Doug MacLean was on the fan’s morning show this am with Don Landry and Gord Stellick. Richie Rich was asked his opinion on Burke’s offseason his response was quite interesting:

MacLean said that Ken Holland, the Detroit Red Wings GM always says that you don’t invest to much money in non point generating defencemen. Brian Burke has brought in multiple non-point generating defenceman. Michael Komisarek signed on for $4.5m/year for 4 years and he has never put up more than 20 points in the NHL. Don’t shoot the messenger, I am just telling you what you have missed on the radio this am. Francois Beauchemin is a little bit better, having put up over 30 points, however, according to MacLean, he did so with some pretty other defencemen named Progner and Niedermayer, Beachemin’s $3.8m /year for 3 years is hefty again for a non point producing defencemen according to MacLean. The same comment was made about Garnet Exelby.

Maclean said that the Leafs (maybe not the fans) are really going to miss Pavel Kubina in that he was a point producing defencman. He also questioned Kaberle’s ability to produce points as the only guy on the team. He said that yes they are tougher, but the pressure on the defence to generate offense (not necessarily in terms of actual points) is going to be great. His point was that guys like Nik Lidstrom, which admittedly are one in a million generate about “200 points a game”. No he doesn’t get that many points, but goals are scored as a direct result of his plays.

This weakness on the blueline, according to MacLean will make it way more difficult for the limited offensively gifted forwards that the Leafs have. They haven’t really added any guns up front who can be counted on to score.

MacLean suggested that the biggest question mark for the Leafs will be in net. Toskala, he said is a number one goalie. Question is, can he play like one. Secondly, until Gustavsson actually plays some games, no one knows how good he will be. As goes the Leafs goaltending, according to MacLean, so to will go the Maple Leafs.

The Leafs, MacLean said may be in the hunt for the playoffs but certainly aren’t a shoe-in to make it. They have to pass a lot of teams including teams like the Senators who didn’t make the playoffs last season. A tall order he suggested.

Of greater interest was MacLean’s take on Nikolai Zherdev. Zherdev, is the reason MacLean got fired. At least, according to MacLean. The contract situation and the fallout from it got him canned. MacLean said that he should have known that Zherdev was going to be a handful when he asked him at the draft after he picked him at 18 years of age what car Zherdev drove and the response was “a Mercedes”. It was interesting that when MacLean told that story, there was silence after the “punch line”. Nikolai Zherdev, according to MacLean is one of the most talented kids he has ever seen. He is also one of the biggest enigmas. MacLean said that he tried literally everything to motivate Zherdev and instill a work ethic in him. He even signed Sergei Federov whom MacLean considers the greatest Russian born NHLer of all time. MacLean took lots of lumps for signing Sergei, but thought if only he could get through to Zherdev… One day Federov came to MacLean and pretty much gave up. Federov said that he couldn’t talk to Zherdev anymore, that Zherdev simply didn’t want to listen. Then MacLean out a real gem. He said that when he went to Zherdev’s place after he was gone, the landord of Zherdev’s place said that he was called to change the locks on Zherdev’s apartment 6 times in the one season he played there! The guys asked MacLean if perhaps Zherdev was guilty of poor judgement, MacLean just laughed and said “ohhhh the book I could write!”

MacLean talked about how the role of the media has made a GM’s job so much more difficult. He said that he has had some time to reflect on his life after being out of the game for a bit. He said that the pressures of the job are one thing, but that the intense media scrutiny on everything really makes it more difficult then in the past.

It was a good interview with MacLean. The problem is, it was the exact same interview MacLean gave only hours earlier with Bob Mccown. As I have said about Bill Watters, you can’t over-expose these guys. No talent is good enough to be on multiple times, especially in the off-season. If you listened to MacLean the other night, there was no reason to listen again today. As I flipped back and forth this am, I heard the same jokes, the same stories and analogies that he used with Mccown. It’s not a knock on MacLean. It’s just over exposure.

In the same vein, have you noticed that Mccown seems to be spending more time with his guests on PTS? Over the last couple of days he has been taking longer, fuller segments with guests and even running later than usual breaks. While he may be driving his producers nuts in doing so, the results, in my opinion anyway are significant. He did it again tonight with Dan Shulman in talking about the Blue Jays. Mccown maybe the only radio host who spends considerable amounts of time on the Jays and seems to think they are going somewhere(and I don’t mean Portland) He made it clear again tonight that he strongly believes that the Blue Jays are not only going to spend the Rios and Rolen money just saved but get to a payroll between $100-120m.

I have to admit, I am not a soccer aficionado, but the Champion League banter tonight on 640 was good stuff too. If only I understand who the hell they were talking about.

