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With Brian Burke soon to be named GM of the Leafs, I thought of what I would try and do with a team in such turmoil, as the Leafs obviously are. So, using their current roster here is what I would try to make happen from now to the end of the regular season. Keeping in mind that the goal is not to win now but build a solid foundation of youth.

To Toronto: W Andrew Ladd, D Cam Barker, G Nikolai Khabibulin, 3rd round pick

To Chicago: C Nik Antropov, D Anton Stralman, G Curtis Joseph

To Toronto: C Jordan Staal, 2nd Round Pick

To Pittsburgh: D Tomas Kaberle, C Matt Stajan, F Jiri Tlusty

To Toronto: F Wojtek Wolski, G Peter Budaj

To Colorado: G Vesa Toskala, W Robbie Earl, 3rd round pick(CHI)

To Toronto: W Jordin Tootoo, D Dan Hamhuis, C Colin Wilson

To Nashville: W Alexei Ponikarovsky, D Pavel Kubina, D/W Ian White

Waive Jason Blake (doubt any team will take that contract)

Trade Khabibulin to the highest bitter at the deadline (1st round pick if you're lucky)

CENTERS: Jordan Staal, Mikhail Grabovski, Colin Wilson, Dominic Moore

WINGERS: Niklas Hagman, Lee Stempniak, Andrew Ladd, Wojtek Wolski, Nikolai Kulemin, Jordin Tootoo, John Mitchell, Jamal Mayers, Ryan Hollweg

DEFENSEMEN: Cam Barker, Dan Hamhuis, Luke Schenn,Jonas Frogren, Mike Van Ryn, Jeff Finger,

Anton Stralman

GOALIES: Peter Budaj, Justin Pogge

Improved? Impossible?

On a personal note, I hate the Leafs, and I truly believe that they're gonna mess this up and still be rebulding by the time my 2 year old son gets drafted by the Habs! (in the 1st round)

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interesting.

I think you'll see burke shake things up, but not with 4 or 5 major deals. More likely he will ship off some dead wood for picks (the leafs have only 5 picks in each of the next 2 drafts - not good for a team thats rebuilding).

I wouldnt be surprised to see at least 1 impact deal, but not many. I also think you are overvalueing WAY too many of the leafs players. No way Colorado touches that deal with a 10 ft pole. I dont think Chicago makes that deal unless they truly feel Khabibulin is a salary dump. The nashville deal is the fairest of the bunch but it doesnt help the leafs much in rebuilding. The Pittsburg deal probably has the most chance of happening because they would be a MUCH stronger team with Kaberle in the lineup and Staal is potentially expendable.

I wouldnt expect to see Burke make many moves for at least a month + after joining on.

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Jordal Staal would be traded for MUCH more than that, and Pens would not give up a pick in the process.

That's a pretty damn valuable package, what more do you think it would take? Philly tried trading Jeff Carter and a 1st for just Kaberle.

Tlusty is a good prospect with pretty high end potential and Stajan is a useful hockey player they could plug into the 3rd line center role to fill Staal's absence if they needed.

I think Kaberle's value, mostly due to his contract, his through the roof. He would be very expensive.

Burke will help the Leafs, but the Toronto brain trust overrated his abilities.

By giving him complete autonomy? They basically had no choice, any GM with a solid career history will ask for it, and frankly they deserve it.

Unless you're speaking about something else that indicated them "overrating" him.

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That's a pretty damn valuable package, what more do you think it would take? Philly tried trading Jeff Carter and a 1st for just Kaberle.

Tlusty is a good prospect with pretty high end potential and Stajan is a useful hockey player they could plug into the 3rd line center role to fill Staal's absence if they needed.

I think Kaberle's value, mostly due to his contract, his through the roof. He would be very expensive.

By giving him complete autonomy? They basically had no choice, any GM with a solid career history will ask for it, and frankly they deserve it.

Unless you're speaking about something else that indicated them "overrating" him.

By overrating him, I meant there are a number of GM's I would rate ahead of Burke, such as our own Bob Gainey and Ken Holland in Detroit. They weren't available, I know, but I don't put Burke at the top of the chain, not even close.

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By overrating him, I meant there are a number of GM's I would rate ahead of Burke, such as our own Bob Gainey and Ken Holland in Detroit. They weren't available, I know, but I don't put Burke at the top of the chain, not even close.

I don't disagree there are GMs better, but I just don't understand how that relates to Toronto's brain trust overrating him, did they ever say or imply he was the best GM in the NHL? He was probably the best available, they couldn't get a Holland for obvious reasons. I think in general Burke is overrated, mostly because of his personality and willingness to speak out, I just don't see how the Leafs brain trust overrated him.

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I wouldn't expect a major shakeup. Fletcher has done a solid cleanup. And I think Burke has a good base. If Burke wants to enter full rebuild mode and get picks/prospects for Kaberle and Kubina he could , but I have a feeling he'll want to keep the team semi-competitive.

We'll probably see the team slowly get bigger and grittier, but I don't expect sweeping changes.

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Their alternative would be to trade the whole team (in pieces) to:

Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington, Anaheim and Calgary for:

RW: Hossa

C: Crosby

LW: Ovechkin

2 Ds: Niedermayer and Lidstrom

G: Kipper.

With the buyouts for Tucker and Raycroft, that leaves them enough cap space to get Sundin back (maybe $9M) and give each player a stick.

I know there's the thought that Burke would prefer to ship out the Europeans, but there are only 4 so called Euros in my suggested team...

Job done. Start clearing the parade route!

;)

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The only way the Ducks trade happen if Toronto decide they have rebuild enough that a lot of draft pick to give up,but it is Toronto so it could happen.The Ottawa trade could land the Sens two first round pick in the 2009 draft and the way these 2 teams are playing that could be 2 top 5 pick,i think Spezza will be move to the west.

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http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/545749

Burke's no genius on draft

But incoming Leaf GM a master of aggressively working the floor to get the prospect he covets

".......Those calling, or hoping, for new general manager Brian Burke to ratchet up the Maple Leafs' rebuilding process by dumping veterans for draft picks, might be wise to tone down their enthusiasm.

During his years in Vancouver, Burke and his staff were not exactly draft day geniuses.

We all know that the entry draft is a guessing game at the best of times; an educated guessing game but a crap shoot nonetheless. And twice during his time heading up the Canucks, Burke completely crapped out on draft day.

Burke's 'Nucks made 18 picks over two drafts in 2000 and 2002 and came up with exactly zero players who proved to be legitimate prospects. Those 18 players went on to combine for a mere 31 NHL games over their careers. Heck, Carlo Colaiacovo plays almost that many in one season.

In 2002, Burke made 11 selections and all he did was stock the ECHL. If goalie Rob McVicar hadn't played three minutes in relief for the Canucks, the GM would have pitched a complete shutout......"

I didn't post the entire story ;)

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I honestly don't think Burke is going to come in and blow things up. He might make a minor move or two, but if anything major is going to happen I think it will be at or near the deadline.
Yes, if he had a one-year contract maybe, but not with a six-year. He's got time to work things, and Fletcher's already kinda blown things up. Too much of that kinda stuff over a short period of time and you end up with just a bunch of feathers floating down from the sky. :D
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