Kukla's Korner Hockey
Burke Always Learning
by Paul on 10/09/10 at 09:53 PM ET
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from Paul Hunter of the Toronto Star,
Brian Burke’s approach to making the Leafs a respected contender is simple. He soaks up something important from almost everyone he meets, and seeks out those he can learn from. Some of the most important lessons he’s picked up along the way: be decisive, realize assets come in many forms, and while you can’t always be compassionate, fairness is not negotiable….
“I called Bill Polian (Indianapolis Colts president). This is eight or nine years ago probably, well before we had a salary cap. I said, ‘We’re going toward a salary cap, I know we’re going to have one.’ I (didn’t) have the first idea how to handle a salary cap, how to manage a salary cap and I certainly don’t want to learn on the fly. I don’t want to hit the ground walking on this. If they put in a cap, what do I do? He said, ‘C’mon in. Talk to our cap guys.’ So I spent the better part of a day going over how they manage the cap.”
“Later on in the day, I’m sitting in Bill’s office and he had a depth chart and there was a little red box on three of the offensive linemen. I said, ‘What’s the little red box?’ He said, ‘They’re all unrestricted free agents.’ Of course, I’m thinking old system NHL where you’ve got to get something for everybody. And I went, ‘Oh my God, what are you going to do?’ and he looked at me like I had two heads. ‘What do you mean, what am I going to do? I’m going to replace them.’ I said, ‘You’re not going to get anything for them?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to get back all the cap space….
Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
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