Bleacher Report - Articles by Rob Ellis

Toronto Maple Leafs: All They Want For Christmas Is?

Rob Ellis — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:03:37 -0500

The mall... the place I would least wanna be on December 17, but I had to get the last of my Christmas shopping done so what could I do?

Of course, my Toronto Maple Leaf apparel drew the usual reactions. The nods and envy of other Leaf fans as well as the laughs and snickers from the Habs and Senators supporters.

As I made my way through the crowded mall, I was suddenly distracted by a chubby white-haired man sitting on a bench outside the Liquor Store. (No... it wasn't John Brophy)

"Psst.....excuse me sir," said the old man.

"Are you talking to me?" I replied with a bewildered look on my face. "What can I do for you?"

"Well young man, I noticed that you had on a Toronto Maple Leaf jacket..."

"Yeah yeah," I interrupted rudely. "Whatever buddy... save your jokes and have another bottle of whatever it is ya just bought in there. I've heard 'em all!"

"No no no... I have no problem with you being a Leaf fan young man," he protested. "No problem at all, but i'm in a bit of a pinch. You see... Christmas is just one week away and I haven't a clue what to bring anybody on the Maple Leafs this year."

It was at that precise moment that I knew who I was talking to.

"Holy crap," I said. "Are you Santa?"

"Ho ho ho," he replied and I knew he was the real deal. "You better believe it. Can you please help me though? Their roster is so new this season and I'm running out of time!"

I decided to go with the obvious.

"Well Santa... you know it's been 41 years...."

"Be realistic Robert," he interrupted. "I'm not a miracle worker you know. I can't just give them the Stanley Cup! They have to earn that on their own, but maybe you can give me some suggestions on what I can get each of them. Then, when put all together, maybe, just maybe, it will add up to a drink from Lord Stanley's mug!"

That seemed fair to me, and after just a few seconds of thinking, I started to rattle off my suggestions for most of the 2008/ 2009 Leaf roster.

Vesa Toskala- Goaltending coach Steve McKichan

McKichan was a huge part of Toskala's success last year in the Finnish netminder's first season with the Leafs. This summer brought plenty of changes in the Leafs' coaching situation and McKichan's contract was not renewed. The result: Toskala has been inconsistent and seems to be back in his net more often than not.

Curtis Joseph- An off-ice job with the Leafs.

Though his age is quickly becoming a factor in his declining play, Cujo remains a class act and the Leafs should keep him around for that reason alone.

Tomas Kaberle- A trade to a contender.

After almost 10 seasons of being the Leafs' best all around defenceman, Kabby is now closing in on the prestigious "Larry Murphy Award," given by fans to the Buds' defenceman they choose to hate in that particular season.

Other past notable winners include Todd Gill, Aki Berg, and most recently, Bryan McCabe.

This year, the early favourite was Jeff Finger and his absurd 4-year, 14-million dollar contract but a slow start to the season now has Tomas ahead. Detroit or San Jose... you wouldn't happen to be looking for an underappreciated Top 2 defenceman would you?

Mikhail Grabovski- English Lessons

Grabovski has been a huge surprise this season with the club and one can only imagine how much better he would be once the lines of communication are open to the fullest. I couldn't help but laugh after a recent victory over the Habs when "Grabby" was interviewed using Alexei Ponikarovsky as his interpreter.

Luke Schenn- Lunch with Luke Richardson

The Leafs' prized rookie Luke of 2008 should have a chat with the Leaf's prized rookie Luke of 1987 regarding when to turn the other cheek. Back in Richardson's rookie season, he dropped the gloves with young Edmonton tough guy Kelly Buchberger, obtaining a broken nose for his troubles.

Schenn, in his rookie season with the Leafs, has fought twice losing handily in both to Ottawa's Chris Neil and Vacouver's Rob Davison. An hour or two staring at Richardson's "bloated beak" should stop the future of this Leaf defence from doing anything stupid the rest of his rookie season.

Domenic Moore- An open ice hit on Todd Bertuzzi

The Leafs don't play Calgary so it probably won't happen this season but it still would be nice to see.

Alexei Ponikarovsky- An accurate shot

There is no question that "Pony" can fire the puck but let's face it, he couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat!

Ryan Hollweg- A steel plate in his jaw

He never wins a fight and has seen more punches than the time clock at the local GM plant.

Matt Stajan- A membership to "The Hair Club For Men"

This guy turns 25 on Friday but has the hairline of a 50 year old man!

Jeff Finger- A deal to become an author

The title of his book: "How I Played 94 NHL Games And Scored A 14-Million Dollar Contract"

Ian White- A razor

Sorry, but that horrible moustache has got to go! He looks like a young Ron Jeremy!

Andre Deveaux- Some fights

Nine games... two fights! He needs more than that if he wants to stay with the big club.

Brian Burke - Doug Risebrough to return to the NHL as the GM of the Washington Capitals

In 1992, then Leaf GM Cliff Fletcher robbed Risebrough of one of his best players when he acquired Doug Gilmour from the Calgary Flames. The principle player going the other was Gary Leeman. If Risebrough returns with the Caps maybe Burke can make lightning strike twice. How does Alexander Ovechkin for Nik Antropov sound?

As I made mention of all these suggestions, Ol' Saint Nick typed away at his laptop with glee! Hey, this isn't your traditional Santa anymore... the big guy's gone wireless!

"Ho Ho Ho," he laughed with glee. "I knew you were the one to see about this. I've been reading your articles at The Bleacher Report!"

"No problem Santa," I replied.

At that moment, he looked at his watch, a gold Rolex with diamond encrusted face.

"Oh my... I have to go now Robert, but you've been very helpful. I hope that all your suggestions add up to to a great future for the blue and white! Bye now!"

And with the touch of his nose, he disappeared out of thin air.

"Wait," I yelled. "I have so many questions to ask you! Whatever happened to that Abominable Snowman after that Yukon Cornelius guy pulled out his teeth? Why was that flying lion so into himself? Were Rudolph and that Dentist Elf gay?"

It was too late... he was gone and it was clear that I was gonna have to live the rest of my life questioning the script of a children's Christmas Special, but at least I was able to help the big guy to make the holidays just a little bit better for Leafs Nation.

