Bleacher Report - Articles by dane freeman

Why Toronto Maple Leafs' Brian Burke is a Great G.M.

dane freeman — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:52:38 -0500

There has been far too much talk recently (mostly from fans) that Brian Burke is overrated, that he destroyed the Canucks and that he had the good fortune of inheriting a good team in Anaheim.

Both of these are untrue and it seems that most professionals in and around the game would agree. Most notably would be Hockeynews, naming Burke the league's best G.M.

Burke did not walk into a good situation in Anaheim as many will say. HE signed Niedermayer, HE signed Selanne, HE traded for Scotty's d-partner Beauchemin, and HE traded for Pronger. Had Burke not made those moves, the Ducks never would have won the cup.

Brian Burke built that team in Anaheim. Selanne, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, Pronger, and even guys like Marchant, Sutherby, and up and coming Bobby Ryan are all holdovers on the Ducks, there because Burke brought them there.

Let's not forget that Burke was responsible for the long term deals to Getzlaf and Perry, and knowing to back off after Dustin Penner was given a ridiculous offer sheet from the Oilers. Burke brought the Ducks their first cup, he was not handed anything.

Sure he has had problems with the cap, but he does what he has to do to put a competitive team on the ice.

He may have overpaid for replacements for Teemu (Bertuzzi) and Scotty (Schneider), but the fact of the matter is he tried to replace two guys holding his team hostage by not coming back till mid season.

They may not have been the greatest moves in the world, but the team still recovered by moves he made again.

With Vancouver, some say he ruined that franchise but that is a load of bull too. One of his best moves was the draft day dealings to get the second and third picks to take the Sedins. People complain and gripe about Burke for very uneducated, very bias reasons.

There is a reason the Ducks won the cups, there is a reason Hockeynews ranked him as the league's No. 1 G.M, and there is a reason the Leafs dished out a long term high salary deal to the man...he is a great G.M.

Matt Cassel: The Future...of Another Team

dane freeman — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:26:33 -0500

For the past two weeks or so, Matt Cassel has been the toast of the town in New England, and now the rest of the league is beginning to take notice.

Cassel attended USC, where he was backup to Carson Palmer, then Matt Leinart. In fact, the only start Cassel ever made in college was at the tight end position.

Surprisingly, the New England Patriots selected Matt Cassel (a career backup) with their seventh pick in the 2005 draft.

Already a backup to a pair of Heisman trophy winners, Cassel would become backup to a Super Bowl champion, MVP, and future hall of famer in Tom Brady.

When it was confirmed that the injuries reigning MVP Tom Brady had suffered in the 2008 home opener were season ending, the spotlight was thrust upon a virtual unknown.

Enter Matt Cassel.

After a below average start to begin the season, Matt Cassel has really turned it on as of late throwing for consecutive 400+ yard games (something the aforementioned Brady has yet to do).

Not only is Cassel leading a battered Patriots team to win after win, but he has begun to do it in convincing fashion.

This brings up the big question, what happens when Tom Brady returns next season? At 32 and coming off major injury Brady will have been out of the game for a year or more.

Reoccurring or re-aggravating injuries are a possibility, as is the fact that the Tom Brady the league once knew may never return in full.

Might Matt Cassel become the quarterback of the future and starter even when Tom Brady returns? The answer to that is a flat out N-O. And there are two big reasons.

The first reason is a good one. Tom Brady. Simply put he may be the best quarterback of his generation. Mr. Clutch, Brady had three Super Bowl rings before the age of 30, along with last year's MVP award and the perfect season.

Tom Brady is not only one of the all time greats, he is an icon in New England and there is no way that when Brady comes back, even if it were at 50 percent, he would not be given the reigns.

The second reason may be an even better one. After this season Matt Cassel’s contract is up, plain and simple. The league has seen what he can do and come the free agency period there will be a number of teams interested in his services (the Vikings, the Eagles).

Not only will it be extremely unlikely that Matt Cassel would ever accept the position of a backup again, the money he will likely command (more than $5 million a season) will be out of the Patriots price range.

Yes, Cassel has become the savior of the 2008 Patriots but, Brady is the savior and face of the Franchise and he will be back next season and make no mistake about it, the Patriots belong to Tom Brady.

That being said, it looks as if Matt Cassel may have a real future ahead of him after all. However, starting in 2009, it will be with another team.

Toronto Maple Leafs 2008 Opening Night Projected Lineup

dane freeman — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:50:28 -0400

Well, I know this is not a very original article, but I actually did my homework on this one.

