It is no secret, Brian Burke is going to change this Leaf team. Burke was a hockey players' hockey hockey and the same type of GM. A straight shooter like Ron Wilson who isn't afraid of change. But in which fashion these changes will come down the line, who knows?
"A team should either be ascending rapidly or descending rapidly" says Burke. Well its easy to figure out which way the
Maple Leafs will be headed. The same way the Silver Fox has lead them, rapid descent (with rapid ascent to follow, right Luke Schenn?)
I personally think Fletcher had done a marvelous job in building a wider base of younger players. Sure he didn't really go out and grab any stars but he definitely cut the fat(sorry Kyle Wellwood). The Fletcher era was entertaining to say the least, as the leafs non-houseleague play has been surprising some pundits so far this season.
Brian takes over a team that has one of the highest number of European born players. But as stated on TSN he doesn't care what their passports say as long as they are willing to bang some bodies along the boards. Well, here's the problem, these Europeans aren't of the Pahlsson nature. Their more of the, turn your back to block a shot becase you couldn't get out of the way in time, sort of Euros.
Huge players like Ponikarovski and Antropov aren't the type of players Burke usually builds teams around. However these guys do have some talent and fit into a top 6 on some teams. So where do you go from here, clearly in my mind these guys are gone and there's one question left.
Who will be brought in to replace them?
Official rumour broken by the Rains Report: Dustin Penner for Alex Ponikarovski.
Just don't expect anything to happen too quickly as Burke needs time to sift through the recycling and wait for his extended holiday trade freeze to thaw(December 9th to January 4th)
One thing you can count on though, the team will be ascending rapidly. Eventually.
"A team should either be ascending rapidly or descending rapidly" says Burke. Well its easy to figure out which way the
Maple Leafs will be headed. The same way the Silver Fox has lead them, rapid descent (with rapid ascent to follow, right Luke Schenn?)
I personally think Fletcher had done a marvelous job in building a wider base of younger players. Sure he didn't really go out and grab any stars but he definitely cut the fat(sorry Kyle Wellwood). The Fletcher era was entertaining to say the least, as the leafs non-houseleague play has been surprising some pundits so far this season.
Brian takes over a team that has one of the highest number of European born players. But as stated on TSN he doesn't care what their passports say as long as they are willing to bang some bodies along the boards. Well, here's the problem, these Europeans aren't of the Pahlsson nature. Their more of the, turn your back to block a shot becase you couldn't get out of the way in time, sort of Euros.
Huge players like Ponikarovski and Antropov aren't the type of players Burke usually builds teams around. However these guys do have some talent and fit into a top 6 on some teams. So where do you go from here, clearly in my mind these guys are gone and there's one question left.
Who will be brought in to replace them?
Official rumour broken by the Rains Report: Dustin Penner for Alex Ponikarovski.
Just don't expect anything to happen too quickly as Burke needs time to sift through the recycling and wait for his extended holiday trade freeze to thaw(December 9th to January 4th)
One thing you can count on though, the team will be ascending rapidly. Eventually.
1 comment:
I bet that a lot of fat is trimmed from the NHL Leafs, and it won't be pretty.
Kaberle is looking lost this year as he's playing softer than even before and is brain-cramping at really bad times (Did McCabe pass on a virus?) and I bet he waives his NTC because R-dub makes life hell for him.
I don't know who we get, but it's bound to be a power guy.
I wonder if Philly gives up on van Riemsdyk?
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