tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Why Firing Burke Makes No Sense

Last night a faint chant of "Fire Burke" was heard at the Air Canada Centre during Toronto's 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Throughout the day, whether on twitter, talk radio or in newspapers, many were calliing for the dismissal of Brian Burke. Frustration and anger has gripped Leafs Nation big time. Being a Leaf fan for over 40 years, I have experienced plenty of both so I get it. I am just as frustrated about what has happened this season as the next Leaf fan. How many of you wear a Leafs lanyard to work in the middle of Buffalo Sabres country?? I've been taking plenty of heat and ridicule for the last 16 games because of it.

So I understand the outrage over missing the playoffs once again but firing Brian Burke makes absolutely no sense. Has Brian Burke made mistakes?? You bet he has. The goaltending situation rests at the feet of Burke. In his defense, one has to wonder what the season would be like if Brian Gionta had not nailed James Reimer in the head. In case you forgot, Reimer was 4-0-1 before being knocked out for over a month. With respect to Jonas Gustavsson, the same critics who are slamming Burke were praising the acquisition of the "best goalie not in the NHL." Be that as it may, the Leafs would have been better off if they had a veteran available, particularly after Reimer got hurt.

Burke's free agent acquisitions have been terrible. Tim Connolly, Colby Armstrong, Mike Komisarek, and Brett Lebda have not helped this club. Of the four, Komisarek has played better as of late but he has not delivered as was hoped. In his defense, the free agent market has not been good since the lockout. Players like Rick Nash and Steven Stamkos decided to re-sign with their current clubs before hitting the open market. Brad Richards, who was the prize free agent last year, had his heart set on the Rangers from day one. If Nash or Stamkos were available there is no doubt in my mind that Burke would have gone after them. Do you remember how Ron Wilson got in trouble for saying that the team was looking at the Sedin twins?? In fact, the Canucks were very concerned and it has been reported that Burke was ready to spring into action if the twins hit the open market. Of course, that didn't happen.

Where Burke has done very well has been in the trade market. He has been able to move free agents that have not worked out well (Francois Beauchemin, Kris Versteeg and Brett Lebda) and acquire players that have been productive along with future assets (Jake Gardiner, Joffrey Lupul, Cody Franson, Matthew Lombardi and a first round draft pick). Through trades, he has built up a farm system that has been a laughingstock for 40 years. The same people who are ripping Burke are the same people who have ripped the Leafs over the years because the farm system was barren and that they had no young prospects worth a damn. When was the last time that the Leafs AHL affiliate has led a division this late in the season?

Many will say so what. Big deal that the Marlies are in first place and headed to the AHL playoffs. The bottom line is that the Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs once again. But let me ask this question: how many so-called hockey experts predicted at the beginning of the season that the Leafs would make the playoffs?? Most experts had the Leafs somewhere in the neighborhood of 8th and 13th place. Does this justify the collapse? No it does not but what it does tell us is that this team is not there yet and most knew that at the beginning of the season.

There is no question that this off season will be a critical one for the Maple Leaf organization. There is no question that Burke will need to acquire a goaltender. Depending upon where they finish they are going to get a top 7 pick in the NHL Entry Draft. They will need to acquire a big forward, preferably a center. It may also be essential to pick up a big defenseman. I wouldn't have a problem if they made a run at Ryan Suter. In addition, certain players must be moved out. Colby Armstrong's stint in Toronto has been terrible and there may be a market for him. Matthew Lombardi is occupying a roster spot that could be opened for a trade acquisition or a youngster from the Marlies. A decision must be made about Cody Franson. You are either going to play the kid or you need to move him. One thing is clear, the Leafs need to get bigger and stronger in order to compete with the Eastern Conference heavyweights like Philadelphia, Boston and the Rangers.

Firing Brian Burke now will be a huge mistake. He is an accomplished general manager who has built a Stanley Cup team in Anaheim and set the foundation for the team that you see in Vancouver. Whether you want to believe it or not, this team is in much better shape than where it was five years ago. We have waited 45 years for a Stanley Cup. I think I can wait a couple more years to be a legitimate contender using youth as the foundation.

