Toronto Maple Leafs 2010/11

[shack]

I cannot take the Leafs seriously as long as Peddie is in the decision making.

And exactly what decisions regarding the operation/moves of the team does Peddie make that override Burke's wishes?

I believe Burke has autonomy in regards to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He decides personnel and where and how much money is spent. What does Peddie decide exactly?

 

[shack]

IF MLSE ( Peddie ) mandate to the new GM is to get this team to the playoffs as soon as possible

Does Burke seem like the kind of guy who would come into this situation just so Peddie can tell him what to do?

Anybody who believes Burke would allow anything other than full autonomy on how this club is built and run (payroll, personnel, coaching, scouting, trades, timing of moves) is an idiot. Burke is calling the shots. End of story.

There is a lot more to MLSE than just the Leafs with which Peddie can keep himself busy.

 

[shack]

I agree with you that Burke has full autonomy but it is confusing to me that Burke has not gone the tradional route of tearing it up and accumulating draft pics and then building a organization through the draft ... Peddie and MLSE has given Burke full autonomy to get the Leafs to the playoffs as soon as possible and do what ever you want to get them there ...

First of all, I don't think making the playoffs ASAP is Burke's mandate. I believe it is to build a championship team and I highly doubt Burke would accept any time frame being imposed upon him. Highly doubtful that any team will win the Cup the first time they make the playoffs as they need experience in that environment to succeed. So, the sooner the Leafs get that experience the better, but only as a step toward the Cup, not as a goal in and of itself.

Shack .. You are one of the most articulate posters but I must say this is a forum which we express our opinions ... Just cause I have a point of opinion that I fully don't trust MLSE ( let me say everything MLSE touches sports wise is a disaster ) doesn't make me an idiot ... It makes me skeptical and history shows they deserver my skeptism ... Burke is loyal to too his players and to his employer that is what I have learned ...

Poor choice of words on my part.

Once upon a time, Ballard's lackeys and guys like JFJ were simply lap dogs to the higher ups. But it is inconceivable that a guy like Burke can in any way be compared to those other guys and saying so is ludicrous. Anybody who follows the team knows that Burke is running the show top to bottom and talking about Peddie having anything to do with decisions regarding the performance of the team indicates he is just not in tune with how the team operates, currently. Once upon a time, yes, but not now, and I believe anyone who brings Peddie's interference in Burke's team as an issue is just used to saying that because of all the years it was true. Not now, though.

There may be lots of reasons why Burke may not succeed, but Peddie is not one of them. He is out of the picture along with the rest of MLSE. The Leafs are Burke's baby.

I understand your skepticism after all these years of failure, who wouldn't, but don't trot out the old standby MLSE arguments when they so clearly do not apply. I can't give credibility to an argument based on that logic. You can say they will fail because they are cursed, you can say they are a multi-layered organization making huge profits and answerable to shareholders etc. etc., but you cannot say that Burke will allow them to influence his decision making process. As such, praise or blame belongs to Burke and MLSE, by association, is simply along for the ride. The only way they factor in is that they hired Burke and have given him carte blanche to run the team.

 

[Ironhead]

Playing one period of three will not win many games.
Not going to get any easier in Washington tomorrow night.

 

[The Oracle]

From a Sens point of view I'm perplexed with this team.

When you have a team down 3-0, you just bury them.

I give the Leafs credit they could have packed it in but played their best hockey when they were down.

 

[maurice93]

This team is 5-5-1 .. You can get any more 500 then that ... Hopefully that is at least their record by the end of the year ..

Sure you can get more .500 then that - it means nothing in hockey, Only in Hockey does a .500 record mean you are usually one of the bottom third teams in the league.

 

[Rockslinger]

Steve Simmons did an analysis of the two top centres on each team. Yup, you guessed it. The Leafs are ranked last. The best are the Blackhawks with Teows and Sharp, Tampa and Pittsburg..

 

[splooge]

yeah, the funny thing is, the leafs have a much better winger than what Crosby or Malkin have, or the rest of them for that matter.... the caveat being Chicago with Hossa and Kane.

 

[ahlungjai]

that was a great 3rd for us... too bad no W. but a point.

 

[smuddan]

Does Burke seem like the kind of guy who would come into this situation just so Peddie can tell him what to do?

Anybody who believes Burke would allow anything other than full autonomy on how this club is built and run (payroll, personnel, coaching, scouting, trades, timing of moves) is an idiot. Burke is calling the shots. End of story.