I took Santa's cellphone number too just in case I had any other ideas for some of the Leafs I didn't mention so feel free to send me your suggestions.

Merry Christmas.

What If Mats Sundin and Thomas Kaberle Had Agreed to Trades?

Rob Ellis — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:23:54 -0500

On Jan. 22, 2008, Cliff Fletcher returned to familiar territory and began his second housecleaning as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club.

Sixteen seasons earlier, he had been brought in by new majority owner Steve Stavro to fix the sinking Maple Leaf ship.

That is where the similarities end.

In 1991, Fletcher didn't have a whole lot of talent to trade. He had Vinnie Damphousse, who was coming off a 73-point season, and former 50-goal shooter Gary Leeman, and both would be gone within six months, bringing big names like Doug Gilmour, Grant Fuhr, and Glenn Anderson to Toronto.

This time around, "The Silver Fox" inherited a roster full of veterans, five of whom were carrying no-trade clauses in their back pockets courtesy of former GM John Ferguson, Jr.

As the Feb. 26 trade deadline approached, the media reported that Mats Sundin, Thomas Kaberle, Bryan McCabe, Pavel Kubina, and Darcy Tucker had all been asked to waive their no-trade clauses.

Fletcher is one of the best general managers that this city has ever seen, but even he could not salvage anything from this situation. By the end of the day, he had only moved Hal Gill, Wade Belak, and Chad Kilger for picks.

In Cliff's defense, he did his job and fielded offers for all of the players, but it was their right to choose.

Tucker was the first to announce his answer—a flat out "no."

Reports from the Toronto media indicated that McCabe could waive if the right team came along, but nothing came of it.

We never did hear what the offers were for the above players, but the deals for the other three were well publicized. In the end, all refused to waive, but what would the Leaf roster look like today if they had?

I know that there is no guarantee that the Leafs would have selected the same players that were picked in the NHL Entry Draft, but we'll ignore that fact just to make it more interesting.

Mats Sundin to Canadiens for Chris Higgins, and First, Second, and Third Round Picks

The 25-year-old Higgins is off to a slow start for the Habs this year, but had 20+ goals in each of his first three seasons in the NHL.

The first rounder was eventually traded to the Calgary Flames in the Alex Tanguay deal. The Flames selected winger Greg Nemisz from Windsor in the OHL. Nemisz has size (6'3", 197) and has 13 goals and 20 assists in 29 games for the Spitfires this season.

The Habs selected Danny Kristo of the USHL's Omaha Lancers in the second round. Kristo has scored six goals and 12 assists this season.

The third rounder was used to take winger Steve Quailer. Another big kid at 6'3", Quailer is playing college hockey at Northeastern University where he has 11 points in 16 games.

Analysis

This one is a no brainer considering the Leafs are about to watch Sundin sign with another team while getting nothing in return. Higgins is better than he has shown and is hidden in Montreal's depth. Kristo will play on the US team in this year's World Junior Tournament in Ottawa. Nemisz and Quailer are big kids and this would have been a great deal even if only one out of the three turned into a decent NHL player.

Thomas Kaberle to Flyers for Jeff Carter and a First Round Pick

Carter has quickly blossomed into a gritty scoring winger in his fourth NHL season with 19 goals and seven assists in 26 games.

The first rounder was sent to the Washington Capitals in the deal that brought Steve Eminger to Philly. Washington selected American defenceman John Carlson with the pick. Carlson is 6'3", 210 pounds, and has six goals and 15 assists in 21 games with the OHL's London Knights this season.

Analysis

If Kaberle had waived, the Leafs would have won this deal hands down. Carter would fit perfect in a rebuilding program and would easily be their top winger. Carlson is the top scoring defenceman on the first-place Knights and looks like a pretty decent prospect.

Pavel Kubina to Sharks for Kyle McLaren

The Leafs were interested in this deal purely for salary dump reasons. The 6'4", 219 pound McLaren is a stay at home defenceman who was better suited for the "old" NHL. This was proven when the Sharks sent him to Worcester of the AHL this season.

Analysis

Sometimes the best deal is the one you don't make and this is a prime example of that. The Leafs are in a rebuilding mode and need young players in return for their veterans. McLaren is 31 years old, the same age as Kubina, and no longer an "NHL defenceman." Kubina has bounced back this season and will fetch more at the deadline this year.

There is no doubt that both the 23-year-old Carter and 25-year-old Higgins would be top six forwards on the Leafs this season and a huge part of the rebuilding process.

As mentioned above, there is no guarantee that the Leafs would have drafted the same players that the Flames, Habs, and Caps did, but there seemed to be some good prospects available and they would have drafted somebody of value.

If either Kaberle, Kubina, or both had been dealt then Carlo Colaiacovo would probably still be a Leaf right now.

Sundin, Tucker, and McCabe have all moved on with only Mike Van Ryn to show for it thanks to JFJ's "gifts." Kaberle and Kubina will both be moved by the March 4 trade deadline if new GM Brian Burke can convince them to do what Fletcher couldn't: leave!

Toronto Maple Leafs: How They Dodged a Tampering Charge from Brian Burke Pursuit

Rob Ellis — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:34:05 -0500

Coincidence: The occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident, but seem to have some connection.

It's finally happened, Leafs Nation.

After suffering through most of this decade, it appears that all the pieces are now in place for the Leafs' resurgence to the upper echelon of the NHL once again. Ron Wilson is the head coach, and Brian Burke is in place as the president and general manager. David Nonis is the new senior vice-president of hockey operations.

All is well in Leafland these days when you add in the fact that the team is by all accounts "overacheiving" in this young season. In less than a year, they have gone from an old, underacheiving team with a horrible GM, to a young team on the rise with one of the smartest hockey men in the business running the show.

My question is: How did the Leafs ever get away with this? How were they able to get away with the obvious tampering that went on in the recruitment of Burke? How were they able to get away with seven months of on and off ice moves that were influenced by Burke himself as he sat in the offices of a rival NHL team?

If you're tired of this kind of talk then I will recommend that you stop reading now. What follows is a detailed look at Brian Burke's road to Toronto in 2008.

