Daily Spin: Maple Leafs A Sure Bet For Success Under Burke's Leadership

Brian Burke has only been the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs for about seven months and so far the signs are showing that the culture of the club is changing already.

First, Burke made it clear that he intends to change the makeup of the team, by emphasizing toughness, grit and speed as a benchmark of the way he intends to build the Leafs in the foreseeable future.

Before Burke's reign, the Leafs were known as a finesse team, that toughness and grit were not the necessary hallmarks of a team that often competed against the likes of Detroit, Ottawa, Montreal or Anaheim but never made the final cut for old Stanley.

Much of the early changes in Toronto would have to be credited to rugged coach Ron Wilson, who's leadership and heavy-handed approach to the game and team discipline has played a role changing the locker room atmosphere of the Leafs.

Players such as Pavel Kubina, Tomas Kaberle and Matt Stajan early on through the season learned the hard way after their performances were less than sub-par, a fact that Wilson never tolerated and made sure each player was reprimanded for their performances.

Then Brian Burke suddenly entered the picture in December of last year and fans and pundits alike began to notice this new version of the Leafs was coming to it's fruition.

The Leafs of course did not make the post-season, but many began to see the foundations of Burke's blueprint was set and that by next Fall the Leafs would have a different makeup.

Burke does have the pedigree and experience in building a top team with tough but energetic and talented playes, whether he can duplicate that success with the Leafs still remains to be seen.

Tomas Kaberle once again is on the marketplace and there's a sure bet that Burke would be able to find a suitable offer for the puck-moving defensmen's services. Kaberle will soon be a hot commodity for the Leafs because of his reasonable salary, leadership qualities and skills set.

Should Burke finally find a trading partned, the hope is that the Leafs in return would have a first round draftee or young player with some huge upside and a quality veteran.

Let's wait and see if that, along with Burke's master plan, can work.

Stay tuned.