Curious thoughts as the news that Jeff Jackson has moved on from the Maple Leafs. Jackson it has been reported wanted the opportunity to move up in the organization and obviously felt that things are crowded in Burke’s world. This is strange however isn’t it? Am I nuts or do I not remember someone already asking for permission to interview Nonis last season only to be denied? Hasn’t Brian Burke said that he almost expects Nonis to get the calls again this summer? I am pretty sure that when Poulin was hired one of the reasons given was that Burke was thinking that Nonis like Joe N. would get plucked sooner rather than later?

So, if one assumes that Nonis isn’t long for the world wouldn’t that allow Jackson to move up the ladder?????????

Hmmmmmm……

So we aren’t the only ones who get annoyed when Happy Howard Berger speaks day in and day out, saying exactly the same thing. Jeremy Sandler reports that Ron Wison took on Happy Howie yesterday. I’m in Montreal and so if this is elsewhere I haven’t seen it or heard it:

“All of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ losing hasn’t robbed Ron Wilson of his sense of humour.

The sometimes prickly Leafs coach turned a question from Fan 590 radio reporter Howard Berger on his personal level of optimism into a miniature stand-up routine.

“You ask me this every day Howard,” he said. “It’s like water boarding or Chinese water torture until I crack. I’m not going to crack, I want to win every game. So it does get frustrating when you don’t win. We should send you to Guantanamo, we’d solve all the issues that we had.

“You would drive some of these guys nuts. I would interview these poor guys, the prisoners, after you’ve interrogated them and see what they have to say. It would be fun.”

Man does Wilson have Berger’s number. I guess listening to the same question every day will do that to you. It’s too bad Wilson has to answer the question, winning would solve it, but until that happens his little shots at Berger are brilliant. Brilliant in that sending Berger elsewhere to interrogate would be phenomenal, I think Jack Bauer would love the argyle sweaters or the Miami Dolphins jacket- Berger would be a huge hit on 24.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Sandler is here

You know where my vote stands- against- against that is Brian Burke signing the two brothers should or when they become UFA’s this July 1st. I know, I have heard the arguments for. I know they are point per game guys, I know that having 2 80 point players is something we should dream of. I also know that Burke is a good evaluator of talent. This to me isn’t about where they are from. It’s isn’t that I prefer Canadian boys or North American boys. For the record, I prefer Ovechkin or Malkin over Crosby- I know – I am nuts, shoot me. The majority of this has to do with timing and money. I don’t want to lock up these guys with the type of coin they are going to demand right now. It’s really that simple. They aren’t 24, they aren’t 26, they are 28. To pay these guys around 6m per year for the next 4 years until they are 32 just doesn’t seem like the right thing to do with the current Leaf team. I know that Burke has said his goal is to make the playoffs next year. Mine is different. I don’t give a rats ass about next year. I want a cup contender for years. I don’t want a return to the just squeak in to the playoffs only to get booted in the first round. I have no interest in that whatsoever. If the choice is to stay the course, not spend stupid money this year, shit the bed again next and keep building this thing, I choose that door in heartbeat. Put it this way. I don’t feel that enough can be done soon enough to make signing these two guys worth it. And, how will signing these guys impact or ability or lack thereof to make other moves when we really want them to? Ask yourself this…. If Burke just became the GM now. He has been on the job for all of 2 weeks, do you still want him to sign these guys?

I think this is going to be really interesting to watch. There are those out there who think that signing these guys will be the best thing since the trade for Gilmour with Calgary. There is great reading material on the net out there right now. Here are some links:

Steve at hockey analyis has 2 good articles, here and here

Ron at Maple Leaf Hot Stove has one here

“Henrik and Daniel Sedin (F) – The twins, who make up the core of Vancouver’s attack, probably can land five-year deals and each average between $5 million and $6 million. The Canucks may have no choice but to pay it, provided the Sedins are willing to stay. If not, Montreal, Los Angeles, perhaps even the Wild (sans Marian Gaborik) could be bidders.”

That’s from Kevin Paul Dupont in today’s Boston Globe which can be found here

I have asked a few media types to chime in, I invite them to post their comments here….

TSM