Carlyle Hockey: Leafs Win 3-1

Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs exhibited the quality that Brian Burke talks about: trucculence. They didn't take any of the Ottawa Senators guff, were aggressive on the forecheck, killed penalties, blocked shots, played solid defense and received good goaltending. All of that resulted in a 3-1 win over their hated provincial rivals.

While their are some in the media who will pound the Leafs for once again screwing up the chance to get a top five draft pick, what happens during the course of these last 10 games will say a lot about what this team needs to do in the off season. There are no Sidney Crosbys, Steven Stamkos or John Tavares to draft. Point being that anyone selected in that top five are not going to have an immediate impact on this team. If they are able to get a high pick fine. But, it's more important to find out who on this current roster is going to play the way Randy Carlyle wants them to play.

There has been some who have called into question the new contract that was given to Mikhail Grabovski. Well. last night should put to bed any criticism as we may have seen the emergence of a leader when the small center man stood up for rookie Carter Ashton and took on Chris Neil. I have seen Grabovski use his body against much bigger opponents. One specifically I recall was his checking of Evgeni Malkin. It is apparent to me that Grabovski can play for Carlyle and he has the offensive ability that this team needs.

Since Damien Cox's article about trading Phil Kessel, there has been plenty of banter about whether or not Kessel should remain with the team. Last night, Kessel drew a penalty and on the subsequent power play scored what would be the winning goal on a beautiful shot that beat Senator goalie Ben Bishop. Kessel will never be a physical presence but what I did notice last night was that in the third period with his team leading 3-1, Kessel was inclined to gain the red line and dump the puck into the Senators zone. It will remain to be seen what happens this summer, but I think that Phil Kessel can play for Randy Carlyle. We also should remember this: Kessel has 35 goals and 40 assists. Not easily replaced.

Mike Komisarek has been a continual whipping boy since arriving here in Toronto and justifiably so. However, since Carlyle's appearance behind the bench, Komisarek has been playing the way he was when he was with the Canadiens. Last night I thought was one of his best games as a Maple Leaf. He was a physical presence and he got under the skin of Daniel Alfredsson which resulted in a 5 on 3 power play for the Leafs which resulted in Dion Phaneuf's goal.

It will be interesting to see how the Leafs play in Boston on Monday night. The Bruins have owned the Leafs and are obviously a much bigger and physical team. This will be a good test and Coach Carlyle will certainly use it as part of his evaluation process.

Leafs Break Losing Streak With 3-1 Win

The Toronto Maple Leafs continued their domination of the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 3-1 win at the St. Pete Times Forum. The Leafs own a 3-0 record over the Bolts, outscoring them 17-5. There were three things that really stuck out for me last night. The first thing is how the Leafs played in the third period. Despite taking some penalties the Leafs were disciplined and played a solid defensive game. This was totally missing prior to Randy Carlyle. As we look to next season, this philosophy should help to move the Leafs up the Eastern Conference standings.

The second thing that got my attention was James Reimer. Coach Carlyle made the observation that the Leafs young goalie appeared nervous in the game against Florida. Full marks to Carlyle for coming back with Reimer and the 24 year old responded well with a 34 save performance, that included some big ones. As the game went on you could see Reimer's confidence grow. It will be interesting to see how many games each goalie will play in the remaining 11 games left in the season. The key thing to remember is Reimer is under contract for next year and Jonas Gustavsson will be an unrestricted free agent.

Finally, what can you say about Jake Gardiner. His goal was a highlight reel special but his overall play was just as impressive. The young 21 year old defenseman logged over 23 minutes of ice time which was second only to Dion Phaneuf among Leaf defenseman. There was an interesting camera shot during a stoppage in play that showed Gardiner over at the bench talking to Carlyle. The youngster couldn't have a better teacher than the former Norris Trophy defenseman. I have said it before and I will say it again: Jake Gardiner is the best young Leaf defenseman since Borje Salming broke into the league.

Leaf Notes:
* Interesting stat: The Leaf goalies' save percentage under Randy Carlyle is .920. Under Ron Wilson it was .903. Wonder if that has something to do with better defensive zone coverage.

