One can only speculate as to how the Toronto Maple Leafs roster would look if Brian Burke was able to sign, or trade for all the players on his wish list. In the past, Burke was able to build winning teams through a combination of successful drafts, fair trades and free agent signings.
He drafted players such as Chris Pronger, Ryan Kesler, Bobby Ryan, as well as Daniel and Henrik Sedin. When he took over as general manager for the Maple Leafs, Burke had a decisively different plan. His strategy was clear and concise.
Burke claimed that a complete rebuild was not needed, even for a franchise that hadn't tasted the playoffs in the post lockout era. He assured Leafs fans that he could build a team through the combination of trades and free agent signings, and his confident demeanour resonated positivity throughout Leafs Nation.
Unfortunately, neither trades nor free agent signings have been easy for Burke to come by within the confines of the Nation Hockey Leagues' latest CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement).
The new CBA implemented a league-wide salary cap, making trades for elite players all the more difficult ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Matt Wiseman
Toronto Maple Leafs & Brian Burke: Old Dogs and New Tricks
January 27th, 2011 by Matt Wiseman Leave a reply »
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