Comments on: Edmonton Oilers fourth on the list in the Justin Schultz sweepstakes, says Oilers insider Bob Stauffer

By: TimTheBone

TimTheBone — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:46:25 +0000

Gnaw=GMs

Damn auto correct

By: TimTheBone

TimTheBone — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:45:02 +0000

I really don’t buy that “well surely the cap must fall”…. What gives anyone the idea that the cap will fall… It’s done nothing but rise the last 6 years and I’m under the assumption its going to continue the trend… People every year keep saying well what if it goes down.. what if it goes down… It’s not… It’s risen nearly 30million since the beginning… And with the cap rising and the floor rising as well .. gnaw have more room to work with… The result is many high seeming contracts are going to be signed

By: TimTheBone

TimTheBone — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:40:32 +0000

Oh I know.. just felt like i had to comment.t..
For the record I did laugh as well

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 01:08:52 +0000

Okay, now let’s not freak out. Haha, but I really hope Burke doesn’t just sit back, sign Parros and Prust and call it a day.

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 01:08:06 +0000

And actually, its not that many GM’s who have missed. Sather managed to convince 2 of these guys that Burke has missed out in Richards and Gaborik.

Lou traded a big package for Kovalchuk and also managed to keep him, long term.

The Canadiens signed Mike Cammalleri.

The Penguins traded a 7th to sign Vokoun.

And now another team or two will be added to this winner’s list if they get Parise and/or Suter. And I would include Semin as a prize as well. Potential game breakers, no assets going the other way. Get it done.

I would even settle for a constellation prize. If my GM were Tallon last year I wouldn’t have criticized him landing a solid goalie in Theodore, and getting a very highly skilled offensive forward, who plays any position up front in Fleischmann, and landing Upshall, and Jovonovski, among others.

Philly is constantly making big, bold moves to improve the team.

Buffalo went out and spent to land Leino (didn’t work out, but he’s a good player and he’ll have a better season this year), and gave Ehrhoff the big contract, but got him at a reasonable cap hit.

Detroit was able to convince Hossa to come on at a reasonable price one year, and were rewarded with a trip the cup. The following year the Hawks landed Hossa with a huge contract.

So since the beginning of Burke’s tenure here it hasn’t been “29 other GM’s” who have failed to do anything. I think Burke is among the least active and made some of the least significant moves. I believe the criticisms are warranted.

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 01:00:51 +0000

And if one of those other 28 GM’s were the GM of the team I was cheering for, I would criticize him just the same.

By: Steven_Leafs0

Steven_Leafs0 — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 22:19:46 +0000

not getting the big free agents does not make him a bad GM. 29 other teams failed to get the same guy each time. All of them were not incompetent were they? (LA failed to get Kovalchuk and they still found a way to win the cup).

If Burke is really not going to even try to get Parise/Suter and he doesn’t have another move up his sleeve then yes he is making a huge mistake IMO.

But remember he can’t tell the media that he plans to make a run at them or that he wants them to sign in Toronto without being fined cash and picks. Maybe that’s all it is, maybe he just wants the media focusing on that while he courts Schultz.

Lets not freak out about this until after they sign shall we?

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:34:10 +0000

Well, on that I would agree with you, and I think its good that Burke hasn’t done anything too risky and dealt away young assets for help now. But it doesn’t really explain the whole free-agency thing. Is he just bad at negotiating with free agents? Isn’t that why he surrounded himself with Nonis, Fletcher, Loiselle, Poulin, etc?

By: Steven_Leafs0

Steven_Leafs0 — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:50:26 +0000

I didn’t get that from those quotes, I got the same message he gave out when he traded Kaberle. He is not willing to give up assets for a one year run and then be screwed for those assets the next year.

For Example, he is willing to trade 1st round picks for a young elite player like Kessel but is not willing to trade his 1sts for a rental like Jordan Staal or a veteran like Selanne.

The way I read it, Burke is not willing to take the JFJ approach, no ruining our future to acquire band-aids that may or may not help us squeak into the playoffs with virtually no chance of winning a cup.

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:24:49 +0000

I’m just not too sure. I really don’t think we’re going to make the playoffs next year. He doesn’t really have the assets to make the appropriate trades and he’s not interested in free agency. So I really don’t like our chances… It’s kind of discouraging because the Leafs said in their apology letter to the fans that they would use all the resources at their disposal, and do whatever it takes to make the team better, but once again Burke is not going to do that. We need to look at all avenues including free agency, restricted free agency, the draft, and trades, and not limit our options.