Have a good night.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

In addition to an off-ice personnel complete overhaul(perhaps only the PR folks saved) at the Toronto Maple Leafs, I am hearing from multiple folks in the industry that changes are coming to the Fan 590 (amongst other outlets). There is a lots of talk out there in general. How much is concrete? I have no clue. On previous occasions I have inquired of management about the truth of these stories and I have been told that they don’t comment on rumors. In this case however, there seems to be some consensus in what I am hearing on a couple of points:

Don Landry doesn’t appear to be sticking around for too much longer. Word is that if he leaves it will be his own doing in that it he isn’t loving the morning gig all that much anymore (anyone else think it shows?)

Hogan appears to be very safe. His work is steady and his overhead – reasonable. Not only that, there aren’t too many around who can do the Argo thing.

There is no consensus on Toth, in what I am hearing at all.

Some out there believe that cutting at the Fan could be deeper and include the night time guys, cash can be saved by going to either repeat programming or international programming (ESPN/FOX etc), same with weekends.

The most common thing I am hearing is that despite the beating Hockey Central at Noon is laying on Leafs Lunch, there is going to be a change here. It sounds like Doug (Richie Rich ) MacLean is going to be joining Kypreos and Millard for the show which may run from 12-2 in a the new world order. Almost everyone who contacted me about a change had this same scenario.

Following that show would be the Deacon, Doug Fairway from 2-4. Notice that MacLean and Armstrong’s show disappears??? Notice that Armstrong totally disappears except from Raptors broadcasts???????

Mccown obviously isn’t going anywhere but there seems to be a common belief that Jim Kelley won’t be staying at his favourite Marriot on Bloor much longer.

How or when this all shakes out is anyones guess. It’s one thing when one person emails or calls me about this type of thing. When it’s 2 or 3 I start to notice. 4-5 I am pretty sure that where there is smoke there is some fire… Let’s keep our eyes and ears on the folks at the fan for the next little while.

The one name that keeps getting mentioned as the new Marlie coach is…..drum roll…..Craig Hartsburg….. Don’t be overly surprised if he becomes the next coach of your Toronto Marlies….

As promised, I listened to Brian Burke’s interview with Doug MacLean and Jack Armstrong from today’s Gameplan show. Burke clearly came on with an attitude towards MacLean. It was apparent from “hello”. Burke made several references to Doug’s penchant for interrupting. I have no idea where this attitude towards Richie Rich comes from, but it was clearly there. The fellas did talk playoffs and they did talk about what great shape the league is in with a myriad of young players leading the various scoring races.

Of course, the topic turned to the Maple Leafs/Lighning rumours:

Burke couldn’t have been clearer: The rumored ask by Tampa (Kaberle, Schenn and the 7th pick for number #2) has never been communicated to Burke, the “offer” is nebulous to Burke….

Maclean said “I know for a fact it was stated” that is MacLean knows for fact that someone on Tampa said that in order to get the number two pick, the Leafs will have to pay the aforementioned price.

Burke said ” That “offer” wasn’t stated to him.

MacLean said that he didn’t know if the “offer” was said to Burke or not, only that it was said (which is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard). MacLean said that the statement was made in retaliation to the “Friedman Rumour” (Toronto Trades the #7 pick to Tampa for the #2 pick and Ryan Malone and his $17m contract).

Burke said that this line of thought (that it was a retaliatory statement) would mean that Leafs would want the first part (the Malone deal)- why, Burke asks would be the Leafs be interested in that deal? It isn’t worth moving up 5 places to take on that much salary and that isn’t anything against Ryan Malone… Therefore there is no reason to float a retaliatory rumor….when the first part isn’t true.

Burke also said that Luke Schenn is not going anywhere. He believes Schenn will be a # 2 or # 3 defencemen, best #3 in the league- won’t put up big numbers, probably be the captain. He was careful to explain that he didn’t mean he would be a #2 or #3 on the Leafs defence. Rather that Schenn would be a top #2 or #3 defenceman in the league.

Burke was asked about the upcoming draft and drafting at 7, to which he responded that the Leafs are prepared to draft at 7- will try to move up, if can’t will draft someone good who won’t play right away.

Burke was asked if he believes in drafting for position or the best player available. He said that he believes you take the best player on the board at the time you draft. If his team has a bunch of centers, and the best player on the board at the time his team is to draft is a center, then he would take another center. Burke believes you deal with roster through trades and free agency.

Lastly Burke was asked about the market july 1 to sign and make trades. Burke said that the world economic financial crises had an immediate impact on baseball players bottom line. The question is how it will be felt in hockey. Owners, Burke suspects will be telling managers to be cautious. ( I wonder, by the way if his owners whom he just met with advised him to be cautious).

