2 major trades by Toronto.

[mjlegend 155]

I would think Langkow or Conroy are on their way out of Calgary soon.

An overrated GM picking up an overrated defenseman. It all sounds about right.

Truculence. The Leafs will now dress 12 defencemen every night.

[rage 24]

This of couse make the Leafs a Contender. lol. Well since Burke make the move and all!!!

[Majsheppard 203]

maybe with the loss of all their forwards Burkie would like to trade with the wings and take Lenio off our hands

Yeah, but what would you want from them? They really don't have anything worth wild. I cannot think of one player in our price range that would contribute to the team, and they have like zero draft picks. I guess maybe a third for Leino?

Maybe we can give him Bertuzzi too!

[Majsheppard 203]

tsn verifies giggy to toronto

Yeah, another huge salary added.

[RedWingAbner 13]

Say what you want, but at least Burke is trying to make his team better. Was Toronto really bound for greatness next year? Probably not yet. But, maybe Giguere catches fire and it works out. Phanuef is only 24-- if he returns to form, he could be a #1 defenseman again.

It could all blow up, yes, but the only long term deal they are saddled with would be Phanuef.

Meanwhile, he axed the albatross contracts of Hagman and Blake and managed to get something potentially valuable for Toskala. Giving up Ian White sucks, but he will not be making $875,000 next year (he being a UFA this year).

At least, as a GM, Burke doesn't just shut down and say "we are stuck at the cap, stay the course." I remember when the Wings made bold moves. I'm not trying to flame Ken Holland, but it's time to do something to spark the Wings. This "we won't be making moves" bs is lame.

[Guest Four]

Leino, Meech and Lebda for 1st round pick?!?!?!?! DO IT BURKE

[Yzerman191 37]

I wouldn't call these trades horrible.

Phaneuf is only 24, has a lot of offensive potential, and fits the mold of the players Burke likes. He's also so young that it's completely plausible to think that his coach can change his style to become more defensively responsible. Toronto also acquires another thing they love: a big name. I think it gives the fans some hope, whether it's justified or not. Also, Mayers wanted out according to some reports, and Stajan was an UFA having a career year (and also doesn't play the style of hockey Burke likes, so perhaps he had no intent of resigning him). White and Hagman are two pretty good players, though. Time will tell if this deal was a bust or not.

Anyone who thinks that Giguere for Toskala and Blake wasn't a good move is crazy. Toskala has proven himself to be a total bust, and it is extremely unlikely they would have re-signed him anyways. Blake is to Toronto what Jason Williams was to the Red Wings before; he's the whipping boy, has an overpriced contract, and not well-liked by the fans. Giguere going the other way also gives their hot goaltending prospect a pretty accomplished mentor full of experience. And who knows; maybe this will jump start his career.

Put the two trades together and Toronto fans have just acquired a lot of reason to hope for some success. They've got a few big names on their team now (Kessel, Phaneuf, Kaberle, Giguere) as well as a ton of prospects full of potential.

Perhaps they'll ship Phaneuf off to Atlanta for Kovalchuk to make up for some of that lost offense?

[Guest zackmorris]

Overrated, uncoachable defenseman? Check.

Overrated, immobile useless goalie? Check.

Overrated GM who is more about flash than winning? Check.

Overrated coach who couldn't take the Sharks anywhere in a million years of trying? Check.

Well.....if I can't say anything negative....I'll just say it's better than Jeff Finger.

[dat's sick 1,002]

Yeah, another huge salary added.

Toskala+Blake make more together than Giguere, so they're actually dropping salary with that move.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

It's good to see a GM who's actually trying to inspire hope for a team's fanbase.

* cough *

[Guest zackmorris]

It's good to see a GM who's actually trying to inspire hope for a team's fanbase.

* cough *

I wish I had cake like you, then it'd cut itself.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Bizarre stuff... the Leafs desperately need scoring but they just shipped almost all of their scoring out of town. Clearly Burke intends to be a player this summer in the FA market.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

It's good to see a GM who's actually trying to inspire hope for a team's fanbase.

* cough *

Burke's game has always been "shock and awe" in order to delude his fans that he is going to make them a consistent contender. What happened in Vancouver? Nothing. What about Anaheim? One cup then a first round exit. Now? Bottom feeder with no draft picks to speak of and a bunch of random players mixed in.

No thank you.

[Guest zackmorris]

Oh and think about this, for anyone saying Phaneuf will play better now that Toronto has Giguere and a few other names.

Toronto, even with these trades, is worse than Calgary. Calgary (keep in mind, compared to TO) has better coaching, a better supporting cast up front, a better defensive system and a better goalie. So how will Phaneuf play better when the goalie is worse than Kipper? The forwards have less talent than Calgary (forwards are a defenders best friend on the stat sheet) and the coaching is worse than Cgy? He couldn't do s*** in Calgary so how will he in TO? His positioning problems won't disappear when he stops wearing red.

And how will Giguere play on a team that doesn't bail him out of trouble? He couldn't do s*** when Anaheim stopped, why would he now?

This is another move that appears in big font in headlines. It doesn't help the team too much. Typical Burke.

