MAYDAY MAYDAY! We have some breaking news to analyze regarding Toronto's sweethearts the Maple Leafs. Brian Burke has left it to Dave Nonis to email all NHL teams with the details on Tomas Kaberle's no-trade clause. The clause has an option that was triggered when the Leafs missed the playoffs, that Kaberle's no-trade clause would be disabled from the NHL entry draft (June 25) to the middle of August. That leaves just under 2 months for the Leafs player-moving GM to move the Leafs puck-moving defenseman.
Brian Burke has a dilemma that has not changed since he traded away two 1st round picks (2010 & 2011) for Phil Kessel. Trading away Kaberle makes our team worse which subsequently leads us to another terrible ranking giving the Bruins another lottery pick, thus making the Kessel trade a total failure. Which is why we have not moved Kaberle up until this point even though Kabs had already been willing to waive his no-trade clause and even had his agent send Burke a list of teams he would be willing to go to. Burke's previous hesitation on moving Kaberle only supports how desperate Burke was to move up in rankings and not give the Bruins a shot at Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin - 2 names that will haunt Burke for the rest of his life. If Burke really believed in the Kessel trade like he says he does, Kaberle would have been moved a long time ago.
The rumours have begun on where Kaberle will land and what the Leafs will get in return. The most recent rumour coming from Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun had Kaberle going to the Blue Jackets for the 4th overall draft pick. The reason being Colombus's desperation to succeed now and not later. They have had their share of lottery picks and so far it has lead to nothing, so the next step is to attain veteran stars who will help them make the playoffs immediately.
Now I am going to make my case for what I think Burke should be gunning for. With no 1st round pick until 2012 and with pressure to make the playoffs next year, this is going to be very difficult for Burke to turn this team into a contender. What we need is a big game-changing forward to build our offense around. Phil Kessel is a terrific scorer but he does not have the ability to put the team on his back. We need a guy who can carry our team the way Sundin did. Tomas Kaberle also brings with him something other than on-ice ability, he brings with him a bargain - $4.25 million for next year is a steal considering what the price tag is for a puck-moving defenseman of the elite.
With that said, their are 2 names out there in the NHL that are realistically attainable for Burke, and are the only 2 names that could help me forget the Kessel disaster - Jordan Staal and Bobby Ryan. Tomas Kaberle makes sense for both of these teams which is why I am bringing them up.
Pittsburgh will be looking for an elite puck-moving defenseman to replace Sergei Gonchar and Anaheim has yet to lock up Bobby Ryan and could be on the verge of losing Scott Niedermayer. Sure a 4th overall pick would be nice in this year's draft, but a 4th overall pick isn't guaranteed to be as good as the already established Jordan Staal or Bobby Ryan.
I think now is the cheapest J. Staal will ever be. This guy could be a top centre anywhere else in the NHL but is reduced to the checking line in Pittsburgh. I am sure that with a Stanley Cup ring already in his jewelery case, he would enjoy the opportunity to establish himself as an elite scoring forward somewhere else.
Bobby Ryan as most of you know was drafted by Brian Burke and was one of the best players for Team U.S.A. at the Olympics. Whether Scott Niedermayer retires or not, he is definitely far from being the Scott Niedermayer of past. Anaheim is suffering on the back end, and a player like Kaberle could really help the production of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. To be honest, I think Bobby Ryan will be more of a player than Perry and possibly even Getzlaf, but those 2 are already locked up in contract and have been blessed by the Hockey Canada hype machine. So that leaves Bobby Ryan looking for a contract and Anaheim pushed to the max in cap making Kaberle and his contract something to look at for the Ducks.With all that said, I really don't think we would be able to land either in one-for-one trades. I believe we would have to up our end to make it even more appealing to the Pens and Ducks. With the situation the Leafs are in, there aren't many players I wouldn't throw in to make a trade of that magnitude happen. Luke Schenn? Pack your bags. Mikael Grabovski? Book a plane ticket.
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7 comments:
i like sutter and carolina's first round pick for kabs, or staal...ryan would be nice, but we simply don't have the assets to acquire him. there's a contest going down on mapleleafshotstove.com to see who can get closest to the deal that really goes down.
also, i really wouldn't call the kessel deal a disaster. i'll wait at least two more years before making such a decision.