* With Nikolai Kulemin done for the season, it will be interesting to see if the Leafs bring up anybody from the Marlies. With the Marlies heading for a playoff run, Brian Burke may be reluctant to move anybody up to the big club.

* Any interesting article by Damien Cox yesterday suggesting that the Leafs should move Phil Kessel. I am a huge Phil Kessel fan. In my opinion, the Leafs have not had a sniper like Kessel since Alexander Mogilny. However, if the Leafs could acquire a top notch center or big scoring winger I might make a trade. For that matter, other than Jake Gardiner I'm not sure there is anyone who is untouchable, depending upon what the Leafs would get in return.

* As part of the article, Cox bases his premise on the notion that Kessel is not a player that will fit in Carlyle's style of play. I'm not sure that is a fair assessment. It's important to remember that Joffrey Lupul being out has hurt Kessel and it is evident that the team's recent losing streak has taken its toll on the 24 year old right winger. By the way, weren't people saying the same thing when Ilya Kovalchuk when he went to the defense-first New Jersey Devils??

A Familiar Result: No Playoffs For Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs went to Washington yesterday with the hope of vaulting themselves back in the thick of the playoff race. Instead, once again they could not score a goal and dropped a 2-0 decision to the 8th place Capitals leaving them eight points out of the last playoff spot. For all practical purposes, a season that started out so promising has turned into a nightmare.

There is no question that this team has tightened up defensively and Jonas Gustavsson has played extremely well in goal. But their inability to score a goal over two games is pretty incredible. While losing Joffrey Lupul has hurt, the Phil Kessel line has been totally ineffective the last two games. Tim Connolly needs to be taken off the line and I would suggest that Matt Frattin be placed back on it. The way that line is currently set, there is no one on it that is going to provide any physical presence to create space for Kessel. Lupul does that and Frattin has the ability to do it. Keeping Frattin on the fourth line does not make any sense, particularly since the kid does have some offensive ability.

I continue to be impressed with Carter Ashton. Coach Randy Carlyle should consider giving this kid some power play time. Carlyle has talked about developing offense by cycling down low in the offensive zone. Ashton has the size and the willingness to do that, along with going in front of the net. At this point, what do the Leafs have to lose by trying it?? Ashton's play is what the Leafs expected from Colby Armstrong however he has been a bitter disappointment.

One other point, maybe Coach Carlyle should consider teaming Mikhail Grabovski with Phil Kessel. When you think about it, Grabovski is your best center and Kessel is your best winger. There are many times when Grabovski sets up Nikolai Kulemin or Clarke MacArthur only to have a shot go wide. Think about the Philly game on Saturday. Grabovski and Kessel both have offensive creativity to set up each other. Place Frattin on the line with them and maybe something positive can happen.

With 13 games remaining, Leaf management needs to take a long hard look at this current roster. If this team is going to progress, certain players need to be moved. Without a doubt, the upcoming off season will be the biggest during the Brian Burke era.

Better Effort, Same Result: Leafs Lose 1-0 In A Shootout

If over the last 14 games the Toronto Maple Leafs had played the way they did last night they would probably still be in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and heading for the playoffs. Despite suffering a 1-0 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the physical effort and defensive responsibility that the Leafs demonstrated would seem to indicate that Coach Randy Carlyle's philosophy is gaining acceptance. Unfortunately, it is probably too little too late for a playoff spot this season.

Jonas Gustavsson played an exceptional game last night, making key saves when necessary and not allowing what has been a routine soft goal. The Monster really looked focused last night and I didn't see much of the flopping around the crease that has been a part of his game. His rebound control was excellent. Gustavsson is a UFA at the end of this season and the Leafs will have to make a decision. I don't see how Brian Burke can go into next season with Gustavsson and James Reimer so an evaluation is going to have to be made on who to keep and who to let go.

I was really impressed with the David Steckel-Carter Ashton-Joey Crabb line. They really had a physical presence and had no problem moving to the front of the Flyers net. I don't want to overhype the kid, but Carter Ashton is big, strong and willing to go in the dirty areas in the other team's zone. It seemed last night that this trio spent more time in the Flyers zone than in their own end. I would love to see Ashton get some power play time with the express job of going to the net. Would be nice if he could develop into a Ryan Malone type player.

