2011 Stanley Cup Finals: Are Toronto Maple Leafs Fans Cheering for the Canucks?

Are long-suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fans across Canada gathering around the TV to cheer on the Vancouver Canucks?

They should be.

No, this isn't another rant about the Canucks being Canada's team. 

The Canucks ran away with the Presidents' Trophy, posting one of the most dominant seasons statistically in modern NHL history.

They are also poised to sweep most of the major trophies at the NHL Awards ceremony in a few weeks.

They also happen to be leading the Stanley Cup Final 1-0.

So why should Leafs fans care?

Well, I'll give you a reason—11 reasons, actually.

Brian Burke and Dave Nonis built the core of the Canucks team that has been so dominant this year.

There are 11 players on the starting roster for the Canucks who were drafted, acquired in a trade or otherwise brought into the Canucks organization by Burke and Nonis:

Daniel Sedin

Henrik Sedin

Ryan Kesler

Alex Burrows

Mason Raymond

Jannik Hansen

Kevin Bieksa

Alex Edler

Sami Salo

Roberto Luongo 

Cory Schneider

Aside from these players, head coach Alain Vigneault, who is up for the Jack Adams Award, was rescued from a stint in the QMJHL by Nonis.

So Burke and Nonis know how to develop a championship team from the ground up.

When Burke came into Vancouver, the team was a dysfunctional mess with a bunch of hyped free agents and no real sense of identity. The cupboard was bare of prospects as well.

Sound familiar?

Leafs fans should look at the Canucks' current success as a harbinger of the success they could have if only Burke is given the necessary time.

It's worth mentioning that the last successful period in Leafs history was manufactured by Pat Quinn, another ex-Canuck GM.

Aside from the Burke-Nonis connection to the current Canucks, there are quite a few players from the Canucks that are UFAs or RFAs on July 1st, and they might look nice in blue and white.

Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff on defence are both UFAs and have both been touted as potential new Maple Leafs.

Bieksa in particular would be a great fit, a tough as nails defender who has offensive skills as well. Think of him as a better, cheaper Dion Phaneuf.

Plus Don Cherry already loves him and would spend all season campaigning for Bieksa to win the Norris.

Ehrhoff is a smooth-skating offensive defenceman who can run a power play and would be an upgrade on the departed Tomas Kaberle.

Jannik Hansen has been dynamite on the Canucks' third line all season long and has continued that play into the playoffs. He is an RFA, and his blazing speed would be a valuable upgrade for the Leafs.

Leafs fans might want to tune into the Stanley Cup Final if only to get a sneak peak at these players.

Brian Burke tried to poach his former players before when he tried to sign the Sedins as free agents a few years ago. Will he try again this summer?