January 22, 2008: John Ferguson Jr. is relieved of his duties as General Manager. The announcement is delivered by President and CEO of MLSE Richard Peddie. At the same press conference, it is announced that Cliff Fletcher will take on the role of "Interim General Manager" for the remainder of the 2007-2008 season.

During Fletcher's speech, Peddie stares directly at him and is clearly seen lipsynching the words that come out of Cliff's mouth. Most notably, the phrases "custodian of the keys" and "ahead to the next level."

February 26, 2008: On trade deadline day, Fletcher trades Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a 2008 fifth round draft pick. Later in the day he also trades Hal Gill to the Pittsburgh Penguins for second and fifth round picks and sends Chad Kilger to the Florida Panthers for a third rounder.

March 7, 2008: After missing the playoffs for the second straight season, Fletcher fires head coach Paul Maurice. TSN reports that the Leafs have asked permission from the Vancouver Canucks to speak with recently fired GM David Nonis about handling the club's management duties through the end of the 2008-2009 season. At that point, they would approach Anaheim's Brian Burke about coming in as the General Manager with Nonis staying on in an assistant role.

May, 2008: It is reported that Leafs have been denied permission from the Detroit Red Wings to speak with GM Ken Holland, and the same can be said for Doug Wilson of the San Jose Sharks. Toronto media is reporting that the Leafs have Brian Burke as their "candidate of choice" to become the next President and General Manager of the Maple Leafs.

May 5, 2008: Former Stars GM Doug Armstrong speaks with the Fan 590's Howard Berger about his interest in the vacant Toronto job. In Berger's blog, it is quite clear that Armstrong, a native of Ontario, will take the job if it is offered to him.

May 28, 2008: This is where it gets interesting. Armstrong abruptly cancels his interview with MLSE and signs on as the Assistant GM with the St. Louis Blues leaving Leaf fans and media scratching their heads as to why somebody who was so keen on the position suddenly decides to take a lesser job with another organization without even interviewing.

June 2, 2008: Rumours surface that the Leafs have their man and will announce it in the next few days. Interestingly enough, it is not the vacant GM position they will be filling. Instead, it is reported that the Leafs are set to hire recent San Jose firing Ron Wilson as their new coach.

June 3, 2008: The Toronto Sun reports the Ron Wilson news, and more, suggesting that Brian Burke may in fact have already agreed to a tentative deal to be the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It points out that Burke and Wilson are "close friends and former teammates at Providence College in the 1970s, suggesting that Burke, who is said to be in line to become the Leafs' next GM once he secures his release from the Ducks, may be unofficially calling the shots behind the scenes for the Leafs."

Burke calls the accusations "absurd" even though he still hasn't signed the contract extension that the Ducks offered him months earlier.

June 10, 2008: The Leafs hire Ron Wilson as their 36th head coach without even interviewing anybody else. Other available qualified candidates included Marc Crawford, Joel Quennville, and John Tortorella.

June 16, 2008: Six days after hiring Wilson, the Leafs announce the hiring of Al Coates as Director of Player Personnel. Coates' most recent job was as senior advisor to the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, which also happens to be Brian Burke.

June 20, 2008: David Nonis, a former candidate for the GM job in Toronto, signs on with the Anaheim Ducks as senior advisor of hockey operations alongside Burke. Not much is said at the time, but there is a clause in the contract that allows Nonis to leave whenever he wants. Why would he ask for that clause if he didn't foresee a possible early exit from Anaheim?

June 20, 2008: On the eve of the draft, Fletcher swings a deal to bring forward Jamal Mayers to the Leafs in exchange for a third round pick.

June 21, 2008: Fletcher works out a deal with the Islanders to acquire the fifth overall pick and selects Kelowna Rockets defenceman Luke Schenn.

July 1, 2008: Fletcher is busy on free agent day. He quickly signs Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jeff Finger to a four-year, $14 million contract leaving everyone in the hockey world baffled. He follows that up by signing Dallas Stars forward Niklas Hagman to a four year, $12 million contract. Last, and certainly least, he brings back a former "saviour" by signing unrestricted free agent goalie Curtis Joseph to a one-year, $700,000 contract.

July 3, 2008: Fletcher acquires Mikhail Grabovski from the Montreal Canadiens for Greg Pateryn and a second round draft pick in 2010.

July 4, 2008- The Leafs announce that they have signed Swedish defenceman Jonas Frogren to a contract.

July 8, 2008: The Leafs hire former player Joe Nieuwendyk on as special assistant to the general manager.

July 14, 2008: Fletcher sends the fifth round pick acquired from Pittsburgh in the Hal Gill deal to the New York Rangers for Ryan Hollweg.

July 22, 2008: The Leafs hire Rob Zettler and Tim Hunter as assistant coaches. Both held the same roles with the San Jose Sharks alongside Ron Wilson.

August 1, 2008: Fletcher signs minor league tough-guy Andre Deveaux.

Summer, 2008: Fletcher passes up a one-month window which allows him to trade defenceman Pavel Kubina despite a no trade clause in his contract.

September 2, 2008: After convincing him to waive his no trade clause, Fletcher trades defenceman Bryan McCabe along with a fourth-round pick in 2010 to the Florida Panthers for defenceman Mike Van Ryn.

November 12, 2008: Brian Burke steps down as the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks.

November 21, 2008: It is reported that negotiations between MLSE and Brian Burke are set to begin.

November 25, 2008: Fletcher trades Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo to the St. Louis Blues for Lee Stempniak leaving fans and media with a question. With the signing of Brian Burke inevitable, why would MLSE allow Fletcher to make a trade. For that reason, it is assumed that Brian Burke had some say in the completion of this deal.

November 29, 2008: MLSE hold a press conference and introduces Burke as the new president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Burke states that he is "thrilled to be working back in Canada" and calls his new position a "dream job!"

December 6, 2008: Burke hires David Nonis as senior vice-president of hockey operations as he chooses to use the "out clause" in the contract he signed with the Ducks less than six months ago. The question must be asked once again, "Why would Nonis ask for that clause if he didn't foresee a possible early exit from Anaheim"?

The argument can be made that he wanted to make himself available for a vacant GM post in the near future. That is obviously not the case now that he has ended up in Toronto as Brian Burke's assistant once again.

