Leafs to give Burke 23 million reasons to leave ANA

[2probert4 8]

I have never been a huge fan of the guy but to say he would be worse than JFJ is a hard sell.

So even if he does mediocre as a GM there, he will be viewed as a success compared to whom he is following.

You never want to be the guy to follow a legend, but being the guy to follow a failure (in the eyes of Leafs fans) is not always a bad place to go. I mean seriously, how much worse can he make them, I mean besides bringing in Bert!

Look at it this way, the Ducks have a ton of UFA and RFA players this year and next.

Maybe he could take a couple of their players, then after next year he brings in Chrissy Boy!!

Then Nashville is moved to Oklahoma and Det and Tor are in the same division. I can dream can't I!!!

He could make the Maple Leafs better, could he make them champions, why not?!

They are actually building a new arena in Tulsa Oklahoma that is for their CHL team, but they have hopes of attracting a team from the AHL or higher.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

technically speaking, you can give it to Burke for being able to develop

a team based on good draft picks from previous GM into a nasty pack

playing over the edge and escaping with this strategy because NHL and

its refs don't have balls call a penalty what is a penalty and tends to

pamper its super-stars (Pronger) and let them escape with what nonstars

are whipped.

Burke is not a bad GM but gets waaaay too much credit. let him run

the Ducks for another 5 years and we'll all see what he's worth.

We might not get that chance. That being said, he may get too much credit but he does deserve a lot of it. His Ducks team (barring this year) always seems to do well in the playoffs.

I mean: people often say Holland won cups because he had Ilitches

money and good draft core left to him. but this guy kept Wings on

top of the NHL despite lockout (which was a severe blow to Wings

future) despite huge shortage in draft talent supply. Lamiorello is

similar story, and have also to give it to guys like Sutter in Calgary

who run a team that simply is for real when it comes to playoffs.

but despite all this all we hear is how wonderful Burke is. yeah...

at screwing NHL rules and using his old friend at offices to cover

up for this.

I want him to go to Toronto and have sick relation with MLSE

(which he'll surely have if nothing changes there). they might

finally make it to playoffs but I really don't see this becoming

a true story. which would only show the real value of overrated

Burke

It's interesting how you give credit to the Flames for their post season success yet you knock the Ducks. Doesn't make much sense given that Anaheim has had even more success in the playoffs over the past 5 years than Calgary has. I can't stand Burke either, but it seems like your hatred for him is overshadowing your judgment.

Edited April 22, 2008 by Never Forget Mac #25

[wingslogo19 281]

If Burke goes to the Leafs, who will be the new gm for the Ducks?

[Duck Guy 86]

If Burke goes to the Leafs, who will be the new gm for the Ducks?

Scotty!!! he will let all the ducks star players rest up tell mid season.. but seriously i don't know lol

[MacK_Attack 108]

Scotty!!! he will let all the ducks star players rest up tell mid season.. but seriously i don't know lol

My guess would be Dave Nonis or Doug Armstrong.

[akustyk 84]

We probably won't get that chance. That being said, he may get too much credit but he does deserve a lot of it. His Ducks team (barring this year) always seems to do well in the playoffs.

actually the same goes to Sutter in Calgary whose team is always

a threat in playoffs and is real competitor then. that despite a big

shortage on talent up front. was it not for mental letdown in 2004

they could've as well won the cup against Tampa. so even if Sutter

doesn't have the ultimate prize he is still close enough to Burke's level

of achievements to give him consideration

Holland might not be the best reference here because Wings haven't

been the best team in playoffs recently. but after those painful

post-lockout years they seem to emerge with their developed talent

and may as well be around the playoff top for next seasons.

Burke does deserve some of the credit but there's other GM's who

do their job as good as him and stay unheralded. but then, everything

you hear from media is Burke this, Burke that... yes, I'm refering

specifically to TSN crew who have all noses deep in Burke's

you-know-what and have him online by every single opportunity...

anyway... it's all a little bit premature. he hasn't left Anaheim yet

and we'll have to see how Ducks perform next season. logic says

they're in worse shape talent-wise, but as a team they may actually

make some strides back to what they've been. who knows if they

don't come up big next season. I can actually see this happening

It's interesting how you give credit to the Flames for their post season success yet you knock the Ducks. Doesn't make much sense given that Anaheim has had even more success in the playoffs over the past 5 years than Calgary has. I can't stand Burke either, but it seems like your hatred for him is overshadowing your judgment.

I'm not gonna try to convince you I'm big fan of Burke.

but my Calgary analogy does stand the ground. we're talking

about GM who operates in a place where it's more difficult to

scoop players (in the end, it's Alberta forgotten by gods - just

ask Kevin Lowe ) is economically weaker than SoCal and

also has stronger, tougher on players media environment.

they still manage to stay in contention and come playoffs

they ice a team that wins or loses in good style.

