LOS ANGELES (Aug. 13) – The potential trade scenario involving Tomas Kaberle began to make sense for the first time today, given Brian Burke’s comments to Jeff Lumby on THE FAN-590 morning show in Toronto. Though he’s been steadfast in his pursuit of a top-line forward during sporadic negotiations this summer, Burke admitted he’s looking at a “futures”-type deal that would bring the Maple Leafs a reasonably high draft pick and a prospect. Such a trade could be invaluable to the Blue & White, even if it represents a consolation move for the general manager.
The day before this overblown trade vigil began – on Thursday, June 24th, here in Los Angeles – Burke made it abundantly clear he was seeking immediate help for the Leafs.
“We continue to listen to offers, but this is not a transaction that is draft specific,” Burke told reporters, included yours truly, at the L.A. Live Marriott on the eve of the NHL lottery. “Our priority is not to get draft picks if we decide to move Tomas Kaberle. So, this is just as likely to happen after the draft, or not happen at all. Our top priority is to find a forward who can score – a top-six forward – and if he comes with some size, all the better. If draft picks come as part of another deal, fine. But, that’s not a priority. I think people should have figured out with the [Phil] Kessel deal that we’re trying to get better now. Draft picks don’t help me right now.”
But, a futures-type transaction is far-more realistic for Burke, and it likely has been from the outset. My opinion, all along, is that Burke would not be able to land an established scoring commodity in a one-off deal for Kaberle, who must be re-signed to an expensive contract in the waning portion of his career. If Burke can finagle such a return in the final hours of the Kaberle trade window, he should become the first man to be named NHL executive-of-the-year before the start of a season. In order to obtain the player Burke insisted upon at the draft, it’s been my contention he’d have to include one of the Leafs’ top prospects in a deal [Luke Schenn, Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak]. Given that any such hand-over would off-set the return, there’s never been logic in making such a move.
If Burke can land a first or second-round pick for Kaberle, and a decent prospect, he’ll have done very well for the hockey club. It may not provide him the immediate boost he was looking for in June, but the Leafs aren’t going to rise from cellar-dwellers to world-beaters in the span of one summer, no matter what Burke obtains for his veteran defenseman. That’s the reason this scenario has been widely distorted.
Kaberle is a good person and an above-average player. Along with Mats Sundin, he’ll be remembered as the best performer in one of the worst junctures in Leaf history. But, his overall game is not dynamic enough to make a huge difference. His presence or absence after Sunday’s deadline will neither save nor ruin the Maple Leafs, who require significantly more size and depth up front to be a contending team.
Far-better for Burke to try and recoup the second of two first-round picks he gave Boston in the Kessel deal. Such an acquisition would provide Dave Morrison and the club’s scouting brigade a grand opportunity leading up to next June’s draft in St. Paul, Minnesota. Though the 2011 crop is not expected to be quite so top-heavy, the potential for return would still be enormous. And, the Leafs would derive benefit long after Kaberle’s best years with a rival club.
Add a decent prospect to the package and Burke can virtually do no wrong.
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