Every GM inherits good players. Burke did well for the Canucks. He didn't win the cup with us but he did give us a roster that was capable of being perennial playoff teams and that should have made the WCF. How many GMs don't make the playoffs at all within their tenures? And he did much better than Nonis who didn't build a consistent team but he did add key pieces.
Also iirc Kesler was drafted by Burke. Seriously, every GM inherits players. Gillis has brought in Samuelsson, Malhotra, Torres, Ehrhoff, Hamhuis, and Ballard. I'm sure if Gillis didn't have the Sedins, he would have brought in top line players, but since we had top line players already he added the depth necessary to push the Canucks over the top.
Gillis isn't operating under conditions where the league of extraordinary GM's (Holland, Lacroix, Armstrong, Sather) were doling out cash trying to outspend each other.
Of course he did. Burke inherits and/or gets lucky with all the good pieces on his teams.
I guess that's why the Canucks were a juggernaut when Burke took over and garbage when he left.
Burke's won a cup post lockout and he's got the Leafs headed in the right direction. They're fighting for a playoff spot despite being the youngest team in the league. He also got tremendous value in trades for Beauchemin, Versteeg and Kaberle. And the Leafs are in an excellent cap situation and are in the top half of the league in prospects.
His ''success'' in the past is overstated. He did a good enough job in Vancouver of building up a decent team....except for finding a goaltender. Dan Cloutier for 4 years, oops.
He inherited a gold mine in Anaheim and had the pieces to trade for Pronger. He definitely isn't a top 5 executive like some people think IMO.
Oh please this argument has been destroyed so many times. If Murray built the Ducks, than Burke built the current Vancouver Canucks.
It also means Steve Yzerman deserves no credit ever, Ray Shero had nothing to do with the Pens cup win and neither did Stan Bowman with Chicago.
Burke is the only GM that gets that held against him. What Gm doesn't inherit a team with some pieces nowadays?
Burke's won a cup post lockout and he's got the Leafs headed in the right direction. They're fighting for a playoff spot despite being the youngest team in the league. He also got tremendous value in trades for Beauchemin, Versteeg and Kaberle. And the Leafs are in an excellent cap situation and are in the top half of the league in prospects.
What's not to like?
He's doing the right thing now but man or man was that Kessel trade bad! hopefully he can turn the Leafs around, honestly it'll be good to see the Leafs make the playoffs again.
I dont understand the Burke hate. The man does a good job, is passionate about hockey, and is overhauling the leafs. I think he's a good GM.. other fans just love to whine when they see something they don't like. So what if he's a bit cocky bfd
He's doing the right thing now but man or man was that Kessel trade bad! hopefully he can turn the Leafs around, honestly it'll be good to see the Leafs make the playoffs again.
Based on what? Kessel is 23 and well on his way to his third straight 30+ goal season. Very few NHL'ers do that.
Burke's won a cup post lockout and he's got the Leafs headed in the right direction. They're fighting for a playoff spot despite being the youngest team in the league. He also got tremendous value in trades for Beauchemin, Versteeg and Kaberle. And the Leafs are in an excellent cap situation and are in the top half of the league in prospects.
What's not to like?
I agree
The worst move he made according to HF is he overpaid for a 22-23 year old who can score 30-35 goals with the potential for 40+
if that's the worst move people can point at then you are doing pretty good
Why should he be viewed as a top GM for his work here? It was epic fail after epic fail. And yes, why should he get a bunch of credit for winning the cup in Anaheim? Hell he said it himself Bryan Murray built most of that team.
So by your logic then Vancouvers GM shouldnt get credit if he wins cause he didnt build the team, right?
I just find it funnyy you say Burke doesnt deserve credit when he built the team but didnt win it all, and he also doesnt deserve credit when he won it all but didnt build the entire team. So the only way for a GM to be good is to build a team from nothing AND win it all?
On topic we love Burke cause hes trying... hes not scared to make moves and even if his moves arent perfect every single time (no GM is) he still is giving his all.
People also forget hes ONLY BEEN GM FOR ONE FULL SEASON! They act like since we didnt win the cup right away hes terrible. Our team was in bad shape and he doing the best he could with what he was given and im excited for how were going.
So by your logic then Vancouvers GM shouldnt get credit if he wins cause he didnt build the team, right?
I just find it funnyy you say Burke doesnt deserve credit when he built the team but didnt win it all, and he also doesnt deserve credit when he won it all but didnt build the entire team. So the only way for a GM to be good is to build a team from nothing AND win it all?
On topic we love Burke cause hes trying... hes not scared to make moves and even if his moves arent perfect every single time (no GM is) he still is giving his all.
People also forget hes ONLY BEEN GM FOR ONE FULL SEASON! They act like since we didnt win the cup right away hes terrible. Our team was in bad shape and he doing the best he could with what he was given and im excited for how were going.
Did I say he was doing a poor job in Toronto? I just said he failed hard in Vancouver and his cup win in Anaheim is deceiving, thats all. In my opinion he's not a genius wizard GM and I liken his relationship with Nonis to that of Lahey and Randy from the trailer park boys.
The Maple Leafs had some bad GMs before Burke got there. The Kessel trade was bad, but the moves he has made this year have been great. Getting a first and a future player in Coleborne for a possible rental player is a good trade for the Maple Leafs. The Flyers first and third for a player that did not fit their system well also helps.
Drafted, yes. There is no doubt in my mind that Kesler is the player he is today because of Mike Gillis.
The Sundin acquisition has been pointed to specifically by Kesler himself as the jumpstarter of his offensive growth.
Last summer, Gillis sat him down, showed him tapes of how players like Toews and Crosby react to the trolling of another team- by scoring. Described by Kesler himself as the reason for his growth as a player.
The Sedins have also pointed to Gillis as one of the main reasons for their breakouts as well.
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To actually add to the topic.. I think Burke is a very capable GM, and definitely one of the better ones in the league. What annoys me about him is his posturing in the media. He's so outspoken about the type of players he likes and the way he intends to build his team, and then proceeds to pretty much just throw **** at the wall and see what sticks.
without trying to derail the thread, I'll go back to the original question.
Under Burke, the leafs have had three very bad seasons.
They presently have a very weak roster.
Their future is not as bright as it could/should be.
Given that; why the love?
I think leaf fans deserve better and do understand why they are satisfied with what they have gotten so far.
Burke has been GM since the end of November 2008... 27 months
- Added a 23 year old 30-35 goal scorer with 40 potential
- Added Phanuef (former Norris finalist) and Aulie for spare parts
- Signed Bauchermen and then traded him for Lupul and 1st rd pick in 08 Jake Gardnier
- Signed 25 year old Clarke MacArthur
- Acquired Versteeg for spare parts and flipped him for a 1st and 3rd
- Traded Kaberle for 1st, highly touted Joe Colborne and a conditional
- Drafted Kadri
- Have brought in UFA prospects and show promising results from the players they have drafted.
Burkes team right now sits FOUR points out of 8th... so he has the Leafs in a playoffs race and has added tons and tons of youth.
Oh and they have like 20 million in cap space this summer
Last edited by The Great Below: 03-02-2011 at 08:43 PM.
Did I say he was doing a poor job in Toronto? I just said he failed hard in Vancouver and his cup win in Anaheim is deceiving, thats all. In my opinion he's not a genius wizard GM and I liken his relationship with Nonis to that of Lahey and Randy from the trailer park boys.
he still has a ring. talk about burke after vancouver stops choking out of the playoffs k