There you have it. All the lies and deceit that came from the camps of both parties involved in this union between a struggling sports franchise and a top notch hockey executive.

It is pretty clear that almost every front office move that has been made has a Brian Burke link to it.

Burke is the godfather of the head coach's daughter and one of his closest friends.

The last two men who served as "senior advisors" under Burke are already both working with him in the Leafs organization.

The two big signings in the off-season, Nik Hagman and Jeff Finger, both played in the Western Conference where Burke had a very good look at them.

I do believe in coincidence, but this is just too pretty a picture to be just that.

So what's the answer to the question that was asked above? How did the Leafs get away with this? The answer is, proof!

It is pretty clear that the Leafs had found a way to speak with Burke long before November 25 when the negotiations between the two parties "officially began." Maybe it was at Wilson's daughter's wedding in July, or at a BBQ at Al Coates' house in June.

Who knows, but I personally believe it happened in late May when Armstrong's meeting was abruptly cancelled, and that all subsequent hockey moves were made with Burke's input.

Any way you look at it, directly or indirectly, the Leafs broke NHL tampering rules and got away with it. In the next hour or two, before the Leafs take on the Caps down at the ACC, four men will dine in a fine restaurant eating steak, drinking wine, and laughing about the fast one they pulled on the NHL. Their names are Burke, Wilson, Coates, and Nonis. Now that is no coincidence.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Goaltending Situation Looks Very Familiar

Rob Ellis — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:17:43 -0500

It's just past the quarter mark in this Leaf season and the team's biggest problem seems to be the one thing that we all thought was going to be its biggest strength: goaltending.

Whether it's the inconsistency of Vesa Toskala or the flat-out horridness of Curtis Joseph's appearances, this team is clearly suffering between the pipes.

I have been a Leaf fan since birth and I can't help but see the similarities between the current netminding "crisis" and the one that occurred quite a few years ago.

In 1992-93, the Leafs began the season with 30-year-old Grant Fuhr as the starting goaltender and an aging 33-year-old veteran named Rick Wamsley as the backup.

On the farm, a highly touted 21-year-old prospect named Felix Potvin began the season with the St. John's Maple Leafs.

This season, the Leafs began with 31-year-old Vesa Toskala as the starter with an aging 41-year-old named Curtis Joseph as the backup.

On the farm, a highly touted 22-year-old prospect named Justin Pogge lies in wait with the Toronto Marlies.

At this point, 16 seasons later, the two situations sound pretty similar, right? So let's go back to 1992 and see what happened next.

Early in the season, Fuhr was inconsistent and Wamsley was struggling in a backup role. After just five games in St. John's, Potvin was brought up even though his numbers (3.50 GAA and an .894 save percentage) were nothing to get excited about.

It wasn't long before he shared the starter's role with Fuhr and not much longer until it was clear he was ready to play the majority of the games.

Leaf GM Cliff Fletcher realized he had an asset to use as trade bait. On February 2, 1993, he pulled the trigger and sent Fuhr to the Buffalo Sabres for sniper Dave Andreychuk, goaltender Daren Puppa, and a first-round draft pick.

Andreychuk helped the Leafs into the playoffs by scoring 25 goals in the final 31 games. He scored another 12 in the playoffs, helping the Leafs reach the conference finals.

Puppa played eight games as Potvin's backup and went 6-2 with a 2.25 GAA and a .922 save percentage. Later that year, Fletcher used the first-round pick acquired in the deal to select young Swedish defenceman Kenny Jonsson.

Potvin went on to be the Leafs starter for another five seasons before a guy named Curtis Joseph came to town.

Now back to the present.

This season, Toskala, like Fuhr in 1992, has been inconsistent. Joseph, like Wamsley, is showing signs that he may not "have it" anymore.

Justin Pogge is playing the majority of the games with the farm team and boasts better numbers than Potvin did when he was called up 16 years ago (2.86 GAA and an .894 save percentage).

By now, I think you know where I'm going with this. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it might.

We have a new GM in town who doesn't have many assets of value to deal but I definitely think Toskala is one of them. I'm not going to try to convince you that Toskala would bring the same value that Fuhr, a four-time cup winner, did all those years ago. He would fetch a prospect or two, though.

Many fans have preached the importance of having Pogge play as the starter with the Marlies for this full season and I will admit that I was one of them. However, this Leaf season has not gone the way that I, or anybody else, thought it would. This team is supposed to be well below .500, fighting with Atlanta to get out of the basement.

Matt Stajan is not supposed to have 21 points.

Mikhail Grabovski is not supposed to be this good and neither is Niklas Hagman.

Nik Antropov is not supposed to be able to score without the aid of Mats Sundin.

We're supposed to be booing Jeff Finger for making too much money, not admiring his awesome open-ice hits.

Mike Van Ryn was the salary we had to take on to get rid of McCabe and he was quietly our best defenceman before getting injured.

The things that are supposed to be happening, such as above-average goaltending, are not!

So why not continue this pattern and bring Pogge up to the big club? A look back at 1992-93 shows it might not be a bad idea.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Brian Burke's In, but Who's Out???

Rob Ellis — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:10:08 -0500

It's been over 48 hours since the big announcement of Brian Burke's arrival, and I already find myself waiting with bated breath for the first transaction to occur.

So, what will that first move be? Will it be big? Will it be small? I guess we'll just have to wait and see, but I couldn't help but let my mind wander today.

Here's a look at the current roster and what may happen in the months to come.

GOALTENDERS:

35- Vesa Toskala- Two weeks ago, I would have said that Toskala better pack his bags, but in the past two games he has been nothing short of spectacular! I think he is the Leafs' starting goalie until he plays his way out of that position.

31- Curtis Joseph- Curtis has been horrible in most of his starts this season. Burke will give him the benefit of the doubt and at least a couple more starts before deciding his fate. Cap space is not a problem for this team though, and Burke will not hesitate to get someone else especially if Toskala finds himself struggling this season. Curtis will be offered a position with the organization though, which will soften the situation if it happens.