First off, a lot of this is actually based on comments by Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher and/or those by coach Ron Wilson. Also the Leafs had one of their first team practices of the year in which most players were present.

The first line is a bit of a surprising one. No shocker that Nik Antropov is there—or even that Poni is the LW on the "top line". What is very surprising is that Wilson wants to give Mikhail Grabovski every opportunity to start on that line as well. Given his inexperience, it seems surprising that Grabovski appears to be the team's opening-day No. 1 center.

Line 1: Ponikarovsky Grabovski Antropov

Wilson has also stated recently that Steen and Stajan will be the teams second and third centers. It appears the Leafs are attempting to go with three balanced "scoring" lines.

Fletcher has said numerous times that Nikolai Kulemin would not only make the team out of camp, but will be likely be playing on one of the top two lines—and both he and Wilson have agreed that speedster Alex Steen would likely be the best fit as his centerman.

I would have thought that Blake would have started the year flanking Matt Stajan, whom he appeared to have a lot of chemestry with late last year. However, it appears he will begin the year on the second line with rookie Kulemin and Steen.

Line 2: Kulemin Steen Hagman

As mentioned before, Matt Stajan appears set to anchor the third line to begin the year, with two-way winger Niklas Hagman and sophomore Jiri Tlusty on the wing.

Line 3: Blake Stajan Tlusty

The fourth line appears to be the only real battle for playing time up front.

It has already been confirmed numerous times that Mark Bell will definitely make the cut. Wilson had Bell in San Jose and is a big supporter. Jamal Mayers, whom the Leafs traded for this offseason will also most definitely be featured on this line. The center to start the year will likely be one of Dominic Moore or Boyd Devereaux.

Line 4: Bell Moore/Devereaux Mayers

The spares up front will consist of either Moore or Devereaux—depending on who gets the chance to start—tough guy Ryan Hollweg and one of Boyce, Earl, Newbury, Ondrus—or the most likely candidate, Jeremy Williams.

On the back end, the top four—again, according to Wilson—are Kaberle, Kubina, Finger and Frogren—who will be wearing McCabe's former No. 24.

That leaves defensemen Carlo Colaiacovo, Anton Stralman, Mike Van Ryan, and Ian White to battle for the final two spots.

It is very unlikely that Colaiacovo gets sat unless he is injured. When healthy, he still shows flashes of his first-round potential.

The primary reason Frogren was brought in was to mentor international partner Stralman. The two have worked very well together internationally, and the Leafs brass loved what they saw. Based on this reason, along with his high ceiling (in terms of potential), it appears that the sixth spot will be his to lose.

That being said, if Mike Van Ryan shows he is healthy and can revert to his 2007 form, expect him to get a lot of playing time—including on the second power-play unit.

Wilson has also stated that he intended to split up Kaberle and Kubina at least to start the year, in order to provide a more balanced lineup, and that Finger was the likely candidate to start the year with Kaberle.

Taking all this into account here are the likely defensicee pairings:

Kaberle Finger

Colaiacovo Kubina

Stralman Frogren

Mike Van Ryan will likely open the year as the teams spare defender. And obviously I do not have to put up the goalies on here.

So again, here is the likely opening-night lineup for the 2008 Leafs:

LW C RW

Ponikarovsky Grabovski Antropov

Kulemin Steen Hagman

Blake Stajan Tlusty

Bell Devereaux Mayers

LD RD

Kaberle Finger

Colaiacovo Kubina

Stralman Frogren

Spares: Moore, Hollweg, Van Ryan

Side Notes

Wilson has said the most likely scenario for team captain will be a rotating captaincy deployed by teams such as the Sabres, Wild and Wilson's former team the Sharks—before they decided on Patrick Marleau).

Kaberle has taken himself out of the consideration for team captain due to his quiet nature. Due to recent comments that he is "shocked" by the changes on the team, it is very likely that he will waive his no-trade clause on or before the deadline this year.

Fletcher raised eyebrows earlier this week when he declared Nik Antropov the team's only legitimate first line forward, and Ponikarovsky the only other player close. This apparently struck a nerve with Jason Blake and fired up Alex Steen.

Again, I realize I'm not the first person to write a similar report as this. But being that most of the others were guesses—and yeah that's probably much more fun than this was—I decided to actually do a bit of research and put together the opening-day lineup (barring injuries), based solely on comments by the GM and coach.

To those of you who read this entire article—you must indeed be Leafs Fans.