There is a lot more to MLSE than just the Leafs with which Peddie can keep himself busy.

Supposed Peddie said to Burke "Brian, you can have this job (as Leafs GM) with complete autonomy provided you can get the team into the playoffs consistantly." Would you think Burke would turn down the job because of the mandate ? Burke is big in the GM circle, but he's not bigger than MLSE.

Burke is no fool, he would realize that he would be considered a hero in the eyes of millions of Leaf fans only if his team makes the playoffs, and that is a lot easier than promising a Cup winner within 4-5 years. His employer will be happy. He was in a sure win situation. Haven't you heard him say "ITS ALL ABOUT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS" in many of his media interviews.

This is purely guessing on my part of-course, and unlike many posters, particularly Leafs fan bashers, I'm not pretending that I have all the right answers or some kind of inside scoop; there's probably a 1% chance that someone can convince me that I'm wrong and I wouldn't mind being called an idiot in such a case. Afterall I've only been a Leaf fan for 30+ year and that doesn't make me an expert of anything.

The same logic should apply to you too Shack, and you have given no evidance that you're that smart guy. All you've demonstrated is you blind faith in Burke and a lack of respect for those who don't share the same opinion; and name calling on someone who disagrees with you only reflects badly on you.

 

[splooge]

Burke is NOT an expert at creating a winning team after the salary cap has taken full affect. the winning roster in Anaheim is not possible today- he tried his best to assemble an all-star cast of defensemen, but it capsized the boat as he can't afford the 1or2 all-star centremen that can provide an offensive punch.

not his fault, but he is trying. a few other GMs are not great cap economists including Ray Shero is slowly ruining any chance of repeated cup winners in Pittsburgh, McPhee's damage has already set place in Washington... and Calgary, Ottawa, and New Jersey are having their troubles too.

Vancouver's GM is making smart moves, so is the new moves going on in Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Nashville and Los Angeles.

 

[smuddan]

When I critized Cliff Fletcher for signing Jeff Finger I was Leaf bashing and given the famous line " Ohh so you know more then Fletcher " .. Then we trade away Carlo Colaiacovo and Alex Steen for Lee Stempniak and Brian Burke loves Stempniak so much he traded him away to fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick to Phoenix Coyotes .. A third round pic for Jamal Mayers ... In his short time with the Leafs, Fletcher trades away 8 draft picks on a team that's supposed to be rebuilding (Draft Shmaft Part II) .. Did MLSE tell him to do a fire sale till Burke came or say get us to the playoffs ??? I am pretty sure the Leafs lead by a country mile the amount of draft pics and prospects they give away ... Fergie , Cliff and Burke have one thing in common ... MLSE ...

You were right those were some bad moves made by Cliff. One thing I'd like to add is that even the most successful managers in the history of of all team sports have made bad moves somewhere/sometime during their careers and as fans we just have to take the bad with the good as long as our teams can give us a certain level of enjoyment and excitement. I'm grateful for the good moves made by Cliff during the early nineties', especially the moves that brought Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin to the organization. We had the best hockey in TO in 92 &93 since the Sitller days and I think Cliff can be forgiven for the later bad moves.

I'd also remind you that he made most of those bad moves when he was the interim GM; it was during a period of time when everybody knew it was a done deal that Burke would be coming to TO. It was about a few months before and I suspect some those moves had the blessings of Burke.

 

[shack]

Supposed Peddie said to Burke "Brian, you can have this job (as Leafs GM) with complete autonomy provided

That's the point. He has complete autonomy. The higher ups will not call the shots. Burke decides what is done and how. Therefore, regardless of the past, MLSE can only be held responsible to the extent they hired Burke.

As to having blind faith, you misinterpret my point. Guy was saying something about MLSE being responsible if the Leafs fail. I said, because Burke is calling the shots, MLSE is out of the equation. I did not say in am sure Burke will succeed, which would be blind faith. He may very well fail. But it will not be because of MLSE interference. If they interfere, I imagine he would resign.

I also mentioned above that I chose my words poorly. Instead of saying people are idiots for believing MLSE are influencing Burke's decisions I should have said, it is idiotic to think etc. etc. We all have idiotic thoughts once in a while. It does not mean we are all idiots. Momentary lapse of judgement is all.