DEFENCEMEN:

15- Thomas Kaberle- With a no-trade clause in place, Kaberle would have to agree to a trade. I believe that Kaberle WILL waive this time as he does not look happy this season. There will be teams lining up to acquire his services, but I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with the Panthers alongside his old powerplay pal McCabe. If you believe what you read, the Leafs are interested in both Jay Bouwmeester and Nathan Horton.

77- Pavel Kubina- Kubina has a no-trade clause as well, but I don't see him as a lock to waive it. He genuinely seems to like it in Toronto and chose not to waive his contract earlier this season at the trade deadline. Burke will try his best to convince him though and if he does, there will be plenty of interest. What team wouldn't be interested in a 6'4, 244-pound defenceman with an offensive upside?

4- Jeff Finger- He has played well this season, but will turn 29 this month and is not untouchable by any means. There will be interest but alot will depend on whether Burke can move Kaberle and Kubina.

26- Mike Van Ryn- In my opinion, he was the best defenceman on the team before the Kostitsyn hit. If he returns to that same form then he will be definite trade bait for many of the teams looking for experienced rearguards for their playoff run.

2- Luke Schenn- The "man" they will build their blue line around for years to come. Need I say more?

7- Ian White- He was in the doghouse coming out of camp and rumours had Fletcher trying to move him. To his defense, he waited patiently until he got the call, and played well when he got the chance. His versatility makes him a valuable commodity as well. His improved play pretty much signaled the end of Carlo Colaiacovo's run as a Maple Leaf. At 24-years old I don't see him going anywhere.

24- Jonas Frogren- He has spent more time injured than healthy, but has been hot and cold when in the lineup. He will block shots with any part of his body and is not afraid to throw the weight around. Not sure how much interest there will be for him, but if the right offer comes he's gone.

36- Anton Stralman- I often wonder why Stralman is playing in the NHL at this point. He definitely shows a TON of promise, but might be better off playing with the Marlies. It's too early to be shipping a 22-year old prospect out of town.

FORWARDS:

80- Nik Antropov- Once referred to as "our only top six forward" by Cliff Fletcher, Antropov has done nothing to prove him wrong putting together a very decent season without playing on Mats Sundin's wing. He will turn 29 in February and is probably the only guy in the forward group that will bring some value in return.

14- Matt Stajan- After a trip to the press box early in the season, Stajan has responded by leading the team in points, so he's definitely a lock to stay right? Not necessarily. I don't believe he is Brian Burke's type of player, however I may be wrong.

23- Alexei Ponikarovsky- He's 6'4, 220-pounds but is guilty of not always using it to his advantage. Not sure what the market will be for a big guy who plays when he wants to, but if he wants to stay he needs to start showing some consistency.

84- Mikhail Grabovski- Shares the team lead in goals with Nik Antropov in his rookie season. Burke obviously likes him and admitted that he tried to acquire him last season with the Ducks. Not untouchable, but won't actively be shopped.

9- Niklas Hagman- This is pretty much a non discussion because I believe he has a no-movement clause for the 2008-09 season. He has played very well and it's unlikely the Leafs will try and move him anyway.

41- Nikolai Kulemin- This one is tough. If you go by Brian Burke's formula of "Top six Skilled Players-Bottom six Plumbers," he doesn't seem to fit. He has 10 points in 23 games which is not exactly Top six forward material. At the same time though, I also don't feel that he could do the third and fourth line checking role. Does this mean that he will be traded? No, of course not, but if Burke can get a prospect that fits better and the opposing team insists Kulemin be involved, he's gone! This isn't Luke Schenn here.

19- Dominic Moore- Burke has made it loud and clear that the Todd Bertuzzi issue has no bearing on this player. Dominic is one of the hardest workers on this club and fits the plumber role to a tee.

12- Lee Stempniak- The jury is still out on this new acquisition. It's too early to tell.

55- Jason Blake- There is no room on the team for this selfish and underachieving player. I believe this will be one of Burke's first moves. He will either do the impossible and find somebody to take Blake off his hands or he will simply buy him out.

39- John Mitchell- Mitchell beat out veterans Mark Bell and Boyd Devereaux to earn his spot on the big club this season, and looked very good before being injured last month. Since the injury, he has looked like a different player and at times timid. If he doesn't want to end up back with the Marlies then he may want to change that.

21- Jamal Mayers- When the Leafs signed him away from the Blues this summer, i'm sure they expected more. His minus-10 is worst on the club and at 34-years old, he won't be around to see this club win a cup. I don't think he will be on the roster by the end of the year.

44- Ryan Hollweg- Got in trouble early for being too "overzealous" with his bodychecks. However, he seems to have learned to tone that down and has played fairly well over the past few weeks. Seems to hit at least one guy every time he steps on the ice. That should be enough to keep him in Burke's good books.

56- Andre Deveaux- Too early to tell, but seems to be struggling with the faster pace of the NHL. I, personally, do not believe that he will stick, and i think Burke will bring in an experienced enforcer instead.

I don't believe ANYBODY on this roster is "untouchable" by any means. Everyone is available for the right price. There are no Sidney Crosby's, Evgeny Malkin's, or Alexander Ovechkin's to be had on this Maple Leaf roster however.

Nobody knows for sure what Burke's first move will be. Names to think about include Kovalchuk, Gaborik, and Bouwmeester. If history repeats itself then Burke is poised to put his stamp on this club very quickly. Like most of you, I can't wait to see what that will be.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Looking Back at Fletcher's Accomplishments

Rob Ellis — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:45:59 -0500

The excitement is back in the Toronto Maple Leaf camp once again with the official announcement that Brian Burke has signed on to be the team's President and General Manager.

As I sat back and watched the official press conference yesterday afternoon, I couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. Back in 1991, I remember the same sense of excitement in Leafs Nation when the fledgling Buds brought in Cliff Fletcher to break the curse that had been plaguing the Maple Leafs for 24 years!

So is Brian Burke walking into the same situation Cliff Fletcher inherited 17 years ago? Let's take a look at what Fletcher did in his first go around as Leaf GM.

When Cliff entered the picture he inherited a Leaf team that had gone 23-46-11 which was good for dead last in the Norris Division. The coach was Tom Watt who had taken over for Doug Carpenter, who was later fired during that season. Fletcher decided to keep Watt on as coach for the 1991-92 season.

