Kukla's Korner Hockey
Burke Gets What He Wants
by Paul on 09/20/09 at 05:17 AM ET
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from Damian Cox of the Toronto Star,
Last winter, the Leafs were an outfit adrift without personality, a club that had scored a bunch of goals early in the season, was terrible defensively, wasn’t ornery to play against and, depending on the game, might fill out half or more of its lineup with skilled European-born and trained players.
Today, the Leafs are destined to be one of the NHL’s goonier teams, a club dominated by North American talent and muscle, a team that surely has a distinct personality sculpted entirely by Burke.
He has changed the roster, added front office personnel, lured one of the game’s top goalie coaches and revamped the pro and amateur scouting staffs. A club that not that long ago seemed unattractive to players with other choices has in rapid succession outbid stiff competition for Mike Komisarek, François Beauchemin, Colton Orr, Christian Hanson, Tyler Bozak, netminder Jonas Gustavsson and, really, Kessel.
For each of these players there were at least three bidders and in some cases four times that many. But Burke got them all.
Suddenly, the Leafs are a destination, mostly because of Burke’s personal touch.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
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