Canadian Pitcher Adam Loewen Calls it A Career (Sort Of)

dane freeman — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:17:03 -0400

Adam Loewen, 24, informed Baltimore Orioles brass Saturday that he has decided to put his pitching career behind him. That does not mean, however, that his baseball days are over.

Next season, the Canadian hurler will pull a Rick Ankiel and try his hand at the outfield. Luckily for both Loewen and the Orioles, he has plenty of experience playing the field during his college days in Florida, where he batted .353 with a homer and 38 RBI in 45 games.

The young Canadian had no idea that at the time his July 6 outing against Texas would likely be his last.

"It was devastating news, but I always had a backup plan, so I'm sure I didn't take it as hard as anyone else would." said the former first-rounder.

After a career of elbow injuries, doctors along with Loewen decided that his elbow wouldn't be able to take the stress of throwing 50-100 times a night.

Loewen has stated that his first love will always be pitching, but he hopes to take a page from outfielder (another former pitcher) Rick Ankiel of the St. Louis Cardinals.

"It's been five or six years since I've hit competitively in college, where I did hit," said the now former pitcher. "It's going to take time and it's going to be a real challenge. But Rick Ankiel did it, so I have someone before me that I can relate to."

While it is certain to be a long road for Adam Loewen, one can only hope that through perseverance and determination, we will be able to see him back on the field for the Orioles in the very near future.

Jonathan Toews Becomes 34th Blackhawks Captain; Third Youngest in NHL History

dane freeman — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:36:54 -0400

It's not like we didn't see this one coming.

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Friday that Jonathan Toews would become the franchise's 34th captain. The changing of the guard also makes Toews the third youngest NHL captain of all time at 20 years and 79 days, with Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby being the others.

This was a move many saw coming from the day he was drafted. Coming out of the University of North Dakota, Toews' leadership both on the ice and in the dressing room was well documented. Last December, Hawks management acknowledged this leadership by naming him an alternate captain. That was one of the final steps in an obvious plan to ease Toews into a leadership role.

"It's a natural fit," said head coach Denis Savard. "Personally, when I sit down with the staff and my coaches, I know that I've got my mind made up. I don't care how young you are. He's that type of person that is going to be a great captain for us."

Some argue that at only 20, Jonathan Toews is not ready and does not have the experience needed to be a successful team captain at the NHL level. That argument, however, should be seen as a weak one when the facts are presented.

First off, Toews is no stranger to holding a captaincy, as he held the position at times throughout his minor league career. He also has many high pressure situations to draw from through several international experiences.

Last year when Toews was named an alternate captain, it was very clear that he had quickly established himself as a leader in a young Blackhawks dressing room. Finally if any more proof is needed, just look at the career a young captain named Steve Yzerman had. Better yet, what a first-year young captain named Sidney Crosby was able to accomplish last year.

This year's Blackhawks will be quite a different team from last year. The free agent signings of goalie Cristobal Huet and defenseman Brian Campbell were just phase one. With Huet signed, last year's starting goalie Nikolai Khabibulin is rumored to be involved in a three-way trade involving the L.A. Kings and Ottawa Senators, with the Hawks potentially receiving center Anze Kopitar in return.

On top of all these moves and potential moves is the growth of key young players Andrew Ladd, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, just to name a few.

So yes, the changes have come fast and furious in Chicago and the naming of Toews as captain is the latest (but surely not the last) in what has been a busy summer so far for the Blackhawks. This year's version of the Blackhawks is primed to be the best team the fans in Chicago have seen in years.

Jonathan Toews quite simply is not too young to be team captain. He has lots of career experience to draw from, no matter how brief his NHL time has been.

Chapter One of the Toews Era in Chicago will begin this coming season and with it comes franchise stability and hopefully success, both on and off the ice.

Dropping Doc Is NOT the Answer For the Toronto Blue Jays

dane freeman — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:29:23 -0400

For years now, Roy Halladay has been the face of a struggling franchise, a model of consistency for a team that defines inconsistency. With the team struggling to remain at .500 this year, the trade rumors surrounding Halladay have begun to heat up.

The common reasoning for the benefits of dealing the Doc are the huge return he could bring—major league-ready youngsters, top prospects, draft picks, who knows?

That being said, is this team really in the right position to trade the face of the franchise? Granted, they have struggled this year, but there is still a solid core in place moving forward.

With Burnett on borrowed time in Toronto, there will be an extra $12 million or so for the budget next year. Remove A.J. and the Jays still have one of the best pitching staffs in the majors.

More importantly, there are many younger guys who are contributing—guys like McGowan, Marcum, Litsch, Accardo, and League who will likely be ready for bigger roles by this time next year.