September 19, 1991 - Fletcher trades Vincent Damphousse, Scott Thornton, Luke Richardson, Peter Ing, plus future considerations and cash to Edmonton for Glenn Anderson, Grant Fuhr, and Craig Berube.

Analysis: On the surface, it looks like Fletcher gave away young players for has beens. In reality, he was trying to change the losing atmosphere in the Leaf dressing room and brought in experienced players who had won cups. Yes, Fuhr's best days were behind him but he would have eventually been sent packing for a HUGE part of the Leafs eventual "cup runs."

October 7, 1991 - Fletcher acquired Ken Linesman from Edmonton for cash.

December 18, 1991 - Fletcher traded Tom Fergus to Vancouver for cash.

December 26, 1991 - Fletcher traded Mike Stevens to NY Rangers for Guy LaRose.

Analysis: All three of the above trades had no bearing on the future.

January 2, 1992 - Fletcher traded Gary Leeman, Craig Berube, Michel Petit, Alexander Godynyuk, and Jeff Reese to Calgary for Doug Gilmour, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Kent Manderville, and Rick Wamsley.

Analysis: Quite possibly the most lopsided trade in Leaf history. Leeman was a one time 50-goal shooter who would never come close to this again. Petit was a veteran defenceman who's best years were behind him. Reese was a career backup goalie, and Godynyuk was a promising defenceman who never panned out.

Berube was a throw-in, and Gilmour had come off seasons with 105, 86, 85, 91, and 81 points with the Blues and Flames. Macoun would log major minutes on the Leaf blueline over the next few seasons. Leeman would never score more than nine goals in a season after that, while Gilmour would break the 100-point plateau the following two campaigns.

March 10, 1992 - Fletcher traded Dave Hannan to Buffalo for future considerations. Also traded Claude Loiselle and Daniel Marois to the NY Islanders for Dave McLwain and Ken Baumgartner. Traded Lucien Deblois to Winnipeg for Mark Osborne.

Analysis: These were all considered "minor deals," but Osborne would go on to become a big part over the next few seasons.

The 1991-92 season ended with the Leafs sporting a 30-43-7 record and missing the playoffs once again, but the synopsis around the Gardens is that the future is bright. The Leaf dressing room is now filled with playoff experience and players who have won cups.

Fuhr has a disappointing season going 25-33-5 with a 3.66 GAA and an .881 save percentage. Young Felix Potvin got his first taste of the NHL shooters and impressed in limited action.

Summer 2002- Fletcher fires Tom Watt and brings in Pat Burns as Head Coach.

June 10, 1992 - Fletcher acquires Brad Marsh from Detroit for cash.

June 15, 1992 - Fletcher acquires goalie Jarmo Myllys from San Jose for cash.

NHL ENTRY DRAFT- June 20, 1992 - Fletcher decided to play "musical draft picks" and does his part in earning the nickname "Trader Cliff!" The Leafs ended up with two first-round picks and ended up choosing Brandon Convery eighth overall and Grant Marshall 23rd overall. The islanders ended up with the Leafs' original fifth overall pick and used it to select hardnosed defenceman Darius Kasparaitis.

Analysis: A lot of activity with not a lot in return. Convery would be a bust and Marshall would suffer a serious neck injury that set back his Leaf career. Though he was considered one of the NHL's dirtiest players, Kasparaitis would go on to a long and successful NHL career. Fletcher also grabbed young Nikolai Borschevsky in the fourth round.

July 20, 1992 - Fletcher traded Brad Marsh to Ottawa for future considerations.

September 9, 1992 - Fletcher claimed Bob McGill on waivers from Tampa Bay.

Analysis- Neither transaction made any impact.

November 24, 1992 - Fletcher acquired John Cullen from Hartford for future considerations.

Analysis: This was Cliff's bid to get a decent second line centre to back up Gilmour. Cullen had some very good seasons with Pittsburgh backing up Mario Lemieux. He could not stay healthy with the Leafs, but was decent when in the lineup.

December 3, 1992 - Fletcher claims Bill Berg on waivers from NY Islanders.

Analysis: It's "little" moves like this that Cliff was famous for. Picking up "plumbers" like Berg and Osborne that nobody cared about at the time. Little did anybody know that both of those players would play major roles in the coming spring.

February 2, 1993 - Fletcher traded Grant Fuhr and future considerations to Buffalo for Dave Andreychuk, Daren Puppa, and a 1993 first-round draft pick.

Analysis: By mid-season, Felix Potvin had unseeded a suddenly old Fuhr as the Number 1 goaltender and Fletcher had an asset to move. Andreychuk would go on to score 25 goals in 31 games playing alongside Gilmour. Puppa played eight games as Potvin's backup and went 6-2 with a 2.25 GAA and .922 save percentage. What made the deal even more lopsided was who Fletcher selected with the Buffalo first-rounder.

February 25, 1993 - Fletcher acquired Brad Miller from Ottawa for a ninth-round draft pick.

Analysis: Ottawa used the pick to select Pavol Demitra, but who knew?

The Leafs finish the season with a 44-29-11 record good for third place in a suddenly dangerous Norris Division. Gilmour scored 127 points and received serious consideration for the Hart Trophy. Pat Burns won the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year in his first season with the Leafs.

Fourth-Round draft pick Nikolai Borschevsky scored 34 goals and 74 points in his rookie season and scored the Game seven overtime winner in the first round against the Red Wings. The club then defeated the St. Louis Blues in the second round before meeting the L.A Kings in the Conference Final. The Leafs came within a Gretzky high stick of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. All is good in Leafland.

NHL ENTRY DRAFT- June 26, 1993- Fletcher used the 1st round pick he acquired from Buffalo to select defenceman Kenny Jonsson. He used his own 19th overall pick to select American Landon Wilson passing up the likes of Saku Koivu, Todd Bertuzzi, Jamie Langenbrunner, Brendan Morrison, and Bryan McCabe.

Analysis: Jonsson was a good pick and would have had a longer NHL career had it not been for injury problems. Wilson was a flatout BUST and can you imagine any of the above five players in the Leaf lineup?

July 30, 1993 - Fletcher traded Dave Tomlinson to Florida for cash.