I agree, but your love affair with Bobby Ryan the player notwithstanding, I don't see why the team should target him. Unless you are totally convinced that Burke will only acquire Americans or players that he is connected to in some way, I just don't think Ryan makes sense. He seems to me like a guy that is far too similar to Kessel, albeit a little bigger. THere is nothing about bobby ryan that strikes me as a guy who would make Kessel better, and with the way this team has been built, that has to be the goal in any trade.
@Adrian - Although I am not entirely in love with Brandon Sutter, I would do that trade for the sole fact of getting the 7th overall draft pick. Sutter though has never achieved more than 57 points in a season at any level of hockey outside of houseleague. The Kessel deal wouldn't be a disaster if Burke was able to land a complete steal for Kaberle, but as of now the Kessel deal is a disaster. The fact that we could be on the verge of drafting immediate studs in Seguin and Hall, who will most likely surpass the play of Kessel by their sophomore season, makes that trade a disaster.
The main reason why the trade is a disaster is because Burke made the trade thinking the Leafs would be good enough to make the playoffs. All of this talk about how he doesn't regret the move and would make it again today, is nothing but damage control. It was an old school out-of-date type of trade made by Burke and his old head. As much as he tries to convince you, Burke would never in a million years trade 2 lottery picks for anybody outside of Crosby, Ovechkin, and Malkin.
As for Ryan, we may not have the assets, but Ryan is a restricted free agent and has been difficult in negotiations, the sense could be that he doesn't want to play in Anaheim, which might give us the ability to underpay for him. I would explore Kaberle/Schenn for Ryan.
@Trolling - You have got to be kidding me. You must not have seen too much of Bobby Ryan. Not only was he the best player on Team U.S.A. at the Olympics, but he was arguably the best Duck this season, and yes that includes Ryan Getzlaf.
Bobby Ryan is nothing like Phil Kessel. Kessel is weak along the boards, lacks grit, and plays a real small game. Bobby Ryan is the big hulking forward that Brian Burke always gushes about. He plays a big game, controls the play down low, and has a real nasty edge to him. Plus he can be a human highlight reel. I have always said, Bobby Ryan reminds me of an Eric Lindros type of player.
Jake, if you're going to say something as crazy as Ryan and Kessel being similar players, at least back it up. I mean Kessel doesn't even hit? Did you mean similar in age and that they both play the wing? Because those are the only similarities I see.
As for making Kessel better? The guy scored 30 goals in 70 games last year and has 66 in his last 140 games. Why does he have to be better? Or why do the Leafs have to make him better? What's wrong with making the Leafs better? Are you really suggesting that the main goal in the Kaberle deal is to make Kessel better as oppose to making the Leafs better?
Let me tell you, if we did land Ryan, Kessel would immediately become our 2nd best forward. Our new focus would be getting a guy to play with Ryan. It would make for a great one-two scoring punch though.
You need to bring points to back up your arguments next time if you're going to say such outlandish stuff.
Don't judge me for saying this: The leafs need a re-structuring from top to bottom. Of course,that Kaberle deal is a huge rip-off, BUT why not leave it up to the young guns? Get the AHL-guys, maybe some cheap guys from the KHL or other European leagues. Pair them up with a few veterans,non-Kaberle's are prefered. Can it get any worse for the Leafs? Well, of course it can. But when you're down, there's only one way...UP! There aren't really any names i could throw into the mix, just the simple wish for something new. Bring out the young guns,the talent which they draft every year, give them a chance and hope for the best. Besides: Why isn't the coach up for discussion? Isn't he the first guy to blame?(right next to the GM) So if the Leafs are looking for a good coach, look no further! I'd be happy to help! Coz it really can't get any worse!
@bro from overseas - We can't draft young talent because we traded our next 2 1st round picks for 2010 and 2011 to Boston for Kessel. We basically have to get better through trades and free agency for the next 2 years. Other than that, i totally agree with your philosophy and wish we had of done that last year. Which is also why i call the Kessel trade a disaster.
first off Ryan is a power forward that is 6-2 208 pounds. He can score and does a great job of digging for pucks and going into the corners and infront of the net.
Kessel is 5-11 192 pounds and is a sniper/playmaker that doesnt get into the dirty places on the ice.
What you should have said was essentially Kulaman is the same type of player as Ryan with less skill.
And i dont think that trading Kabs has anything to do with making Kessel better. I think it has to do with improving the team overall...
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