Speculation: Real reason why Burke was fired (MOD #28)

[KessMeRandy]

yeah because Kessel, Dion, Reimer (gave him his chance), Lupul, Gunnarson, Kulemin, Kadri, Franson, McClemment didn't develop into a solid core, right? RIGHT????

 

[KessMeRandy]

and all of this in the wake of losing Rask for Raycroft, Couture for Toskala, Steen AND Coliacovo for Stempniak. Guess Burkie didn't turn things around, did he? OH WAIT

 

[hotpaws]

The richest team in the league finishes 7th last, 2nd last, 9th last, and 5th last... twice without their first round ****ING PICKSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! under Burke... and people are making lame excuses for why he was fired.

It's inexcusable.

It's some of the most shameful human behaviour I've ever encountered.

I agree with you!!! We had some really awesome assets to trade to kick start a super fast rebuild. And we should have been signing the best FA's to more money then they were asking for to make sure we got them. We can afford paying luxury taxes!!!

Oh wait, it's a hard cap. Never mind, just ignore my post.

He said we tanked yet traded away the only reason there is for tanking .

Maybe you can ask Burke why he went for the super fast rebuild when we didn't have the assets to accomplish it .

 

[wulfio*]

He said we tanked yet traded away the only reason there is for tanking .

Maybe you can ask Burke why he went for the super fast rebuild when we didn't have the assets to accomplish it .

Do you think a full rebuild takes 3-4 years? Go look at chicago/pittsburgh please.

I think you're confusing lip service for mindless casual hockey fans/terrible ownership group with reality. Any objective person can see what was going on. Burke did the only thing that the Toronto market could have tolerated. Intentionally being bad for 8 years would have never been accepted. He made an organization completely bereft of any measurable talent in to a playoff team with some very nice young talented pieces in a very short period of time.

 

[hotpaws]

yeah because Kessel, Dion, Reimer (gave him his chance), Lupul, Gunnarson, Kulemin, Kadri, Franson, McClemment didn't develop into a solid core, right? RIGHT????

and all of this in the wake of losing Rask for Raycroft, Couture for Toskala, Steen AND Coliacovo for Stempniak. Guess Burkie didn't turn things around, did he? OH WAIT

Where do you think that core will lead us ? Never mind the fact reims/kul/gunner weren't acquired by Burke .

I agree Burke did a better job than JFJ and gramps , that's not much of an accomplishment if you ask me .

 

[KessMeRandy]

Where do you think that core will lead us ? Never mind the fact reims/kul/gunner weren't acquired by Burke .

I agree Burke did a better job than JFJ and gramps , that's not much of an accomplishment if you ask me .

As I said, it was the Burke philosophy, giving Gunnar that top-2 chance, giving Reimer that starting chance, giving Kuli that extension, that made Toronto into a valuable team. And if you can HONESTLY, ignoring argument for the sake of argument, that Brian Burke didn't assemble a team one RHD away and maybe a depth scorer away from a playoff team, then I'll forfeit my position.

 

[KessMeRandy]

Do you think a full rebuild takes 3-4 years? Go look at chicago/pittsburgh please.

I think you're confusing lip service for mindless casual hockey fans/terrible ownership group with reality. Any objective person can see what was going on. Burke did the only thing that the Toronto market could have tolerated. Intentionally being bad for 8 years would have never been accepted. He made an organization completely bereft of any measurable talent in to a playoff team with some very nice young talented pieces in a very short period of time.

Not to mention the guy didn't exactly have draft years with Sids or Johnnys where he could feasibly get rid of the pieces quickly enough to draft those types

 

[hotpaws]

Do you think a full rebuild takes 3-4 years? Go look at chicago/pittsburgh please.

I think you're confusing lip service for mindless casual hockey fans/terrible ownership group with reality. Any objective person can see what was going on. Burke did the only thing that the Toronto market could have tolerated. Intentionally being bad for 8 years would have never been accepted. He made an organization completely bereft of any measurable talent in to a playoff team with some very nice young talented pieces in a very short period of time.

According to Burke he needed less than 5 years to build a cup contender .

So you're saying the sheep are so stupid they'll put up with endless losing as long as you're trading picks and signing worthless ufa's ? Any objective person realizes Burke has led down the path to nowhere . We're not good enough to seriously compete for the cup and we're not bad enough to acquire an elite talent out of the draft . Maybe that's a successful gm to you but not everyone sets the bar so low .

We had talent maybe not an elite core needed to win the cup but we did have some solid players . What we didn't have was goaltending which is the main reason last years team made the playoffs and this years team is in a playoff spot this year .

Any GM would have added talent after 4 years of bottom feeding so I don't understand why you think the Burke did anything special .

 

[hotpaws]

As I said, it was the Burke philosophy, giving Gunnar that top-2 chance, giving Reimer that starting chance, giving Kuli that extension, that made Toronto into a valuable team. And if you can HONESTLY, ignoring argument for the sake of argument, that Brian Burke didn't assemble a team one RHD away and maybe a depth scorer away from a playoff team, then I'll forfeit my position.

The goal was never to just make the playoffs . I never doubted given enough time that he could make the playoffs , over half the league makes the playoffs every year and we were the last team to join the party in the cap era . That means even the cash strapped poorly managed teams in the league has made the playoffs at least once .

The problem I had with Burke wasn't that I didn't think he could make the playoffs , it was that I knew it would lead us to where we are today , which is a decent team but flawed team with very little upward mobility . Sure we may win the odd round or two but in the end we'll always come up short of the ultimate goal .

 

[MajorityRules*]

Ah yes, now we're back to the "Burke said it would only take 5 years".

Typical Burke discussion. Round and round we go. Not sure why we don't just all agree that we're never going to change our opinions on how Burke did or our opinion of Burke himself. The same crowd that loved him, still love him and the same crowd that hated him probably even hate him more now.

Yes I know it's a discussion board but this topic has been beat to death and then just for fun, beaten some more. Has anyone who has taken part in any of these Burke discussions changed their mind or stance?




That's what I thought.