Brian Burke and his Trade Deadline actions
Torontomapleleafsmg
actions Brian Burke was able to accomplish for
the Maple Leafs this last Wednesday?
I am sitting here shaking my head trying to
understand the logic of these transactions and
how it will help the Maple Leafs. In short I
feel Burke made deals that included too many
ageing former stars (whom quite a few were
injured substantially), a number of draft
picks, and a pickup off of waivers of a goalie
who doesn't seem to perform as well as previously.
OK here is my opinion of the trades involving
the Toronto Maple Leafs:
F Nik Antropov sent to NY Rangers for 2009 2nd
Round Pick and 2010 Conditional Pick. I
personally think we will all miss Nik and sorry
to see him go. Did the Leafs get enough for him?
I really don't think so. He was almost a thirty
goal scorer when he was on the Sundin line. I
like his size and willingness to screen the
goalie and deflect shots. What is a conditional
draft pick? To know who won that trade one needs
to know what the conditional draft pick will be.
F Dominic Moore sent to Buffalo Sabres for 2009
2nd Round Pick. Well OK if we are really
desperate for draft picks its a fair move since
possibly could have lost him anyway in the free
agency frenzy in the summer. Think both Moore
and Antropov were traded to get something back
before the free agency thing this summer.
D Richard Petiot sent to Tampa Bay for G Olaf
Kolzig, D Jamie Heward, D Andy Rogers, 2009 4th
Round Pick. What Burke essentially did was
trade an injured prospect for 3 injured ageing
stars who have not been able to perform like
previously in their careers. I think this is
insane. First I dont know too much about
departing Petiot but here is status on his
injury and his stats:
Richard Petiot Bio and Stats:
http://toronto-maple-leafs.wikia.com/wiki/Richard_Petiot/
Richard Petiot Toronto Marlie Stats:
http://toronto-maple-leafs.wikia.com/wiki/2008-2009_Toronto_Marlie_Statistics/
Richard Petiot Bio and Stats on Sportsnet.ca:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/players/Richard_Petiot/
So what is so special about Richard Petiot? How
about the injury reports on the players we got
back in return?
I read that G Olaf Kolzig is out for the remainder
of the season with a left arm injury. Click here
Player Bio - Olaf Kolzig
http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.cgi?804
D Jamie Heward is also injured with a concussion
probably out for season too. Click here:
Player Bio - Jamie Heward
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=Nhl&id=603
D Andy Rogers I read somewhere he is also injured.
I don't know the extant of the injury. I think it
is too risky to make trades for injured players
and I would not personally do such trades if I was
the GM. Burke has alot of guts and will have to
see how it works out.
Now we come to G Martin Gerber was claimed by Burke
off of waivers. Well I was not impressed with
Gerber's performance with his stay in Ottawa neither
were they. Gerber had decent years in Carolina and
actually was goalie for Switzerland who defeated
Team Canada in last winter Olympics I believe. If
Gerber can get back to the way he played in
Carolina it would be good but don't think he will
be a superstar in Toronto. The Leafs had to do
something about the goalie situation but why even
bother and just bring up Justin Pogge and give him
the #1 goalie job for the Leafs? Its my opinion
that Leafs are too protective of Pogge and think
the Leafs will blow it and probably not resign him
when his contract is up.
So rather than bring up Pogge the Leafs get a
former Vezina winner of nine years ago on the shelf
with an injury for the rest of the year in Kolzig
and a goalie waivers pickup in Gerber.
Toronto claimed Reitz off re-entry waivers
Wednesday. click here:
Player Bio - Erik Reitz
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NHL&line=83322&id=1995
Even this pickup is injured with an ankle injury.
The injuries just go on and on and on.
I am just shaking my head. Does anyone make any
sense of all this? I like Burke just trying to
make sense of his first Trade Deadline moves as
Maple Leafs President and GM. My general opinion
of the moves is Burke should stay away from
aquiring aged players and injured players. I would
have liked to see Burke aquire some good players
to help the Maple Leafs make it into the playoffs.
Seems Burke is content to improve the Leafs in
immediate future but not so much for the remainder
of this season. Listen the Leafs are just 10 points
out of 7th through 8th place. Maple Leafs could
potentially still make the playoffs but seems
Burke is only focusing on next season.
What a shame!
OK Ill end this blog here although I could comment
on the Jeff Hamilton signing which I think is a
good signing but not part of the trade deadline.
Best Regards
Michael Grant
http://mapleleafs.ning.com/