Kaberle To Leafs- Plus -Wilson Wants To Clear The Air

After the draft came and went and the Tomas Kaberle trade window opened I thought for sure a trade would happen.

I thought to myself that a defenseman who on a subpar team has been in the top 10 in scoring every year since the lockout, except for 2008-2009, would be a popular commodity.

Pfff. Stupid me. I mean, what was I thinking.

The stats do not lie and they are eye opening. Kaberle is one of the best point producers in the NHL.

2005-2006

1.       Nick Lidstrom GP 80 PTS 80

2.       Segei Zubov GP 78 PTS 71

3.       Bryan McCabe GP 73 PTS 68

4.       Lubomir Vishnovsky GP80 G A PTS67

5.       Tomas Kaberle GP82 PTS 63

2006-2007

1.       Scott Niedermayer GP 79 PTS 69

2.       Sergei Gonchar GP 82 PTS 67

3.       Sheldon Souray GP 81 PTS 64

4.       Dan Boyle GP 82 PTS 63

5.       Nicklas Lidstrom GP 80 PTS 62

6.       Ryan Whitney GP 81 PTS 59

7.       Chris Pronger GP 66 PTS 59

8.       Lubomir Visnovsky GP 69 PTS 58

9.       Tomas Kaberle GP 73 PTS 58

2007-2008

1.       Nicklas Lidstrom GP 76 PTS 70

2.       Sergei Gonchar GP 78 PTS 65

3.       Mark Streit GP 81 PTS 62

4.       Brian Campbell GP 82 PTS 62

5.       Dion Phaneuf GP 82 PTS 60

6.       Andrei Markov GP 82 PTS 58

7.       Mike Green GP 82 PTS 56

8.       Brian Rafalski GP 73 PTS 55

9.       Tomas Kaberle GP 82 PTS 53

2009-2010

1.       Mike Green GP 75 PTS 76

2.       Duncan Keith GP 82 PTS 69

3.       Drew Doughty GP 82 PTS 59

4.       Dan Boyle GP 76 PTS 58

5.       Chirs Pronger GP 82 PTS 55

6.       Sergei Gonchar GP 62 PTS 50

7.       Tobias Enstrom GP 82 PTS 50

8.       Mark Streit GP 82 PTS 49

9.       Nik Lidstrom GP 82 PTS 49

10.   Tomas Kaberle GP 82 PTS 49

So like I said the stats don’t lie. Kaberle except for one season since the lockout has been in the top 10 in scoring amongst defenseman, and while making so much less money than his counterparts.

So the question comes down to why wasn’t a trade done? Why was interest in Kaberle so low?

To me it’s easy; this late in the off-season many teams simply do not have the cap space to add a player, even if that player is an Elite PP QB/Puck mover making 4.25 million. Of the teams that did have the space, they were trying to obtain Kaberle for cheap and were not willing to sacrifice a top 6 forward. Since these teams are mostly playoff teams that makes a lot of sense.

Also, Burke legitimately did not want to subtract from his blueline that is deep with talent. Last year a lot of people were excited about the Leafs defense with the additions of Komisarek and Beauchemin, but I was not. I still thought there was a piece missing. Enter “Neon” Dion Phaneuf.

Now more than ever I am excited about the Leafs defense core and for the first time since the lockout truly believe that the Leafs can make a push for one of the last two playoff spots. Being realistic I think the Leafs will finish 8^th or 7^th at best.

Phaneuf, Beauchemin, Kaberle, Komisarek, Schenn, Gunnarsson, and Lebda will combine to be a great d-core this year.

How do I know this, well for the first time in a long time I heard on the radio form the likes of Mike Brophy, Pierre Lebrun, and someone else I forget the name….they said that the Leafs “will not give up that many goals this year” and that a playoff spot will come down to offense this year.

For years the Leafs have been decent at scoring but never good at keeping the puck out of their net. Well this finally looks like the year Leafs Nation.

Now on to Mr. Ron Wilson.

So this is what really bothers me.

The Kaberle trade window opened and Burke stated that “this is not an auction” and that if anyone wanted Tomas Kaberle it would cost a top six forward. Burke maintained that stand and stood pat.

Rick Curran, Kaberle’s agent, comes out with a rant that Burke has been stoking the fires and so on. He claimed that Kaberle did not want to be front page news and then makes his client exactly that, front page news.

Then if that wasn’t bad enough Kaberle’s father comes out and says “in my opinion” Kaberle and Wilson are not getting along. Basically saying that Wilson is too mean of a coach and that its ok for Tomas to be a minus player in the teens.

Guess what, Tomas Kaberle becomes front page news again.

So Wilson upon hearing the news that his all-star defenseman might feel this states that he will fly to Europe and sit down with Kaberle and get the real info, and if there are problems will try to iron everything out. He wants to sit down with the veteran defenseman and hash things out face-to-face before he believes any of it.

“All this has come from out in left field and until I sit down and talk about this with Kaba, there’s no point in commenting any further,” Wilson told TheHockeyNews.com Tuesday. “People are quoted in a foreign magazine – and this isn’t the first time something like this has come up. If Kaba wants to come and talk to me about some of this stuff, that’s the best way for us to address any of the issues he thinks he has.”

It isn’t a rumor that’s new, Wilson noted.

“Even last year, there was this perceived rumor with Kaba and I sat down with Kaba and he said ‘this isn’t true’,” Wilson said. “We’ll address it when we have a chance to sit down and face each other eye-to-eye and I’m sure (Leafs president-GM) Brian (Burke) will be a part of the conversation as well. That’s the best way to handle it.”

Now does this sound like an organization that wants to trade Tomas Kaberle? I think not!

If there is anything I have learned in the last year and a half it’s that if Burke wants to make a change, he will find a way to get it done.

Tomas Kaberle will retire a Leaf. I am willing to bet on it.

Also, Ron Wilson needs to get some positive attention from the fans and media. He is a great coach, 500 plus wins, and treats his players with respect and holds them accountable just like his GM.

So sit back and get ready for an entertaining season of competitive hockey from the Leafs. Do not waste your time listening to the rumors. There was no Clowe plus a 1^st for Kaberle or Jeff Carter plus a 1^st.

These are all hear say. Burke and his crew are great at keeping things under raps. There is a reason why all the Burke trades come out of left field. Its cause everyone is misguided to looking at right field.

Follow me on twitter: twitter.com/13leafs01

CHEER WITH PRIDE!

www.13leafs01.webs.com