Its Not About Just Getting In

So both the Stanley Cup finalists from Vancouver and the champions from Boston have been vanquished, and there's this rush now to draw all kinds of lessons from what has transpired so far in the 2012 playoffs.

Its like winning one round, or losing one round, proves or disproves all these theories.

Six weeks ago Dean Lombardi was about to be fired. Now, with his Kings having toppled the Canucks, he's a genius. Ditto for George McPhee in Washington, with the Caps still celebrating this morning after shocking the Bruins in overtime Wednesday night in Massachussetts.

Beyond that, because the No. 8 seeded Kings won and the No. 7 seeded Capitals also did, and quite possibly the eighth-ranked team in the Eastern Conference, the Ottawa Senators, may well advance tonight against the New York Rangers, there's once again this popular notion making the rounds that the success of these teams proves that all you have to do is do whatever it takes to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs, and success will follow.

People, people, people.

To look at the Caps and Kings and imagine these are teams that aggressively sacrificed youngsters and prospects for past-their-prime vets just to qualify for the post-season and are now benefitting is not just inaccurate, it's dead wrong.

These are clubs that have been building for seven years or more, carefully gathering picks and young players, and the result over the past week is that both have won a round over a favoured opponent.

To imagine, as some are, that teams like Buffalo, Toronto or Calgary should have sent first round selections or blue-chippers packing at the trade deadline just to get in, and then would have had as good a shot at the Cup as anyone, is preposterous.

The point is that Washington and Los Angeles, over the years, have mostly avoided doing just that. St. Louis too, and Ottawa. Heck, the Sens were doing the opposite a year ago, peddling Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly to acquire futures. The Kings tried a shortcut by giving up a first rounder and a prospect for Dustin Penner and it didn't work. The Caps dealt goalie Semyon Varlamov last summer for a first rounder. Those that are now espousing this get-in-no-matter-the-cost strategy should know that the Caps, with their goaltending then in the hands of Tomas Vokoun and Michael Neuvirth, could undoubtedly have traded Braden Holtby before this year's deadline for immediate help in their troubled regular season, but McPhee did not so such thing.

Damn straight the league is so tight the first round matchups are anything but lopsided. But the Kings and Caps spent years trying to get there the right way. So when Leaf GM Brian Burke says he could have made deals to move kids or picks just to get into the playoffs but didn't, that's actually following the model of L.A. and Washington.

The last time the Leafs did a kids-for-proven-help was back in 2008 when interim GM Cliff Fletcher dealt Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo to St. Louis for winger Lee Stempniak. Well, how'd that work out? Should Burke really have moved Jake Gardiner for some 28-year-old forward at this year's deadline, or sent Joe Colborne packing for a 30-year-old blueliner if that would have got the Leafs a playoff berth?

Of course not. In fact, given the choice between getting 24-year-old Steve Downie and 20-year-old Carter Ashton from Tampa in a deal for defenceman Keith Aulie, the Leafs went for the youngster. Sure, Downie would have helped get the Leafs into the playoffs, and it's not yet clear whether Ashton will be a good pro, but Downie is a restricted free agent this summer looking for more than $3 million per on a multi-year deal and he wasn't able to help Colorado get into the post-season anyway.

Everybody wants to pile on Burke for every statement he has made, and he made them and is suffering for it now. Hyperbole has undercut his position. But to mock the guy for eschewing the kind of quick fix moves that got the Leafs into the mess they're trying to work out of is really short-sighted analysis.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[William Coombs]

What you are saying Damian is that Burke has repented from trading two firsts and a second for Phil Kessel. While Gardner indeed seems to be a blue chipper, I'm not sure you can identify another from the current crop of younger players. I hope I'm wrong and certainly agree with keeping draft picks (I'll be even happier if the team chooses Matt Dumba with the first pick this year).

[croozer]

Do you mean that Burke was right not to repeat the Kessel "we're not waiting for draft picks" trade?
Just to recap.
Trade the top draft picks away - miss the playoffs.
Keep the draft picks and young prospects - miss the playoffs.
Is there a Plan C?
Burke has 2 items that anyone will be interested in - 5th pick and Gardiner.
UFA pool not very deep.
Goalie needed for sure plus lots of other stuff every other team wants as well.
So instead of keeping all options open he starts the conversation by saying that the 5th and Gardiner aren't going anywhere.

[JC]

Is anyone arguing that the Leafs should have traded youth for veterans? I haven't seen *anyone* make that argument. If anything I've seen people who thought Burke screwed up by not moving guys like MacArthur or Armstrong at the deadline for whatever he could have gotten for them. Who is Damien arguing with here?

[Alan C.]

