Burke sticking with Wilson
A day after yet another loss, which ignited calls for the firing of head coach Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke says a change behind the bench was not in the cards.
“I’m not contemplating a coaching change,” Burke told ESPN.com.
The Leafs are winless in four games (0-3-1) and have won only once in nine games (1-7-1), outscored 35-17 during stretch, to slide out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Burke went on TSN radio in Toronto on Wednesday and suggested the Leafs would look at what’s out there on the goalie trade market, given the struggles of Jonas Gustavsson and James Reimer.
But Burke, as of 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, said nothing was imminent on the trade front.
While Burke refused to discuss specific names, sources confirm the Leafs have talked to Columbus about Rick Nash but my sense is that they were not close on that front.
On the goalie front, it’s believed Toronto has interest in Evgeni Nabokov, but Isles GM Garth Snow told ESPNNewYork.com’s Katie Strang on Sunday that he was not looking to move the UFA-to-be netminder. The Isles and Nabokov’s agent, Don Meehan, have discussed a contract extension over the past week.
As I reported earlier this past week, the Edmonton Oilers and Leafs have also chatted about Nikolai Khabibulin but my sense is that Toronto isn’t keen on that extra year on the goalie’s contract.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/15042/trade-notes-bruins-still-searching