[TheOwl 77]

Wow these are bizarre trades. Calgary just got a lot better, and really no one should ever doubt they won't make the play-offs anyways. Anaheim got a deal of a life time getting rid of Giguere. But why did they want Blake? They should of traded Tosky and picks for Giguere.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Wow these are bizarre trades. Calgary just got a lot better, and really no one should ever doubt they won't make the play-offs anyways. Anaheim got a deal of a life time getting rid of Giguere. But why did they want Blake? They should of traded Tosky and picks for Giguere.

Hopefully, Calgary will have a hard time getting adjusted to the trades at first.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

At least Toskala won't have to think too hard about a new mask. Just change the blue to orange.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

Bizarre stuff... the Leafs desperately need scoring but they just shipped almost all of their scoring out of town. Clearly Burke intends to be a player this summer in the FA market.

i think their league leading 197 GA is their real problem..

[Guest zackmorris]

i think their league leading 197 GA is their real problem..

They certainly didn't address that issue either, getting a defenseman who can't play true defense to save a bucket of puppies.

And the goalie, sheesh, he's as immobile and useless as it gets.

Burke just has a chub for big name Canadian players, overrated or washed up, doesn't matter. And lordy lordy if you used to play for him, you've got a job later.

[TheOwl 77]

Hopefully, Calgary will have a hard time getting adjusted to the trades at first.

The closer I look at the standings the worse I feel. It looks as if Colorado, LA and Phoenix are going to make it to the post season, unless they melt down. The top 3 seeds right now probably won't change.

It's basically down to Detroit, Nashville, Calgary, with Dallas/Anaheim playing spoiler, for the last 2 spots. The problem I have is, the Western play-offs will be VOID of upsets unless Calgary/Detroit or Dallas/Anaheim don't make it in. I'm 100% confident that LA, Colorado and Phoenix will lose in the first round in blow-outs.

The West NEEDS Detroit/Calgary to make the play-offs to even make the first round worth watching. Those two teams at least have a chance at an upset. The rest are going to blow it.

The Wings making the play-offs is almost out of their own hands. Their basically fighting toe to toe for 7th/8th against Calgary/Nashville, with little chance to climb higher. They NEED to win all their remaining games against the Central (minus the Blackhawks), and they basically NEED to win their remaining games against everyone below them, AND LA/Phoenix.

It comes down to winning the games they should be winning, and playing well against teams they should be statistically losing to (Chicago, San Jose, Vancouver).

The only thing that gives me hope is Detroit's last 10 games should all be winnable, except for the last game against Chicago. All those games are against teams currently not in the play-offs, or on the verge (Philly/Nashville).

Edited January 31, 2010 by TheOwl

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Sorry, Ducks

[Guest zackmorris]

The closer I look at the standings the worse I feel. It looks as if Colorado, LA and Phoenix are going to make it to the post season, unless they melt down. The top 3 seeds right now probably won't change.

It's basically down to Detroit, Nashville, Calgary, with Dallas/Anaheim playing spoiler, for the last 2 spots. The problem I have is, the Western play-offs will be VOID of upsets unless Calgary/Detroit or Dallas/Anaheim don't make it in. I'm 100% confident that LA, Colorado and Phoenix will lose in the first round in blow-outs.

The West NEEDS Detroit/Calgary to make the play-offs to even make the first round worth watching. Those two teams at least have a chance at an upset. The rest are going to blow it.

The Wings making the play-offs is almost out of their own hands. Their basically fighting toe to toe for 7th/8th against Calgary/Nashville, with little chance to climb higher. They NEED to win all their remaining games against the Central (minus the Blackhawks), and they basically NEED to win their remaining games against everyone below them, AND LA/Phoenix.

It comes down to winning the games they should be winning, and playing well against teams they should be statistically losing to (Chicago, San Jose, Vancouver).

The only thing that gives me hope is Detroit's last 10 games should all be winnable, except for the last game against Chicago. All those games are against teams currently not in the play-offs, or on the verge (Philly/Nashville).

We're only 7 points back of 4th place. I've seen stranger things happen, especially when a big 2 week break in between. All it'll take is a little win streak on our part and a losing streak on the part of one or two teams above us.

7 points over the course of a span that could equal 54, isn't much. What gives me hope, is absolutely none of the 8 teams above us are better than us when we're healthy and back to normal.

Right now, currently, we've got a road trip in front of us that could bury us. We need to somehow win the next 3.

Edited January 31, 2010 by zackmorris

[Finnish Wing 110]

Sorry, Ducks

Maybe it's a fresh start for him.

[Guest zackmorris]

It's easy to get on Toskala but no one has done well playing goal in that cesspool of incompetence. He wasn't bad with San Jose, that's what we all forget.

He'll be better in Anaheim but not as good as he was when they dumped him.

[Barrie 900]

I'll say what I said when the Leafs got Wilson, it's to soon to get a guy like Phaneuf. Even if Burke turns this thing around, Phaneuf will be in his early 30's before the Leafs start winning. Also, I'm wondering how long Phaneuf will take playing on a losing team like Toronto before he asks for another trade?

I understand they Giggy deal. Getting rid of Blake and Toskala's contracts are huge. However, why don't the Leafs just bottom out for a few years and load up in the draft? They're never going to turn this thing around if they don't draft well! They continue to run this team like they're only a few players away from winning.

What a joke!