You can listen to the interview here.

Listen to the Chat here

Toronto Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke was in studio with Greg Brady for an hour today. The audio is up on 640’s site site. It’s great listening material (really makes one long for JFJ). Burke is a very smart cat, who knows his audience, has good rapport with his hosts and has a great sense of humour. Unlike others who have come before him of late, he is honest, and says what is on his mind. None of this anything new, it just refreshing to hear in these parts. Brian Burke is the anti-J.P. Ricciardi.He has none of that I am smarter then all of you droll that comes from J.P.’s mouth every time it is opened.

In any event, here is a rough version of what Mr. Burke had to say with thanks to LT who helped take some notes as I watched Lost late this evening/early morning.

The coaching staff is doing a great job. I can’t take credit for hiring Ron Wilson and I can’t take credit for drafting Luke Schenn; I wish I could. Wilson won’t get any votes for coach of the year, and it is too bad. GM’s don’t get to vote on coach of the year, only get to vote on goalie award( which we know nothing about). Brady suggested that if the Leafs aren’t unhappy about where they are going to draft why should the public be unhappy, Burke said that they haven’t had the discussion about where we are going to draft. Still want to beat as many teams as possible even when you are out of the hunt. That is their job. He then discussed the trade deadline. Prices for rentals has gone done in new cap era. We were willing to take cap space back. Amazed we couldn’t add players with salary and term. There were very few sellers at the deadline. The prices we were offered never improved, we asked for a first but always could have dropped the prices. The Leafs were only offered other teams big mistakes. Burke said that the 2010-11 season concerns us with the cap going down. Brady asked Burke if he agreed with Richie Rich’s (without naming him) assertion that the leafs are in cap trouble in 2010-11. Burke said he thinks we are fine in 2010-2011 as we are. Have to be careful in what we do to stay fine. Oddly, Burke said that he was surprised by what happened in Anaheim. Ownership told Burke that we were going to be there all year. Then when he was in Toronto he got a call that they changed they there minds, which they are entitled to do. Burke added that he wants to kick Anaheim’s asses till their noses bleed every time they play them, but wishes them well in all other games.

In the second segment, Burke explained that Martin Gerber didn’t get suspended for pushing the official as many are reporting. He got suspended for firing the puck at the official. The rule states that it is an automatic 3 game suspension for shooting the puck at an official even if you don’t hit the official. Burke also said that the goal shouldn’t have counted last night. The player looked like he was digging his car out of a snow drift in Ajax. He was clear to Not make this an indictment of the officials, they do a great job, but they do make mistakes and this was one of them. Burke said that Curtis Joseph to start on Friday. Justin Pogge has not earned more time in the NHL, his play has been fair, not bad but just fair. Burke wouldn’t guarantee that Poggee will see more time in NHL this season. He really hates this 4 time recall rule. He challenged Paul Kelly to change the rule, the NHLPA is the sole obstacle to changing this rule. He begged Brady to ask Paul Kelley what the opposition is to the rule. Burke went on that this is a rule that makes no sense. There is solid support at GM level to change it, but, the PA is the only opposition. Burke has never heard a good argument for the rule. Burke hates the shootout, but voted for it and I will again because the fans love it. No different then settling a tied NFL game by having a quarterback throw the ball through a tire. A shootout is that much of a gimmick. Every fan stands up for it, everyone loves it as a fan. Some people say Canadians don’t like shootouts and that is BS you couldn’t talk in our building last night during the shootout it was so loud. Brady asked Burke what he thought of the point system, and Burke did a great job turning it around on Brady. If nothing else listen to the end of 2nd segment. It was Burke at his best- I love when he says ok, so now it is time to take a break- PRICELESS.

The final segment Burke answers questions so it was harder to really write it as it sounded but here is out best effort:

Christopher Didomenico & Dale Mitchell:
- happy with both players progress
-He gets reports on both players, got to see Didomenico at world junior and he had a good tournament
- both guys have a chance to play for the Leafs
- they are not locks
- Didomenico….skillset says NHL but but he is a slender young man…needs to put on some weight which has been hard for him to do…not for a lack of diligence in the weight room…just some guys have trouble putting weight on
RFAs
- cant talk about names but i can talk about my approach
- I have never “offer sheeted” a player
- Not the tactic that i am planning on employing at this point.

Draft Lottery: likes the existing system where you can’t move up many spots, likes it better than NBA system, doesn’t want to reward teams who perform better then those who bottom out, it’s not equitable.