September 2, 1993 - Fletcher traded Brad Miller and Jeff Perry to Calgary for Paul Holden and Todd Gillingham.

November 5, 1993 - Fletcher traded Mike Foligno to Florida for cash.

December 6, 1993 - Fletcher aquires Greg Smyth from Florida for cash.

January 25, 1994 - Fletcher traded Ted Crowley to Hartford for Mark Greig and a sixth-round pick in 1995.

February 21, 1994 - Fletcher acquired Pat Jablonski from Tampa Bay for cash.

March 18, 1994 - Fletcher acquired Ken Belanger from Hartford for a ninth-round pick.

Analysis: All of these moves were insignificant. Foligno was certainly "serviceable" during the 1993 playoff run, but he was getting older and had only been used in four games in the first month of the season.

March 21, 1994 - Fletcher traded Glenn Anderson, Scott Malone, and a fourth-round pick in 1994 to the NY Rangers for Mike Gartner.

Analysis: The deal was essentially an Anderson for Gartner swap. Gartner scored six goals and 12 points in the final 10 games of the regular season and had 11 points in the playoffs. I'm sure he probably would have preferred to stay with the Rangers though who would go on to win the Stanley Cup that year.

The Leafs finished with a 43-29-12 record, almost identical to the previous season. Andreychuk became the third Maple Leaf to score 50 goals in a season (Rick Vaive and Gary Leeman were the others) when he notched 53. Gilmour continued to dominate with 111 points and Wendel Clark had the best year of his career potting 46 goals in only 64 games.

Felix Potvin notched 34 wins in his first full season as the starting goaltender. The Leafs once again reached the conference final defeating the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks before losing to the Vancouver Canucks.

June 26, 1994 - Fletcher traded Wendel Clark, Sylvain Lefebvre, Landon Wilson, and 22nd overall pick in 1994 for Mats Sundin, Garth Butcher, Todd Warriner, and 10th overall pick in 1994.

Analysis: A sad day in Leaf history as the beloved Wendel Clark leaves town. Two days before the draft, Fletcher shocks the hockey world by pulling off yet another "heist!" Sundin was the best player in the deal and would lead the Leafs for the next 13 seasons. Clark ends up BACK with the Leafs less than two seasons later.

This is where the "genius" of Cliff Fletcher seems to end. What follows is a boat full of "nothing" deals featuring journeyman NHLers and players who have left their best year's behind. Unfortunately, Cliff couldn't make lightning strike three times as there are no Mark Osbornes or Bill Berg's to be had.

NHL ENTRY DRAFT- June 28, 1994 - Fletcher traded Rob Pearson and Philadelphia's first-round pick in 1994 for Mike Ridley and Blues' first-round pick. He used the pick to select goaltender Eric Fichaud, and selected Sean Haggerty in the second round and Frederik Modin in the third. In the 10th round, Fletcher scooped Russian winger Sergei Berezin with the 256th overall pick.

Analysis: Fichaud never panned out and neither does Haggerty. This draft wasn't a very deep one, but names like Sheldon Souray, Chris Drury, Milan Hejduk, Mathieu Dandeneault, and Richard Park were all available after both Fichaud and Haggarty. Ridley would score 37 points in an injury riddled season.

August 10, 1994 - Fletcher sent Peter Zezel and Grant Marshall to Dallas as compensation for signing Mike Craig.

Analysis: Craig's Leaf numbers: 172 games played- 20 goals- 30 assists- 50 points. Enough said?

September 28, 1994 - Fletcher traded David Sacco to Anaheim for Terry Yake.

Analysis: Yake played a total of 19 games for the Maple Leafs.

October 3, 1994 - Fletcher traded Chris Snell, Eric Lacroix, and a fourth-round pick in 1996 to Los Angeles for Dixon Ward, Kelly Fairchild, Guy Leveque, and Shayne Toporoski.

Analysis: Minor leaguers for minor leaguers.

January 18, 1995 - Fletcher acquired Randy Wood from Buffalo in the waiver draft.

February 10, 1995 - Fletcher acquired Warren Rychel from Washington for a 1995 fourth-round draft pick.

March 13, 1995 - Fletcher acquired Rich Sutter from Tampa Bay for cash.

April 6, 1995 - Fletcher traded Eric Fichaud to the NY Islanders for Benoit Hogue, a third-round pick in 1995 and a fifth-round pick in 1996. He also traded Nikolai Borschevsky to Calgary for a sixth-round pick in 1996 and acquired Paul DiPietro from Montreal for a conditional fourth-round pick.

April 7, 1995 - Fletcher acquired Tie Domi from Winnipeg for Mike Eastwood and a third-round pick in 1995, and acquired Gord Kruppke from Detroit for future considerations. He also traded Drake Berehowsky to Pittsburgh for Grant Jennings.

Analysis: The only significant name in any of these trades is the then still young and hungry Domi.

The strike-shortened season was a tough one for the Leafs and pretty much killed the momentum the team had after two long playoff runs in the previous seasons. Sundin lead the team in points in his first season. Gilmour was fourth and recorded only one more point than defenceman Todd Gill. The team finished only two games over .500 and lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the Playoffs.

NHL ENTRY DRAFT- June, 1995 - Fletcher's "iffy" draft history continued selecting defenceman Jeff Ware in the first round. He followed that up by taking Ryan Pepperall in the third.

Analysis: I can't comment, I just can't!

July 8, 1995 - Fletcher traded Dimitri Mironov and second-round pick in 1996 to Pittsburgh for Larry Murphy and traded Mike Ridley to Vancouver for Sergio Momesso. He also acquired Rob Zettler from Philadelphia for a fifth-round pick in 1996.

Analysis: Murphy was the Bryan McCabe of the 90's and the Maple Leaf boobirds made him their whipping boy. The rest of the players acquired had little impact with the club.

August 30, 1995 - Fletcher traded the Leafs' first-round pick in 1996, second-round pick in 1997 and Kings' fourth round pick in 1996 to Philadelphia for Dmitri Yushkevich and a second-round pick in 1996

Analysis: Yushkevich became a very important part of the early Pat Quinn-era Leaf playoff teams. The Flyers cashed the first rounder in on Dainius Zubrus who had an up and down NHL career. This one would have looked much worse had the Flyers selected Daniel Briere who was taken nine picks later by the Phoenix Coyotes.