I'm not saying Sutter is better than Burke but it's certainly not

a gigantic gap. yet, you won't here Sutter getting a percent

of that praise which goes in Burke's direction.

maybe it's better if I used the word overhyped for Burke.

overrated still applies as ppl tend to praise him for everything

including other's achievements (it was not Burke who drafted

Perry, Kunitz or Penner), but overhyped is probably better

to describe my impressions

Edited April 22, 2008 by akustyk

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

actually the same goes to Sutter in Calgary whose team is always

a threat in playoffs and is real competitor then. that despite a big

shortage on talent up front. was it not for mental letdown in 2004

they could've as well won the cup against Tampa. so even if Sutter

doesn't have the ultimate prize he is right there at the Burke level.

No he's not. Which team has more playoff series victories? Which team has more Stanley Cup Finals appearances? Most importantly, which one of those teams got it done and won the cup?

Holland might not be the best reference here because Wings haven't

been the best team in playoffs recently. but after those painful

post-lockout years they seem to emerge with their developed talent

and may as well be around the playoff top for next seasons.

Burke does deserve some of the credit but there's other GM's who

do their job as good as him and stay unheralded. but then, everything

you hear from media is Burke this, Burke that... yes, I'm refering

specifically to TSN crew who have all noses deep in Burke's

you-know-what and have him online by every single opportunity...

Who said anything about any of the other GM's? I certainly didn't. Of course there are a great deal of GM's that do a wonderful job, and I'd take Holland any day over Burke, but I'm not going to discredit a guy that has assembled some great playoff teams and has had a great deal of success in those playoffs.

anyway... it's all a little bit premature. he hasn't left Anaheim yet

and we'll have to see how Ducks perform next season. logic says

they're in worse shape talent-wise, but as a team they may actually

make some strides back to what they've been. who knows if they

don't come up big next season. I can actually see this happening

Next year will absolutely be interesting especially with the Niedermayer drama, not to mention Selanne. Depending on what those guys do and what type of money they have to work with will certainly make for an interesting 08/09 season in Anaheim.

[Hiei 192]

They are actually building a new arena in Tulsa Oklahoma that is for their CHL team, but they have hopes of attracting a team from the AHL or higher.

Current Specs on the BOK Center (Tulsa OK) put Ice Hockey Attendance (assuming a CHL 185x85 Sheet) around 18,600. Expansion to an NHL Sheet would probably put it around 18,000...as Discussed on tulsahockey.net

Tulsa OK is 100 Miles from here in Rogers Arkansas where I sit....MAKE IT HAPPEN BUTTMAN.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Current Specs on the BOK Center (Tulsa OK) put Ice Hockey Attendance (assuming a CHL 185x85 Sheet) around 18,600. Expansion to an NHL Sheet would probably put it around 18,000...as Discussed on tulsahockey.net

Tulsa OK is 100 Miles from here in Rogers Arkansas where I sit....MAKE IT HAPPEN BUTTMAN.

It's cute how you think Gary Bettman can possibly be responsible for putting an AHL team anywhere.

[edicius 3,269]

Burke does deserve some of the credit but there's other GM's who

do their job as good as him and stay unheralded. but then, everything

you hear from media is Burke this, Burke that... yes, I'm refering

specifically to TSN crew who have all noses deep in Burke's

you-know-what and have him online by every single opportunity...

Sadly, it's not just the TSN crew that's like that either. Burke ALWAYS seems to pop up on one of the XM Home Ice shows and they just fawn all over him. That's always my cue to change the channel.

I remember one time, one of the guys on XM actually said something critical of Burke (I know, shocking!). Burke called in...and suddenly that person's critical opinion did a 180, so as not to upset the mighty Burke.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

He'd fix the Leafs, hopefully he'd bring Roberts back, I like seeing Gary in the blue and white. (I'd want the Wings to sign him, but we all know that would never happen.)

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Bertuzzi for Jason Blake.

Honestly, I'd make that trade. Save cap, get a big monster to play with Sundin, plus Blake was pretty darn bad this year.

[Rice 42]

Honestly, I'd make that trade. Save cap, get a big monster to play with Sundin, plus Blake was pretty darn bad this year.

Bertuzzi was pretty bad this year too and is no longer a monster.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Bertuzzi was pretty bad this year too and is no longer a monster.

Very true, espicially the monster part. He's more of a physical Robert Lang now.

[thedisappearer 291]

It's cute how you think Gary Bettman can possibly be responsible for putting an AHL team anywhere.

Thank God he was referring to an NHL team. It's what he mentioned AFTER the AHL attendence number...

[betterREDthandead 58]

Thank God he was referring to an NHL team. It's what he mentioned AFTER the AHL attendence number...

No, he gave the CHL attendance number, followed by calling the expansion of the ice to an "NHL sheet". The AHL plays on a 200' x 85' rink which is NHL size. He never mentioned an NHL team.

And there is very little Bettman can do about putting a team anywhere. He cannot force a team to move, and he cannot arbitrarily put a team in the city of his choosing. The only thing he can do is introduce expansion, and then the owners would have to vote yes or no, and then the owners would vote again to choose applicants, if a group from Tulsa applied. Bettman can't wave his magic wand and have an NHL team appear.

[Superman54 91]

well the leafs do need a whiny little ***** to help them

"Sedin is not english for punch me, or headlock me in a scrum. Detroit has 12 captians and assistants to speak to the officials, we find that unusualm, Most teams only have 2 or 3. Its amazing to see the number of players that are promited to protest calls in Detroit uniforms".

STFU U BABY!