Late this afternoon the Leafs will take on the Capitals in Washington. If the Leafs are to have any chance to make the playoffs then a win today is a must. It will be interesting to see how this team plays after such a tough game last night and who will be the starter in net. If the Maple Leafs bring the same type of intensity today as they did against the Flyers, then they have a chance to pull out a win. More importantly, we may find out what players have bought into their new coach's style of play and those that may not be here at the start of the 2012-13 season.

Fire Ron Wilson!!!

I was not going to post today as I am heading out of town but last night's disgusting performance by the Toronto Maple Leafs has inspired me to post this morning. Many have called for the firing of Ron Wilson. I have refrained from jumping onto that bandwagon but I believe that the time has come: Fire Ron Wilson.

A 1-8-1 slide has gone from bad to worse and it appears to me that this team has quit on its coach. Yes, goaltending is a problem. But poor defensive play, a lack of desire to go to the net and work the boards, a power play that is now 1-19 and the inability to change a style of play that has not been successful is a function of the coach. Before the start of the season Tim Hunter and Keith Acton were replaced and this was going to solve everything. That has not been the case. Now is the time to change the head coach.

As late as early this week, I didn't believe that a coaching change was the answer but if in fact the Leafs are going to be a seller then changing the coach needs to happen to get ready for next season. My call for firing Ron Wilson has little to do with trying to make the playoffs this year but more to do with changing the philosophy of play and getting ready for next season. One thing is clear to me: Ron Wilson's act is getting old and it appears that this young team needs a new voice to listen to.

There are plenty of candidates. Within the organization the obvious choice is Dallas Eakins. Eakins has done a great job with the Toronto Marlies. He is a teacher and does stress the importance of playing a defensive style of hockey. He would deserve a promotion. He would be my number one choice. The other name mentioned as a likely replacement for Wilson is Randy Carlyle. Carlyle has a relationship with Leafs GM Brian Burke as he coached Burke's Anaheim Ducks. Carlyle is a no-nonsense guy who also stresses the need to be defensively responsible.

The contract extension that Ron Wilson received at Christmas should not be an impediment for his dismissal. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has plenty of money to eat the additional year that Wilson was given. While were at it, Francois Allaire should also be shown the door. It is apparent that Allaire's coaching philosophy does not mesh with the talents of Jonas Gustavsson and has not helped James Reimer in his second year of play.

If this team is going to get better then they need to get a new head coach. The time is now: Fire Ron Wilson.

Downward Spiral Continues As Leafs Fall Out Of 8th

The Toronto Maple Leafs march out of playoff contention continued last night as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the San Jose Sharks at Air Canada Centre. No one can blame the goaltender on this one as James Reimer was solid in goal. But once again it took two periods for this team to play with any sense of urgency and again it was too little too late. The loss dropped the Leafs out of the final playoff spot as they are now one point behind Florida. Interestingly enough, they are 7 points out of 7th and 7 points away from last place.

A season that started out with much promise has turned sour with a terrible 1-6-1 tailspin that rivals last season's horrendous mid-October to November swoon. Being 4-4 over this eight game period would have the Leafs solidly in 8th place with 71 points and they would only be 3 points out of 4th place. With games against Washington and Florida coming up, the season can very well be determined by the end of February.

One has to wonder if a trade will make a difference for the Leafs in trying to make the playoffs and whether or not the deadline should be used to clear cap space, get more draft picks and create opportunities for kids from the Marlies to come up to the big team. It would be great if the Leafs could unload Mike Komisarek, Colby Armstrong, and Tim Connolly but its probably wishful thinking on my part.

At this point I am at a loss as to what this team needs to do. I do believe that whatever move they make before the deadline should not only be for this season. Trading young players or future assets to acquire a player that is going to help get the Leafs into the playoffs is a mistake. It's a path that this franchise has gone down before with limited success. Of course, if success is defined by winning a Stanley Cup then this strategy has been a failure. The Leafs' management team has some big decisions to make between now and 3pm February 27th. I guess that's why they get the big bucks.