Is Brian Burke Maple Leafs' Savior?

“We require as a team proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence.”

And so began the new era and renewed faith amongst the faithful as we welcomed in the new Pope of the Church of Blue and White to the Vatican-esque halls of the ACC. I still recall the day that news broke, looking skyward and offering a little "thank you."

I was still wretching over the latest trade by the senile Cliff Fletcher that sent Alex Steen and Carlo Coliacovo to St. Louis for future AHL All-Star Lee Stempniak. For the first time in years, since the day Pat Quinn was forced to give up the dual portfolio and JFJ took over the reigns, I had seen a glimmer of sunshine on this organization.

Three-fourths of the way through year one of his mandate, I offer my review on the moves of the man many believe will, hopefully, lead the long-suffering faithful to the Promised Land.

Jan. 7, 2009: Trade for Brad May in Exchange for Sixth Round Pick 2010

Grade: F

Reason: I don't remember a single shift May played this season, nor do I understand the need to acquire him at any cost. You say: Big deal. It's a throw-away pick in the late rounds. I say:

• 1982: Doug Gilmour; Round Seven
• 1984: Luc Robitaille; Round Nine
• 1987: Theoren Fleury; Round Eight
• 1990: Peter Bondra; Round Eight
• 1996: Tomas Kaberle; Round Eight
• 1998: Pavel Datsyuk; Round Six
• 1999: Henrik Zetterberg; Round Seven
• 2000: Henrik Lundqvist; Round Eight
• 2004: Mark Streit; Round Nine

Every pick can make a difference, and when you re-build you accumulate picks not trade them.

Jan. 21, 2009: Trade Robbie Earl to Minnesota for Ryan Hamilton

Grade: Who gives a crap?

Mar. 4, 2009: Domenic Moore to Carolina for Second Round Pick 2009

Grade: B+

Reason: We could get him back for free, but we won't because he turned down a huge raise to stay, so he's not welcome back.

Mar. 4, 2009: Nik Antropov to New York Rangers for Second Round Pick

Grade: C-

Reason: Only a second-rounder for big Nik really stung at the time. I thought he would come crawling back July 1, as he really didn't want to leave, but then he hit the jackpot. The assumption was he was worth a first-rounder and the lesser lights on the team might bring in the second and third-rounders. This was a rude awakening to reality, especially for a team that has paid so dearly in the past for rentals.

Mar. 4, 2009: Claimed Martin Gerber off Waivers from Ottawa

Grade: F

Ouch! This one still stings. Any other time, great, but this one single move was his worst mistake thus far. We would have been picking fifth, guaranteed, in the draft and likely fourth. That meant the loss of Braden Schenn, Evander Kane, or better, or improved trade bait to have moved up for bigger fish.

Can you say Kadri who? I'm sure everybody is hoping he turns out great, but how much ink in the press did this kid see before the draft? Admit it, you had to Google him when we picked him.

Mar. 4, 2009: Richard Petiot to Florida for Fourth-Rounders, Kolzig, Heward, and Rogers

Grade: B

Reason: We wsed our bottomless pit of cash to acquire a mid-round pick. Hey, you never know if you score that jewel, so good move.

Mar. 31, 2009:  Signed FA Christian Hanson

April 3, 2009: Signed FA Tyler Bozak

July 10, 2009: Signed FA Rickard Wallin

Grade: B

Reason: They should dress these three up in Charleston Chief jerseys and horn-rimmed glasses and send them out on the ice opening night. It was a good depth move, and if one of these guys pans out then we grade it an A.

July 1, 2009:  Signed FA Colton Orr to Four-Year Contract

Grade: C

Reason: When we brought back Domi, there were players worth protecting. Domi earned his million. Orr better realize the entertainment value of filling in somebody's face on those nights we can't fill the net. Could become a fan favorite or the next Wade Belak.

July 1, 2009: Signed FA Mike Komisarek for Five Years

Grade: B-

Reason: He's an NHL All-Star defenseman heading into the best years of his career. He's tough, talented, and a leader. The fact that we took him away from Montreal, knowing they wanted him back badly, makes you feel even better.

July 1, 2009: Traded Pavel Kubina to Atlanta for Garnett Exelby and Colin Stuart

Grade: C

This salary-dumping move has yet to be finally scrutinized until we see what we do with our remaining cap space. Kubina will be missed, but Exelby will be fun to watch when he lines up his victims at the blue line. Medic!

July 6, 2009: Sign FA Francois Beauchemin to Three-Year Contract

Grade: B

He's a good, tough defender with an awesome shot. He fits the new mold perfectly. Good term and value for dollars invested.

July 7, 2009: Leafs Sign FA Goalie Jonas Gustavsson to One-Year Contract

Grade:  A+

Let's hope this big kid makes the NHL adjustment smoothly and becomes a star. Finally, someone lives up to their hype.

Overall: C+

Two F's mean summer school for you Mr. Burke. Your first big mistake cost us a potential superstar in this year's draft and your other minor mistake was a useless waste of a pick.

Your mandate here is to acquire five or six young guns that will make an impact in the NHL in the next four or five years to form a nucleus with Luke Schenn and surround them with a quality supporting cast.

You've done a great job improving that supporting cast, but you've probably already cost us one of those young guns. A Kaberle trade and a better draft pick and you would have been half way home by now. By the time your contract is up nobody will have cared whether you made the playoffs back in 2010.

We want a talented core of young players that can enter their prime together and contend for years. We will wait and watch them grow. The single biggest detrimental impact on our long term goals has been our short term goals. Keep that always in mind and you may be our Moses yet.

—Mauro Zarlenga