NHL Trade Deadline: Will the Toronto Maple Leafs "Dump" Unwanted Goods?

With the NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching, general managers around the league have the challenge of deciding which players to trade. For most teams this can be a daunting task.

Case in point: The Toronto Maple Leafs

In the past, GM Brian Burke has been able to "dump" unwanted roster players in an effort to remould the Leafs in his image. Does the Dion Phaneuf trade ring any bells?  

Burke was able to snag his future captain, as well as Fredrik Sjostrom and Keith Aulie from the Calgary Flames. In exchange, the Flames received a package of players that Burke was happy to relieve his roster of.

Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Ian White and Jamal Mayers were practically driven to the airport and put on the plane by Burke himself.

Fast forward to the current trade season and the Leafs GM finds himself in a completely different situation. Long gone is the list of players that Burke “inherited”.

If Burke is to make a move, it will more than likely mean trading a contract that he signed.

For financial reasons, you could bet that Burke would be willing to part with Mike Komisarek and perhaps, Tim Connolly. But their lack of production since arriving in Toronto makes them very difficult to move.  

To be fair, as recently as a year ago, Burke was been able to move out contracts that he signed. Kris Versteeg was shipped to Philadelphia for a pair of draft picks and Francios Beauchemin was sent to Anaheim in exchange for Joffrey Lupul and Jake Gardiner.

However, all those who follow the Leafs know that Burke prefers to trade well in advance of the deadline to avoid over-paying or under-receiving in terms of player value. But this trade season, the Leafs GM has yet to strike a deal, which may suggest the "dump truck" won't be making a stop in Toronto this year.

With one week to go, Burke is faced with yet another trade deadline challenge: Will he be able to pull off another miracle trade, or have his misfortunes finally caught up with him?

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