Right on!...couldn't agree more...think I'll go visit my shrink...lol

[49LEAFS]

I didn't realize Lee Stempniak was EVER proven talent

[5yrplan]

Dear Damian,

You seem to have become a MLSE/Burke apologist of late. True, since the start of the February collapse the statements from the Leafs GM have been bizarre to say the least. I don't think that most Leaf fans take issue with not trading youth to squeak into the playoffs. It was clear to all by the trade deadline (save Burke perhaps) that the team was a wreck and in need of major change. What is truly galling is that he came out and claimed he could have received 4 first round picks for his veterans but chose not to. This aimless, do nothing strategy after four years of bombast is what finally broke the backs of fans in this city.

[Anton]

Cox i cannot believe you are a Burke defender.I used to be a defender but he has made too many questionable moves, and the camel that broke this straws back was signing Grabovski for 5 years at 5.5 per year. Are you kidding me? And i dont want to hear the argument that there is no one else out there to fill the void. My response to that is then let him walk and fill the spot with a youngster. Grabovski is obviosuly not going to make or break the success of this team.

[Mass]

Tripe. Utter tripe.
Just look at the success that team's seeded 6-8 have had in the past decade.
Carolina, edmonton, anaheim, ottawa, philly, calgary, tampa.....
Low seeds, making it to the finals.

Yet again, d cox showing his.....ahem...."expertise"

Burke's msm mouthpiece, nothing more.

[Alf Chaiton]

Wrong approach. Your comments on the Senators was appropriate. Not only did they trade Fisher and Kelly, they also traded for Craig Anderson. That deal cost them several places in the draft order. So they did both.

And who's better off? The Senators, with their young players, learning how to win--what it takes to win in the playoffs--which goes a long way in their continuing development. And that's development as in long-term competitiveness, not a one-time effort. Or the young Leafs, out on the golf course (again), learning that they're losers.

The "tanking" philosophy only works if you end up with an impact player, a crosby or stamkos or malkin. Remember 2008, when they also had the fifth pick, and chose Luke Schenn. Senators had #18, traded up to #15 and chose Erik Karlsson. That's scouting, not tanking. Leafs are supposed to have spent massive of money on management and scouting in order to make those kinds of picks. What happened?

If they could have gotten firsts (or even seconds) for a player like Connelly, that's what they should have gone for.

[Ron]

Damien I agree. What got Burke in trouble was his mouth and ego. Watching many of the games in both the east and west it has become even more obvious that this Leaf team is a long, long way from becoming a consistent contender for the cup(really isn't a consistent contender what all true Leaf fans should want). My guess is it will be another 3-4 years before they will be able to build that kind of group. I think Burke is going to have to make some more difficult decisions with the group he has to achieve that goal.

[Jimmy]

Nice read Damien and well said. Fully agree...

[Musclehead]

Damien, Here is a funny thing, my son is a BSC, and one thing he has noticed that woke him up is with regard to studies and how they are performed. See the thing is, to have a predetermined objective that you are trying to validate, in essence leads to a flawed, subjective study and removes all integrity. Facts are blatantly ignored, test subjects are screened to fit a certain pre determined criteria and the end result is in essence pre determined. Are you in fact not doing the same? I’ll tell you why teams finishing in 7 and 8 place can compete with teams further up in the standings, salary caps and parity. It’s that simple. Moving Steen and Colaiacovo made sense. Problem was getting back Stempniak didn’t. Steen and Stempniak pretty much was a moot move, both fairly even in stats. Colaiacovo was questionable as to whether he would make it. I was a poor deal from the return aspect. Dustin Penner has the capability to be top 10 player, where he lacks is the will to get there and personal problems that held him back. A short cut or filling a badly needed hole with a guy who had pretty decent numbers? You have mentioned the 7 yr rule, that I have been told from the start of a rebuild to competing for a cup needs to be followed based on contract expiration, salary caps and age. This I will agree. But stating you wouldn’t move Gardner and Colboune for help? If Washington asked for those 2 and were willing to give up Ovechkin would you make that move? If Edmonton was willing to give up Hall for Colbourne, would you make that move? How’s about 2 prospects for Garrison on FLA? Luongo for both? We can look at bad trades and say this is the norm, but it isn't. As stated this gives to flawed validation of a predetermined objective.

[Joe T.]

The leafs are a solid goaltender away from making the playoffs

[Robert Moses]

I do not mock Burke for not going for the quick fix.

I mock him because he went for the quick fix.

The short sighted analysis is due to reporters who are trying to spin a different story to the one that actually has occurred, and that even Burke himself said he was not into 5 year plans.

Well guess what, the end of next year will be year 5.

Burke's majority of signings have been a bust (Komisarek, Connelly, Lombardi, Gustafsen, etc.), his choice of remaining with Wilson was terrible and his largely public persona had taken away from fielding a competitive team.

So lets drop the excuses for Burke.

And MLSE has been a terrible run organization to field competitive teams in the NHL, NBA and MLS.

[Paul]

D-man. Thank you!! The days of the quick-fix are over. I think Mr. Burke gets that, and time will tell if he can parlay his patience into playoff victories. I think he can; I think he will.

