Comments on: NHL To Investigate the Leafs for Tampering

By: hatterson

hatterson — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:39:23 +0000

It has nothing to do with Burke, this is strictly with what Wilson said.

A team cannot express interest in a player under contract by another team.

What if Wilson had said "Yea at 12:00:01 on July 1 we're going to offer the Sedin's a 12 year contract worth $75M" Perhaps that would have affected them signing in Vancouver.

In he end though the comment was very innocent (although still technically within the rules of tampering) and Vancouver signed the Sedins before free agency so the punishment, if any, will be very minimal. Maybe a fine of a couple 100k (peanuts to MLSE) or like a 7th round draft pick

By: hockey_lover

hockey_lover — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:42:03 +0000

Oh no no. I know Burke talking to the twins would be tampering.

Im referring to "Wilson talks to media and says we are interested in the twins = that MUST mean Burke has spoken to the twins = that is tampering."

Its inane.

By: Rico420

Rico420 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:33:31 +0000

it really wouldn't surprise me if Mickey Abbot didn't have a hand in this somewhere.

By: Rico420

Rico420 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:23:59 +0000

talking to someone always has constituted as tampering man.

My opinion someone really hates the Leafs and got a hug bug up their ass against Burke and made this story hit the media - it's ridiculous but had Wilson said "we're going to be active in persuing the top unrestricted free agents I believe" instead of "we'll target in on these guys"...who the hell cares it's a joke that we are even talking about this I think.

But the NHL will probably give Wilson a fine or something absolutely redonkulous.

By: flamefan20

flamefan20 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:16:18 +0000

well they didnt do a very good job if thats what they were trying

By: redlight2424

redlight2424 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:45:14 +0000

Ihope the maplelaugh gets nailed on this one.

By: UWSensFan

UWSensFan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:56:15 +0000

^ This

By: Kyleton

Kyleton — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:20:59 +0000

Because by saying your team is interested in a player when their rights are owned by another team you give that player extra bargaining power to try and get a better contract. Wilson saying the leafs are interested on the radio is basically the same thing as Burke calling the twins before they are free agents saying don't sign a contract extension because I am going to offer you one. It does a few things

1.) Takes away the teams right to negotiate without competing against other clubs while the player is still their property.

2.) Gives the players unfair bargaining power (they can say "Give me more money now because so and so said they'll sign me)

3.) It opens the door for someone else to take a smaller step forward with bending the rules if they get away with it.

By: lafleur10

lafleur10 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:34:43 +0000

by no means am i a leafs fan but this story is b.s. all wilson" said that if the sedins were available that i assume that we would be going after them",that's just a comment how's that tampering?

By: the_word

the_word — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:43 +0000

Can this really have legs considering Burke never even got the chance to talk to the twins. I'm sure had they entertained offers ten other teams would clearly have been in the mix. Everyone else could have connected the dots between the twins and Burke. I'm sure if Ken Hit***** said the same thing on a Columbus radio show it wouldn't be a story.