza stuff to be WAY overdone. I'm a big sports fan and I didn't watch any coverage at all. (Although if an interesting trade happened then I would have flipped it on).
I am a Sens fan, and I still don't see anything all that horrible about the Kessel trade. The Leafs got a guaranteed point producer who is still very young, and gave up two lottery tickets. The chances are that one of those picks may be as good as Kessel, but the odds that both of them will be are very slim. Go back and check the history of the last dozen or so first rounds – there are a shocking number of washouts. Only about half of first round picks, slightly more in a good year, ever truly "make it", i.e. become solid NHL regulars.
I did not see any of the TV coverage, but I have seen the "The Reporters" show in the past and it was a complete waste of time. Cox and Simmons irritate me to no end with their no all attitudes, so I am glad I missed it.
Houston, this is outer space. Roger that. While your war, and I mean WAR (CAPITALIZED!), with Fox has its amusements (meaning it's entertaining, in that no one really cares) it sounds to me you're jealous and desire a TV dig. I say do it! And if you happen to be now on TV or were (and I missed it) then please ignore my encouragement. I agree with you though, Burke is overrated and the local press has largely set aside its skepticism. Time will tell. Time is the killer of all things too.
Did Bill say something bad about American Idol, is that why he's at war (WAR) with Fox??
It's 8:20PM and I'm watching James Duthie in the intermission. The guy's been on the air since 8am….3 days after finishing a stint of 17 days straight of mostly 18-hour days in a row at the Olympics. The man must have some serious lieu time coming his way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can tell the poor guy's buggered—could TSN not put somebody…..anybody in the chair for the hockey game? His eyes are bloodshot and he has bags under his eyes for God's sake–at least stay on a wide shot!
I think Duthie is top-notch. Good knowledge combined with a great sense of humour and equally as good timing. Cheers to him for a job well done. ..and man, you are right! He needs time off!
There was one moment on air when Pang was in the chair on the set, and Duthie said "we have not had a proper introduction for you, so let me be the first to welcome you to the set" only to be told that he had been on the set earlier. Obviously, fatigue had set in, but TSN figured a fatigued Duthie is better than an alert Hodge.
What got me about the trade deadline coverage is that it seemed nobody at TSN wanted to be there. Pierre Maguire seemed like he was still sleeping…Dave Hodge obviously wasn't feeling well – sounding like he was at a tavern…Duthie seemed sick of himself on a television screen; at one moment I think he even said that people are sick of his face…Maguire and Dutchy close up was just plain creepy…Mike Peca didn't fit in and will someone please tell Matthew Barnaby that he isn't God's gift to hockey…
They just came of three weeks of 15 hour days. I don't think you'd want to be there either. Fatigue does set in after a while.
Pierre McGuire sleeps?
Nice to see Mr. Houston take on the scary monster which is the TML. Cox has lost the majority of whatever integrity he ever had. His sucking up to Burke is a pure backlash-saving gesture. Maguire has also been in the Burke love-in camp. Would've been nice for Mr. Houston to mention this but he likes his Pierre as much as Cox likes his Brian. The other un-mentioned Burke BFF is Howard Berger. Howie is all wet, all the time.
When the Leafs took Komisarek off the Canadien's hands, I was very relieved to have him gone, but also I thought "what is wrong with the Leafs GM".
Anybody who had been watching Komisarek play with the Canadiens would know that he was never the same player after being hit by, I think it was, Krechji. Then he was picked to play for the American Olympic team. Could not believe it (lucky for USA he could not play due to injury).
Hope one day Komisarek comes back to his previous form because he seems like a good guy but I always wondered if the Leafs had done due dilligence on this trade.
One person who's lost a lot of credibility with me is Doug McLean… he's never critical about anyone in the NHL! Ostensibly because he wants to get back into the club, so to speak… but his commentary is maddening.
I watched the wrap up to games last night. I don't know how anyone can even bother to watch the Leafs. Pathetic. They need goalies, because the past few games, JS has showed why he was hustled out of Anaheim. Slack. Guess he didn't watch Kiprusoff in That Olympic game.
I guess Price wouldn't come to Toronto, would he?
Maybe Burke bought Cox a diamond ring, so, you know, he's keeping it buttered.
The Kessel deal stinks.
But how long do we have to endure Ron Wilson? Brutal coach, but worse totally hostile to the media and anyone else who he thinks is below him (that would be everyone). He's a terrible fit for the TO market. Rude, curt and arrogant. It's not the 50's anymore. Thank good the US team didnt win the Olympic gold. Wilson would have been insufferable.
I disagree with Simmons. The draft pick to Boston is a sunk cost at this point and shouldn't have any bearing on what the Leafs do going forward. Whether the Bruins pick 1st, 5th or 10th, it doesn't change a thing with Toronto except the perception of a trade from 6 months ago. You can't manage a team like that. I also detest teams who tank for half a season just to get a higher pick.
So let me get this straight… you'd rather the Leafs hang on to all their useless spare parts, in an attempt to deny Boston of a top-3 pick… instead of dealing away all the players with no future on the team, and bringing in young, salary-controlled players who will make up the core of this team in the future?!? Yeah, let's hang on to our dead weight, and do nothing to improve the future of the team, just to hope that we can screw Boston out of a top-3 pick. Who cares how the Leafs do for the next 5 years, as long as Boston has a slightly less-skilled prospect in their system, am I right?
Oh, and by the way, the "AHL" line-up that they're rolling with now didn't get the Leafs to their current 29th overall spot this season… You know who did? The players you wanted them to hang on to "try to win a few games". Great insight, as always…
What's up with you and Cox? Does he owe you money? He's written reams worth of articles on how hopeless the Leafs are over the years so I can't see this limited enthusiasm as anything but a belief they are improving. He certainly shouldn't be accused of wearing blue-tinted glasses.
Have you been reading Cox' articles the last few months? The man is practically in love with Burke. I used to be a big fan of Damians' articles with his point-of-view opinions, but since the coming of Burke, it's been a complete 180 degree turn. He may still take the Leafs to task, but he certainly does not lay the blame on the guy building this mess. And I'm sorry, but you can't tell me the Kessel deal is not currently looking like a mess. We're talking a first or second overall pick here!
Are there others teams in the league?
I mean…. besides Toronto??