 

[smuddan]

I have given up blaming every GM of the Leafs ... This organization is constantly trading away prospects and draft pics and they keep blaming fans that we are patient ... It's them that are not patient ... I feel sorry for Nazim Kadri cause if he was surrounded by draft pics that we have choosen he could develop in pease but since he is a rare pic all eyes and savior label is on him ..

One GM you'd never blame is the GM in yourself. For fans it's easy to critisize moves made or not made and we're never wrong after the fact. GMs should only be judged by the overall success or failure, not by each single moves they made, IMHO.

 

[Ironhead]

I wanted to post the same info Guyroch posted, but he beat me to it.


Here is a link to the Star article.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/mapleleafs/article/886094--leaf-prospects-lighting-the-lamp-in-junior

 

[lgna69xxx]

With what Burke inherited when he arrived in Toronto Nov. 2008, he has re stocked the Leafs minor league system with actual "Talented" prospects, replaced the Leafs roster from guys who never made a difference and had a sense of entitlement to guys who want to and will work hard every game to receive ice time. He has brought in 4, count them FOUR goalies better than anything we have had in many years, star power with the likes of Kessel,Komisarek,Phaneuf and Giguere.

The last couple pieces of the puzzle are the hardest to find....A top centreman and a top winger or two, possibly one or two of them, heck maybe even all three are in the Leafs minor league system now, but it takes time, so hopefully Burke can pull off another amazing trade like the Phaneuf,Sjostrom, and Keith Aulie deal (btw, Aulie could eventually be the best player in that trade in another year or 2) but this time a centreman or winger, so we can contend sooner.

We have been in every game but 2 out of the first 12. Long season, 70 games to go... have a lil faith in this team, they WILL make the playoffs.

 

[Insidious Von]

LMAO....good luck with that.

Just making the playoffs is exactly what MLSE wants and OTPF doesn't even know who the Leafs are, they just want their skim.

If they cannot develop a defenseman of Borje Salming's quality; the Leafs will never win the Stanley Cup. Since he left the team in 89, no one has even come close. Two lottery picks for Phil Kessel, the Bruins must be pinching themselves.

 

[shack]

Just making the playoffs is exactly what MLSE wants

Amazing observation. The owners of an NHL team want to make the playoffs. Tell me which team does not want to make the playoffs?

As well, MLSE is not making the moves, Burke is. Do you think "just making the playoffs" is what Burke wants? Granted, for a team that has totally missed the playoffs for several years to make the playoffs has to be considered moving into the right direction.

Tell us, would MLSE make more money by "just making the playoffs" or by having several extended runs. Do you understand the gobs of money they would make with a Cup? The Leafs are going to spend around the cap no matter what. So how are they saving money money by "just making the playoffs"? If that were their mentality, do you think they would let Burke send down Finger and pay him a few million/yr to play in the minors?

Really, a ridiculous comment. Many people repeat it, but it makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[pdson2]

Amazing observation. The owners of an NHL team want to make the playoffs. Tell me which team does not want to make the playoffs?

As well, MLSE is not making the moves, Burke is. Do you think "just making the playoffs" is what Burke wants? Granted, for a team that has totally missed the playoffs for several years to make the playoffs has to be considered moving into the right direction.

Tell us, would MLSE make more money by "just making the playoffs" or by having several extended runs. Do you understand the gobs of money they would make with a Cup? The Leafs are going to spend around the cap no matter what. So how are they saving money money by "just making the playoffs"? If that were their mentality, do you think they would let Burke send down Finger and pay him a few million/yr to play in the minors?

Really, a ridiculous comment. Many people repeat it, but it makes no sense whatsoever.

I totally agree Shack and i have seen these kind of comments on here lots and they are just talking out of their ass.

 

[Ironhead]

I am a Leaf fan, that will never change. I have full confidence in Burke in that he will eventually build a team Toronto will be proud of.

OK, now I have to say that last night's loss has really pissed me off. The fact that the game went into OT does bug me, nor does the not scoring in OT bother me too much ...


not scoring on three of the four shoot out shots(which I could have stopped with just a blocker and glove at least two of them any way) is sort of it ...



more to the point ...






WHY THE FUCK ARE NHL PLAYERS SHOOTING ON A ROOKIE GOALIE WITH LESS THEN THREE GAMES EXPIRENCE ?

DID ANYONE(on the Leaf bench) NOTICE THAT
MITCHELL SCORED ON A DEKE !