October 2, 1995 - Fletcher traded Warren Rychel to Colorado for cash.

December 4, 1995 - Fletcher traded Kent Manderville to Edmonton for Peter White and a fourth-round pick in 1996.

January 23, 1996 - Fletcher traded Damien Rhodes and Ken Belanger to the NY Islanders for future considerations and also acquired Don Beaupre and Kirk Muller from the Islanders.

January 29, 1996 - Fletcher traded Randy Wood and Benoit Hogue to Dallas for Dave Gagner and a sixth-round pick in 1996. Then acquired Mike Pomichter from Chicago for cash.

February 29, 1996 - Fletcher traded Sergio Momesso to the NY Rangers for Wayne Presley and acquired Nick Kypreos from the NY Rangers for Bill Berg.

Analysis: Five more moves made that had virtually no impact on the future of the Leafs. He was trading away third and fourth line players for third and fourth line players. Muller's best years were behind him and was pretty much a checker when Fletcher aquired him.

March 13, 1996 - Fletcher traded Kenny Jonsson, Darby Hendrickson, Sean Haggerty, and a first-round pick in 1997 to the NY Islanders for Wendel Clark, Mathieu Schneider, and D.J. Smith.

Analysis: Clark returned and the city was once again abuzz. Jonsson was a good prospect and it hurt to lose him, but Wendel in any other uniform was just wrong! Sometimes what hurt the most was what you didn't see right away though. In this case it would be that first round pick. In June 1997, the Islanders used it to select the man who is probably the best goaltender in the NHL today: Roberto Luongo!

March 13, 1996 - On the day of Wendel's return, Fletcher wasn't done and ended up sending Dave Andreychuk to New Jersey for a second-round pick in 1996 and a conditional pick in 1998 or 1999.

Analysis: Andreychuk's production had fallen to just 20 goals and he looked slower than ever. If Fletcher could turn that pick into something useful, then it was a good deal (See 1996 draft). It also signified the beginning of the Toronto Maple Leaf garage sale.

March 20, 1996 - Fletcher traded Ken Baumgartner to Anaheim for a fourth-round pick.

The season was a miserable one for the Leafs who finished with a record of 34-36-12. Fletcher fired Burns with 17 games remaining and named scout Nick Beverly as the interm coach. The club responded going 9-6-2 and clinching a playoff spot on the final day of the season. They would bow out in the first round to the St. Louis Blues.

Summer 1996- Fletcher hired Mike Murphy as the new head coach of the Maple Leafs.

NHL ENTRY DRAFT- June, 1996 - Fletcher had no picks in the first round, but had two in each of the second, third, and fourth rounds; hope was high that he might steal something in those six picks. He selected: Marek Posmyk, Francis Larivee, Mike Lankshear, Konstantin Kalmikov, Jason Sessa (no not Jason Spezza), and Vladimir Antipov (no not Nikolai Antropov).

Analysis: Have you heard of any of those guys?

June 14, 1996 - Fletcher traded Todd Gill to San Jose for Jamie Baker and a fifth-round pick.

Analysis: Baker played a total of 71 games for Toronto and was out of the NHL within two seasons. The always useful Gill would play another seven years with the Sharks, Blues, Wings, Coyotes, Avalanche, and Blackhawks.

June 22, 1996 - Fletcher traded Mike Gartner to Phoenix for a fourth-round pick and traded Dave Gagner to Calgary for a third-round pick.

October 10, 1996 - Fletcher aquired Darby Hendrickson from the NY Islanders for a conditional pick in 1998.

January 17, 1997 - Fletcher acquired Craig Wolanin from Tampa Bay for a third-round pick in 1998.

Analysis: None of the three aforementioned trades had much significance.

Halfway through the season the Leafs were clearly out of the playoff picture. It was believed that Fletcher was being pressured by ownership to get younger and cheaper prospects. He responded quickly.

February 25, 1997 - Fletcher traded Doug Gilmour, Dave Ellett, and a conditional pick to New Jersey for Alyn McCauley, Steve Sullivan, and Jason Smith.

Analysis: Gilmour had 60 points in 61 games when this trade was made, but this was clearly now Mats Sundin's team. This was an opportunity for the Leafs to get younger and shed some payroll. Gilmour (33) and Ellett (32) were in the twilight of their careers.

Sullivan and Smith were 22 and McCauley was 19, so this all seemed to have an upside. It wasn't Fletcher's fault how the deal would eventually turn out. We can blame that on Pat Quinn who eventually dealt away all three players for very little return. The truth is Cliff got some pretty good young talent out of the deal.

March 18, 1997 - Fletcher acquired Kelly Chase from Hartford for an eighth-round pick in 1998. He also traded Larry Murphy to Detroit for future considerations and Kirk Muller to Florida for Jason Podollan.

Analysis: More selling off older expensive players with youth or nothing coming back in return

The Leafs finished out of the playoffs with a woeful 30-44-8 record and Cliff Fletcher was let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs ending the most successful Leaf era since the 70's.

As a Leaf fan, it's not hard to remember how exciting it was in the early 90's watching the success of this franchise.

Cliff Fletcher brought hope back to a Leaf Nation that had suffered through the 80's, watching the Miroslav Frycer's, Peter Ihnacak's, Vinnie Damphousse's, and Ed Olczyk's lead the Leafs into the playoffs with 57 and 52 point seasons. Those were the years when Wendel Clark was the only reason to watch.

Looking back now, it's hard to believe that Fletcher's success was really only in his second and third seasons with a record of 87-58-23. In the other four seasons, his record was a combined 115-142-35, which was not exactly "successful!

One can only hope that Brian Burke will bring that same excitement back to Leafs Nation. Is there a Doug Gilmour, Dave Andreychuk, or Mats Sundin out there right now for Burkey to steal from an unsuspecting trade partner? The names that stand out to me right now are Gaborik and Kovalchuk, two players who are unhappy in their current situations.

The question is: who goes the other way? Kaberle? Kubina? Antropov? It seems like a longshot, but if anyone can bring a big name to Toronto it's Brian Burke. Hold on tight, it's gonna be a great ride Leaf fans!