Regardless, Doc is the leader of this staff and the clubhouse. He's one in a million and an important part of the Jays' developing staff. Thanks to Halladay, pitching has not been a concern for the Jays over recent years.

Hitting, however, has been.

No matter how much you may like David Eckstein, he is NOT what you are looking for when filling out the DH position. The hole Frank Thomas left at DH has proved impossible to fill so far this year.

Sure, Halladay may be able to bring in a young hitter to fill the role of DH and help out with RISP. However, the hole he would undoubtedly leave in the rotation could not be filled.

The 2008 Blue Jays have underachieved this year, but they are not as bad as their record shows. In almost every hitting category as a team, the Blue Jays are comparable to the L.A. Angels (a playoff-bound team). However, bad luck, injuries and inconsistency have cost them a great number of games.

As much as some in the media want to make it look like Doc wants out of Toronto, it is clear he does not.

"As long as it's up to me, I'm staying," he said. "I've always said right from the beginning I'd much rather (win the World Series) in Toronto than anywhere else. And honestly, it's something I haven't even contemplated yet. I still have two years left, and I want to win those next two years, and at that point we'll decide from there what happens next."

That sounds more like a competitive leader sick of losing—and can you blame him? Halladay has done everything he can for this franchise—he's given it all he's got, and yet the team has been unable to get over the hump.

The Jays are close, and it seems they would be better off building around a guy who is one of the league's best, and more importantly, who wants to be there. This isn't A.J. Burnett. We aren't talking about an inconsistent starter who wants out of his contract. Halladay is one of the league's best and wants to win in Toronto.

Why not send a more positive message to your team and fan base by locking this guy up long term? Suppose A.J. leaves town and Doc gets traded. What kind of message does that send to the fan base, the team, and potential free agent targets? Not a good one, that's for sure.

The answer to getting this franchise over the hump may be much more simple than it seems. With key guys like Rios, Wells, and Hill locked up long term, Halladay should be next on the list. With the money saved on Burnett's contract, the team should be looking to add a big bat this summer.

The building blocks are in place to be a contender right away. Trading Roy Halladay is basically sawing a leg off a dining room table—it's not going to stay standing for long.

The Jays are too close to rebuild. All it would likely take is another impact bat—and trading your heart and soul to get it doesn't seem like the answer.

Toronto Maple Leafs Stuck in Mediocrity?

dane freeman — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:28:20 -0400

There has been much talk in Toronto about the Maple Leafs' current rebuilding plan. Undoubtedly, Luke Schenn was a step in the right direction. Throw in youngsters like Kulmelin, Tlusty, Grabovski, Stralman, and Pogge and the future is looking much brighter for the buds than it did this time last year.

That being said, with both the McCabe and Sundin situations still looming over the team, this year may not be what most Leaf fans may expect—or want.

To many die-hard Leaf fans, this is the year to take a few steps back in order to take a giant leap forward. This year, the Leafs may have a legitimate shot at drafting John Tavares, the superstar prospect this organization drastically needs.

The problem with this is with the team being unable to move McCabe and the potential of Mats' return, management may blow any shot the team has at drafting Tavares before the season even begins.

This team has the potential to "tank" and that’s what most fans hope for and expect, however bringing back a guy like Sundin will only hurt the prospects of a last place finish.

It's not that Sundin and McCabe would make this team a contender, it's just that it would make them what they have been for years now—just good enough to keep people interested, but just bad enough to miss the playoffs. That won’t cut it.

It may be time for Fletcher to finally come out and state that the franchise has to move on and thank Mats for his loyal years of service and wish him the best.

I think its fair to say that most loyal Leafs fans would rather see Sundin have a shot at the Cup with a contender than toiling away his final years with a rebuilding Leafs team. He has more than paid his dues.

If the Leafs truly wanted a shot at Tavares and were really serious about rebuilding, we would see Toskala and Kaberle traded for some significant prospects and draft picks. Management and ownership should decide if rebuilding is what they really want. Do they want to rebuild and aim to be competitive in 5 years or so or are they happy just dumping the over 30 skaters and adding a few grade B prospects. Because if rebuilding is what they want to do, than guys like Toskala,Kaberle,Sundin and McCabe should all be shown the door. Yes Toskala and Kaberle are now the teams top two players and relatively young however by the time this team is contending they would be better off with the prospects brought in by these moves.

That being said, it looks like Leafs' ownership is happy with the way things have gone over the past three years or so. The more things change in Leafland, the more they very well may remain the same.