Jun
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Leaf haters even one of your own knows what’s coming.
We are going to be bigger and tougher. No matter what it costs us, we are going to be bigger and tougher. This is how my teams play, like it or not.” - Burke, yesterday.
In other words, the Leafs are eventually going to be relevant, and they will skate into your building and punch your prettiest players in the face. Burke will happily employ guys whom he refers to as “the beef,” and they won’t be out there to be liked. Unless, of course, you are one of the people wearing Doug Gilmour jerseys. Then, your cheers will drown out the locals on a good night.
“I think Toronto is the most important hockey market in the NHL,” Burke said yesterday.
Love him or hate him, he is right. And once he has transformed the Toronto Maple Leafs into a contender and into a bully, he will be proven even more correct.
The rest: Making the Maple Leafs more hateable
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:
There are plenty of Leaf haters out there both in the media and fans of other teams. Many are unabashedly reveling in the current state of the organization but are still annoyed at the loyalty and insufferable (to them) optimism of Leaf Nation. Here’s a little warning: If you think we are annoying and insufferable now. Wait till we get competitive again and if you think that will be bad you better hope and pray the team doesn’t win a Cup. Leaf Fans: I can’t wait to rub everyone of their collective noses in it. Can you?
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June 25th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
I couldn’t be more anxious to rub it in to all the haters. I’m as eager as a little kid who can’t sleep on Christmas Eve, waiting for Santa to come.
Come on Burke, let’s do this!!
June 25th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Toronto still has a hockey team?
NeilD
June 26th, 2009 at 6:59 am
Just as long as the Leafs don’t draft or do a draft day deal for another Finnish goalie, I’ll call it a win.
On a semi-related note, what is all this talk about kaberle? I would have thought that with his big salary and, well, shitty play, no one would want him. However, if Sportsnet is to be believed, teams are lining up to get him. Any warm and even slightly animated body they get would be a fair trade in terms of usefulness on the ice, but shedding that salary would be huge.
Generally I think Burke is over-rated as a GM and a loud-mouthed schnook otherwise, but if he can pull somehting off and get some players that want to play, then I’ll have to think of him as just a loud-mouth schnook.
June 26th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Cranky:
AT 4.25 million Kaberle is not overpaid compared to Redden and what Boumeister will command. He is one of the bargain contracts right now considering the dearth of puck moving defensemen and the cap issues many teams are facing.
I think Burkie can pull something off for him.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:39 am
We are still basking in the afterglow of all the Stanley Cups Burke brought to Vancouver.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Ask Moore when he names Burke. Anybody who thinks Bertuzzi acted on his own initiative is nuts
June 26th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
@jake - admit it y’all were pissed when Burkie decamped for Anaheim.