Hockey Trade Rumors

The last thing Tomas Kaberle wanted when he agreed to a below-market contract with the Maple Leafs was any kind of attention.

That was the plan. Sign for less. Slip under the radar. Let the high-priced help take whatever heat was around.

Alright. It has been just about 3 months since one of the biggest blockbusters of the off-season went down. After a few weeks of rumors, Burke finalized a trade which acquired a young, goal scoring phenom and signed him long term. Oh yeah, and he gave up a 2010 1st, 2nd, and 2011 1st. It is a steep, steep price, and with Kessel being injured for the first month of the season, and the Leafs having a horrendous 0-7-1 start to the season, Leaf fans were not happy about the deal.

OK I’ve read some reports that Bobby Ryan won’t be speaking to Anaheim for the rest of the season about his contract and have read that the leafs will be keeping a close eye on his progress this season as he is a rfa at seasons end..
Everyone says we wont be able to get him do to the lack of picks we have and prospects, but i have a proposal…

What are your ideas for the rebuild for the leafs?

Mine are after 3-11-5

First we need to trade

This is what we should do first

Trade Toskala, Finger, Ponikarvosky to Anahiem for Gigeure,1st 2010

Trade Mayers to Atlanta for 4th 2010

Resign Gusstavson 3y 6.9M

Yes, it is still the summer, and the last thing anyone wants to think about is February, but who can resist some Toronto Maple Leaf trade speculation? Yesterdays move has brought in some mixed views from all Leaf fans. I feel that although Stralman has some top 4 potential, he was likely never to reach that in Toronto’s suddenly deep blueline. The return of that trade made me start thinking about the trade deadline and some possible moves. I am not going to predict any specifics, but the Leafs have 10 players entering UFA status at the end of next year, so assuming the Leafs are sellers some of them should be gone. Burke has said that his goal is to make the playoffs, I dont think he feels that any small move will get this team to 8th spot, or else he would be making them. Anyways, assuming the Leafs finish roughly where they did last year they will be sellers at the deadline. Here is a list of Leafs going into UFA status next year.

As a long time TML fan I have come to notice every year Toronto pushes for a playoff spot until around the trade deadline when they give up. This year I was hoping to grab IMO one of the best forwards in the draft. Brayden Schenn. However draft day came as a dissapointment. No disrespect to Nazem Kadri. But by not being able to draft Schenn. Why not trade for him? I think one of your “lesser Defensmen” packaged with something could bring Brayden to the blue and white.

Burke made it clear he wanted Brayden Schenn in a leaf uniform in the next couple of years. TSN even caught his disgust on camera when the Kings drafted Schenn this year, but Burke hasn’t given up on the Schenn brothers in Toronto. Rumor is Burke is currently working out a deal which would see Toronto send Tomas Kaberle and Jiri Tlusty to Los Angeles in exchange for Alexander Frolov, Brayden Schenn and the Kings 1st rounder. Frolov put up 59pts in 77 games and has been on a decline in the past couple years. In the WHL Schenn put up 88pts in 70 games. The Kings hope to make the playoffs next year meaning their pick will likely be in the 10-16 category. In Return they recieve a top 2 defenceman in Kaberle who usually puts up at least 50pts and a promising young forward in Jiri Tlusty who put up 66pts in 66 games for the marlies and added 4pts in 14 games for the Leafs this past year.

Common sense tells us that the Leafs will trade at least 1 of their Dmen away to get a forward(s). Brian Burke was on TheFan 590 today and did absolutely nothing to dismiss these rumors.
I suggest we look at a couple options about what we could get in return for some of them.
First off lets look at Toronto Defencemen

As a leaf fan, I cannot see how our team is going to penalty kill let alone score goals. One thing that I think Burkie should do is this:

Jordan Stall
for
Tomas Kaberle

I Everyone, the following is not a rumour Its just my opinion about the draft, Free agents and of course my 2cent idea of what Leafs plans are for coming up summer.

As draft day roles around more and more rumors of trades are talked about. Especially talks about Leafs all-star defenceman Tomas Kaberle. Burke has already let his intentions known as he is still after London sniper John Tavares, with Brayden Schenn being his backup.

Toronto among teams sniffing around Atlanta’s No. 4 pick

Tim Wharnsby — Globe and Mail

Perhaps Brian Burke has a trading partner before the NHL entry draft, after all.

Brian Burke stated on TSN (video All Quiet) he was prepared to move down a few spots if the player they want to draft is still available.

…. and, like the NYI GM Snow did last year with the Isles top pick- trade down a few times this year with the Maple Leafs pick?

Actually, Burke would still be pullin’ a Burkie, because that’s exactly what he did last year with the Ducks 1st rounder when he traded down twice and picked up a few extra picks in the process.

This is what i think could happen on draft day….
If by some miracle Tavares is still on the board after the Islanders pick hes a Maple Leaf…. If not and he is taken, the leafs will drop back and grab Zach Kassian…. This guy is good check him out, and the best part is the leafs will still get another pick or two when they grab him….. Look for teams willing to unload mistake contracts on Toronto….

The Draft starts off with the Islanders selecting hedman to the suprise of many fans
The Lighting select Tavares, the avalance get the no brainer in Matt Duchene, and the Thrashers select a skilled gritty winger in Evander Kane.
The kings select Brayden Schenn and the coyotes go with the big d-man Jared Cowen.
The leafs make a trade. They trade down to 11th with nashville. The leafs trade the 7th pick to the preds for the 11th, 42nd and 72nd picks( This isnt original, I read it in another article and liked the idea)
Toronto selects Zach Kassian with the 11th.

The leafs trade kaberle to florida for the 14th pick, 44th pick and shawn mathias(Maybe too much return)

The Leafs select Ryan Ellis/John Moore, whoever is still available

This leaves leafs with 42, 44, 50, 58, 68 and 72 in first 3 rounds

They then select olivier roy with 42nd, alex chaission with 44th pick, Brayden Mcnabb with 50, Taylor Doherty with 58, alexander avtsyn with 68, Ben Hanowski with 72

A couple suggestions on what i think the leafs should do this summer….

On draft day the leafs are going for a higher pick but who wll they trade to get it? Well there are a few they need to move like, Nik Hagman With a 3 Million dollars a season should be traded, Boyd Devereaux could go due to the fact the leafs are set in the Center Spot, Pavel Kubin can with they big money contract isn’t playing at the level he should, Tomas Kaberle can go if there is a trade for a pick but he is still good.

Soooo, it didn’t take long for the center of the universe to get to Brian Burkes head. Not only is he walking a very thin ethical and legal line by talking about players under contract, he is shaming the future Leafs Captain and the most solid building block the Leafs have had since Sundin in Luke Schenn, not to mention setting himslef up for a huge faceplant at the draft table and upstaging the greatest playoff round of hockey in memory.