[A13276]

Wow - some wisdom from a Torronna scribe! Thank you. Keep adding assets until you reach the point that you have the depth of talent to trade some away to make your team into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Until Burke arrived we've been trading talent away to get into the playoffs. Huge difference. Check out that Marlies squad!

[bri]

The problem wasn't moving picks. The problem was Burke didn't trade any of his excess baggage for picks. Armstrong, Komisarek, Connolly, Liles and Lombardi should have all been moved at the deadline. Also should have taken first round picks for McArthur, Grabo and Schenn. That was the mistake that was made.

[Manny]

Finally, we have a media guy in this city who has a brain! Damien, thanks for telling it like it is with reason and clear facts. I'm so sick and tired of media guys who shovel dirt just to get noticed.

[Chad]

Damien.....let me just say a great big THANK YOU!!
the biggest trouble with "Leafs Nation", which includes some media folk as well as the fans, is that they are too impatient!
one may argue this by saying "of course we're impatient we haven't won a cup since 1967!" but i would counter that by saying that almost every year since 1967 we've always tried to win by going for the quick fix. there was NEVER a focus on the long-term plan. how has that worked out for us? answer: it hasn't! Burke is trying to change that philosophy.
I'd agree that he did preach about a 5 year plan when he first arrived. and that has not worked out too well thus far. but all the while, when the Leafs have been struggling under him, he's been quietly building a strong Marlies team that are currently poised to go on a good run in the AHL playoffs. that's our future right there. and for once it looks pretty darn good!
so many times I've read comments like "trade Kadri...trade Schenn....cut Reimer....they aren't the players we thought they were." completely ridiculous! can these people really tell how good/bad a player is when they're only 21 years old!?!?!?
great example: look at Cory Schneider in Vancouver. he was a 1st round pick in 2004. that's 8 years ago! he spent two more years with Boston College and then three years in the AHL. now he's on the brink of becoming an NHL star (some would argue he already is). this is the kind of patience that Burke is trying to instill in "Leafs Nation".
the quick fix band-aid solution hasn't worked for 45 years. i'd say its time for a change in strategy.

[jimmy]

Of course the first comment is about the Kessel trade. Hey dude PHIL KESSEL WAS 21 WHEN WE AQUIRED HIM AND HIE IS NOW 24. THAT IS TRADING FUTURES FOR FUTURES. PEOPLE THINK KESSEL IS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLDER THAN HE IS. SHEESH.

[William Coombs]

It's not that Burke traded 2 firsts and a second for an 'old' guy, it's that he traded 3 young guys for another young guy who happens to be a severe minus hockey player who is no where near a franchise or an impact player (unless that impact is the 'thud' from another lottery basement crash).

[Chad]

why do people always revert back to the Kessel trade? yes he gave up two 1st's and a 2nd. but he got young talent in return who finished 6th in the scoring race this year. i don't care what people say, Kessel is an asset to any team. meanwhile, while people were still complaining over this trade, Burke went ahead and flipped Kaberle for Colbourne (1st round pick), Beauchemin for Gardiner (1st round pick), and Versteeg for a 1st round pick. not to say that these moves completely make up for losing Seguin and Hamilton. but you know what, it's a pretty good attempt!

also to bri, who said that Armstrong, Connolly, Komisarek, Lombardi, and Liles should have all been traded at the deadline. aside from Liles, what team in their right mind would want any of these guys?? you can't just imply that any team will want our useless garbage. not that easy to make a trade you know....

as for those 4 1st rounders we could have acquired at the deadline....we have no idea what players it would have cost us to get those picks. and i can almost guarantee that it would not have been any one of Connolly, Lombardi, Armstrong, or Komisarek. it was probably more along the lines of Schenn, Reimer, Lupul... and if that was the case then i applaud Burke for not trading any of them.

[Musclehead]

Yes Kessel was 21, but Seguin is becoming twice the player and will clearly be that when he hits 24, while we watched Kessel peak and start down the slippery slope to obscurity.

[smitty]

What about a top 5 goaltender that Burke promised. Also where is the great defence. Burke should have been fired after year 2.

[GORDON FULTHORPE]

Just think back to that time when Burke took over . He had virtually nothing with which to build a team . He has been castigated numerous times over the last few years, I think unfairly . Certainly he has made mistakes ( Komisarek and Connolly come to mind ) and Wilson's lack of input for defense strategies is another . But to say that Kessel ( a proven 30 goal scorer ) was not worth the risk of draft picks is a little churlish . Also Reimer was potentially " All Star " material until injured , he deserves another chance to achieve the heights of two years ago . Forget Luongo , too expensive , old , with a contract of millstone proportions.
Obtain a good centre ,say Zach Parise and one more stud defenseman . Add a mixture of good coaching , and all of those heartbreaking " one goal losses " could be reversed into " one goal wins "