ATLANTA (Jan. 28) -- After fielding another thwack of e-mail questions and comments, it is clear that the majority of Maple Leafs fans would like to see Brian Burke in the general manager's chair, but do not believe it is possible. You folks may, in fact, may be correct, but this is where the culture of Leafs Nation has to change. From the top of the hockey club to its most casual supporter, it is time to start thinking outside the box. This organization is so ingrained in failure that it almost precludes fans from embracing the improbable. When Burke arrived in Anaheim, do you think any fan of the Ducks figured -- in his wildest imagination -- that the new GM would acquire two of the three best defencemen on the planet? Any person forecasting the arrivals of Scott Neidermayer and Chris Pronger in consecutive summers would have been locked up.
Lo and behold, the cunning, aggressive Burke pulled it off -- and he has the Stanley Cup ring to prove it. If Nick Lidstrom had somehow become available, Burke probably would have found a way to make it a hattrick. So, try to envision things that are difficult. Burke won't be an easy acquisition, but that should not dissuade the Maple Leafs from courting him with all their might. Every other candidate should rank second or lower on their list.
Thanks again to all who participated in the latest Q & A. Here she goes...
David from Montreal asks: "Howard, when you saw Richard Peddie mouthing the words to Cliff Fletcher's speech, what went through your head?"
Well, to be honest, David, I didn't see it, even though I was situated in the front row of the media section, roughly 15 feet from both men. Neither did anyone else in the room, to my knowledge. When Fletcher was talking, all eyes were focussed on him. Only after I received about a dozen e-mails with the You-Tube attachment of the press conference, did I notice Peddie's magical talents. My first reaction was that MLSE wrote the content for Fletcher, and that he and Peddie rehearsed their act beforehand. It looked and sounded very corporation-like. And, MLSE is nothing if not corporate. I can't help but wonder what might have happened if Fletcher had slipped up and blown his lines while Peddie was mouthing away. "No no no, Cliff. Go back. You're not saying it properly." Anyhow, it is what it is. The video was astounding, simply because nothing of the sort has ever been seen. At least, not in my years in this business.
Norman from San Francisco writes: "Howard, did Atlanta embrace the All-Star Game? How do you compare it to previous years?"
Comparisons are hard to make, Norman, because cities differ in size. And, circumstances occasionally get in the way. For instance, the entire event seemed to get swallowed up in Dallas last year. Dallas is a sprawling city and the downtown area -- or Metroplex, as they call it -- is enormous. Clearly, there was a sense that something special was happening in and around the American Airlines Center, and the headquarters hotel -- the Hyatt Reunion -- was buzzing with hockey people. But, there was virtually no awareness of the event anywhere else in the city. Also, Dallas Cowboys' coach Bill Parcells chose to announce his retirement just as the hockey people were pouring into town. So, that story obliterated the All-Star news for a day or two. Here in Atlanta, it's a bit different. The downtown area is more compact, and Philips Arena is attached to the CNN Center -- world headquarters of the cable TV giant. Both facilities are located adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, the sprawling grass-and-brick area smack in the middle of downtown... legacy of the 1996 summer Games. The arena and CNN Center were hopping this weekend with All-Star-related activities. There's a giant food court in the main lobby of CNN. On Saturday, people were lined up for hours to get autographs from hockey legends Bobby Hull and Dave Schultz. Another long queue led to the Stanley Cup, where photos were being taken. On Sunday, I walked past the same area, jammed even deeper with humanity. When I looked over at the autograph table, there was Pat Quinn, seated alongside former Atlanta Flames teammates Bill Clement and Dan Bouchard. In the centre of the food court was a massive hockey collectibles show. So, yes, Atlanta did a wonderful job of embracing this event. It wasn't quite as big as others I've witnessed. I was here for a Leafs-Thrashers game about a week after the 2001 Super Bowl at the Georgia Dome -- the game in which the St. Louis Rams triumphed over Tennessee. And, the city was still buzzing, while recovering from a freak ice storm. Then last March, the Leafs played here just prior to the Final Four men's college basketball championship. You could tell it was a bigger event than the NHL All-Star Game because it enveloped all of Centennial Olympic Park, with activities and displays that attracted multitudes. There was no evidence of the hockey game in the park this weekend, though a gigantic 2008 All-Star Game logo was on the exterior of the Westin Peachtree Plaza -- the 73-floor, glass-walled hotel that is shaped like a long tube, and towers over the downtown area.
Richard from Scarborough, Ont. writes: "Now that John Ferguson has been fired, Howard, what did you consider to be his biggest downfall?"
