Burke Fired
- Thread starter dappleganger
- Start date
bustaheims
Active member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
I think the only way that happens is if Nonis and Kessel can't get an extension worked out approaching the trade deadline next season.
TimKerr
New member
I honestly don't think this has anything to do with the direction of the team and everything to do with Burke. They didn't come right out and say it but basically Burke and the new ownership wouldn't be able to get along for the foreseeable future and thus they fired him.
The fact that they kept all his hires including his right-hand man in Nonis shows they didn't necessarily question his hockey decisions. This would have just turned into a huge personality conflict that would probably blow up into a spectacle. So rather than have that happen they ended it before it could start.
It was a business decision more than a hockey decision.
The fact that they kept all his hires including his right-hand man in Nonis shows they didn't necessarily question his hockey decisions. This would have just turned into a huge personality conflict that would probably blow up into a spectacle. So rather than have that happen they ended it before it could start.
It was a business decision more than a hockey decision.
Kin
New member
Bruce Arthur just made a pretty good point on TSN. He said that given the nature of a short season where just about anything can happen firing Burke now made sense in as much as if they'd already decided that they didn't like him then a fluke playoff run by the Leafs could have made this decision a lot harder in the summer.
maplesyrup
New member
How about firing Cherry and replacing him with Burke? "GM's Corner."
bustaheims
Active member
Nik Pollock said:
If CBC and Burke were really interested that happening, I'm sure something could be worked out there. I doubt either party is all that interested at the moment, to be honest.
maplesyrup
New member
FWFW, I wasn't serious... I was just taking a shot at Cherry.
Look at the Wilson deal. Burke gave Ron a contract so he wouldn't be lame duck. Burke's contract was coming up.
Last summer, MLSE was sold. New management often want their own GM. I suspect that the board decided they would evaluate extending Burke this season.
Because of the lockout, no deep further evaluation of Burke could take place prior to making a decision on extending Burke.
In Vancouver, they left GM Burke hanging until the end of the season before cutting him loose. I strongly suspect Burke demanded an answer on his extension now (like the Wilson lame duck contract extension) which triggered the timing of this decision.
Burke's Kessel deal and his direction to retool vs rebuild along with his failure to make the playoffs cost him. His boisterous outspoken nature would fly in the face of the MLSE/Rogers/Bell corporate world and they probably tired of that as well.
Burke's strength as a GM has been as a trader. The timing is arguably unfortunate because the new CBA offered some increases in a GM's ability to trade.
I still like Burke as a GM and because I liked him personally, I'm sorry to see him go. If he'd played it safe and passed on Kessel going for a true rebuild, he'd likely still be the Leafs GM. So that's a key chunk of the reason for his downfall in my opinion and his likely demand for a contract extension decision now would explain the timing.
I'm sure he'll be near the top of any team's list when the next round of GM firings take place. He's a classy guy. I wish him well.
I also like Nonis - not quite as much but he's a decent replacement.
EDIT: bad theory - Burke was not in the last year of his deal that I heard was incorrectly reported earlier today
Last summer, MLSE was sold. New management often want their own GM. I suspect that the board decided they would evaluate extending Burke this season.
Because of the lockout, no deep further evaluation of Burke could take place prior to making a decision on extending Burke.
In Vancouver, they left GM Burke hanging until the end of the season before cutting him loose. I strongly suspect Burke demanded an answer on his extension now (like the Wilson lame duck contract extension) which triggered the timing of this decision.
Burke's Kessel deal and his direction to retool vs rebuild along with his failure to make the playoffs cost him. His boisterous outspoken nature would fly in the face of the MLSE/Rogers/Bell corporate world and they probably tired of that as well.
Burke's strength as a GM has been as a trader. The timing is arguably unfortunate because the new CBA offered some increases in a GM's ability to trade.
I still like Burke as a GM and because I liked him personally, I'm sorry to see him go. If he'd played it safe and passed on Kessel going for a true rebuild, he'd likely still be the Leafs GM. So that's a key chunk of the reason for his downfall in my opinion and his likely demand for a contract extension decision now would explain the timing.
I'm sure he'll be near the top of any team's list when the next round of GM firings take place. He's a classy guy. I wish him well.
I also like Nonis - not quite as much but he's a decent replacement.
EDIT: bad theory - Burke was not in the last year of his deal that I heard was incorrectly reported earlier today
Britishbulldog
Active member
oldman said:
That's the 1st thing I thought after I found out this wasn't a joke.
maplesyrup
New member
I'd like to punch the right side of my TV right now.