Let me begin by saying that I'm not among those who believe Fergie was all bad. Neither am I certain what prompted him to make some dazzling misjudgements, but I suspect it wasn't a bowl of cherries working for Peddie and Co. That said, I believe there are two decisions that truly greased his downfall. First, his refusal -- two summers ago -- to trade Tomas Kaberle and Alex Steen to Edmonton for Chris Pronger. This one was mind-boggling at the time, and it still is. Pronger would have not only provided the Leafs with the most dominant player in the game, he'd have likely changed the culture of the hockey club. The Leafs could have built their entire program around a granite-like centrepiece on the blueline. Instead, Toronto is one of the least-abrasive opponents in the NHL. "Soft" is a word you often hear to describe the current Leafs. Pronger would have easily compensated for Kaberle, while Steen is what he is -- a serviceable second or third-line forward with no impact qualities. Ferguson's other major blunder was one I wrote and talked about last summer. He acted way too quickly in re-assembling the failed team from last season. Copious changes should have been made to a club that missed the playoffs for a second consecutive spring. Bringing back virtually the same group left the impression that underachieving was somehow okay. And, the inevitable happened again this season.
David from London, Ont. writes: "Hi Howard. I was wondering who you think are the most likely trade candidates for the Leafs at the deadline? Will they clean house and say goodbye to Kaberle, Mats Sundin and others? It would be nice to get rid of the hefty blueline salaries that hamper the Leafs."
David, several of the most likely candidates to be traded are also the least likely. That's because Sundin, Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Bryan McCabe and Darcy Tucker all have movement restrictions built into their contracts. They must grant permission in order for Fletcher to peddle them. Sundin's position on the matter is well established, though I'll be convinced of his yearning to remain a Leaf only if he is still wearing blue and white after Feb. 26. In the meantime, Fletcher must use every ounce of his persuasive capacity on Sundin in order for the captain to waive his no-trade clause. Kaberle told me here in Atlanta that it won't be worth Fletcher's time to ask him about waiving, because he's intent on staying. His modest, $4.25-million salary doesn't have to be moved, though it makes him a very attractive commodity on the trade market. McCabe isn't going anywhere. He is guaranteed $14.45 million in the final three years of his contract, including $6.15 million next season. Kubina has two more years at $5-million per anum, so it's difficult to imagine him being unloaded. And, Tucker has three more years at $3-million per season. He'll need to bounce back from this terrible campaign to become more attractive, even with his underwhelming salary. The only veteran player not protected by a no-trade clause is Jason Blake, but he has four more years and $15-million coming at him. How does Fletcher move that contract? This isn't to suggest that Cliff will take a pass on trying to trade these players. In fact, they should occupy most of his energy between now and the deadline. But, he's in for a major challenge. One option, of course, is to send big-moneyed players to the AHL and eat their salaries. The Leafs would reduce their cap hit, but their attractiveness among free agents might take a beating.
Tim from Thunder Bay, Ont. asks: "Howard, one name I have not heard in the president/GM discussions is Bobby Clarke. Could he be a candidate?"
Interesting suggestion, Tim. Clarke has been around the NHL since breaking in as a player in 1969, and he has made his mark several times over with the Philadelphia Flyers. I sense that Clarke knows the game as well as anyone, but he certainly isn't a popular figure around Toronto. From his playing days with the Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s, to his trade dance with Pat Quinn over Eric Lindros several years ago, Clarke has kind of a smarmy reputation in Leaf land. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered for the GM vacancy, but I can't envision him being embraced by the Toronto hockey public. Just my opinion.
Mike in Halifax writes: "Howard, what will it take to get Richard Peddie to either step aside, or give the incoming GM full autonomy? A horrendous term in office and the poor state of the hockey club do not seem to be the answer."
Mike, you are preaching to the choir on this one. I must strongly reiterate that I have nothing against Peddie, even though I've been highly critical of him this week. From a personal standpoint, I like the man very much, and enjoy talking with him. I don't know if he shares that affection anymore, because I haven't spoken to him in the wake of my blogs and radio rants since last Tuesday. I just can't believe that he appointed himself as head of the search committee for a new GM. Not after the terrible record he's established in the hiring of sports administrators. It makes no sense to me, and it sparks of control issues. Having spoken privately in the past five days to a pair of candidates that would automatically be at the top of the Leafs' wish list, I can tell you unequivocally that neither person will come close to Toronto without the written proviso that Peddie remove himself from hockey matters after supplying a budget. Any of the most desirable managers in the league -- the sort that Peddie claimed he covets last Tuesday -- will insist on the same condition. So, perhaps Richard is finally in a spot where he has no choice but to back away. The question is: Can he bring himself to do it without pressure from above? The sort of pressure exerted on him when it came to hiring Bryan Colangelo for the NBA Raptors? There is no indication he will face similar coercion on the hockey side.
E-mail
[email protected] 
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»