Draft rounds…when asked about the number of rounds, he said “I’d like 26″
Brampton Batalian Player Matt Duchene…Cliff Fletecher seen at a game: Burke likes him, agrees with caller that he is Gilbert Perreault like

Any UFA’s you are interesting or wait till 2010: Can’t mention players…not UFA until July 1 (tampering)…we do have cash and cap space….but, what will the cap look like in 2010-2011?..cap lags economy…so, cap wont likely drop much (if any) for next season but…the following year…it could drop….tight rope we walk this summer…2010 we’ll no more about economic reality…The potential crop does look good for 2010, but some of those guys wont actually be available as their clubs will sign them…we’ll see.

Minor league teams
- Worried about the minor league teams in this economy? NHL relies on it…NFL for example, doesn’t need to have them…NCAA is where they get players….Burke owns part of a team in Chilowack, knows the situation…they may be better aligned to weather the storm at their price point then the NHL.

Prospects:
Mikhail Stefanovich: guys are high on him
Jimmy Hayes: good prospect, needs more time, happy with progress
Viktor Stahlberg: great year at Vermont, might be the best of the 3 right now

Mikhail Grabovsky: RFA, playing well, I give him credit….talks haven’t gone well…Jeff Jackson responsible for managing this one
US Olympic team: taking the best players, not taking kids to teach them for future years…build the team like i pick teams, top 6, bottom 6.

Dumb call re: draft eligibility, it’s too young but US law won’t allow it to be changed.

Good on Burke for sitting in with Brady for this hour. It was very good radio and once again restored some hope. Does it guarantee a Stanley Cup? Nope. Does it mean it will be fun to watch, absolutely!

Thanks again to LT.

I was listening to Ron Wilson on with Watters (whom we know refer to as Pad Thai) and Brady last night and Wilson and Pad got to talking about Don Cherry. They were alluding to a feud between Wilson and Cherry. I had no clue what they were talking about. I looked around the net a bit and didn’t see much of anything. Today the folks at Kuklas Korner put 2 and 2 together for me, it’s a feud that apparently started since Wilson was hired. I thought I would add to it a bit.

Wilson, has to be on the verge of rubbing some of the players the wrong way. I thought about it last night when he was on with Pad and Brady, but Wilson’s constant shots at his guys is going to wear thin sooner rather then later. I know the truth hurts, but still he has to get guys to play for him:

“”I know where our talent level is, and when you’re not blessed with a lot of talent there will be inconsistencies,” Wilson said” This from the Globe and Mail

It is not the first time he has made comments like this. I am just starting to wonder when the act will run it’s course? I asked a couple of guys last night this question, and I am curious what everyone thinks. Who’s act wears out first in Toronto, Burke or Wilson? I am not asking who gets fired first. Both guys have strong personalities. Both tell it like it is. One is a GM the other a coach. I just have the sense that at some point the press and the fans are going to tire of their public persona, their shtick. Who do you think goes first?

Over to Mr Personality. Grapes was on with Richie Maclean and Jack Armstrong earlier today and Cherry gave it to Wilson yet again in response to the quote below:

In a voice trying to imitate Wilson ” oh, well look at me, what a great job I am doing with this garbage, almost a .500 team…..have you ever heard a guy talking about his players the way he does? Richie said he was surprised about him doing it in the media- pretty soon these guys are going to say well you’ve convinced us. Been in this game 50 years, never seen this before. I am a players coach, when I am asked about him, I have no problem answering that I have no use for a guy who runs his players down to show how good a coach he is, and i think it’s garbage… I don’t care whether they like it or not.

It’s worth listening to!

Listen to Cherry Grapes on the Fan…. it gets good around the 14 minute mark

Sounds like things are heating up on the trade front. Rumors are abound with Richie Rich’s former team the Blue Jackets. One of their better beat writers post the following today:

“Toronto: As we’ve stated here previously, the Leafs have two offensive defenseman they’re looking to move — Tomas Kaberle and Pavel Kubina. Of the two, I think the Blue Jackets like Kaberle’s contract and game better than Kubina’s, but they like the fact that Kubina is a right-hand shot. The Leafs would also consider trading center Nik Antropov, who is 6 foot 6, 230 pounds. I can see Ken Hitchcock smiling already. Antropov has blossomed as a decent secondary-scoring type of center. He has already immersed himself in North American culture. He’s a Canadian citizen, if memory serves.

Leafs GM Brian Burke wants to make a move. I mean, he’s been on the job a month already, right? Burke is willing to move players for picks, which makes the Jackets an obvious choice. Burke would have to get Kaberle to waive his no-trade clause. Last year, he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade to Philly. The Flyers had agreed to an offer of Jeff Carter and No. 1 pick for Kaberle. (The Flyers should sent Kaberle a Mercedes for saving them that horrible trade, eh?)

I spoke to a person tonight who covers the Leafs, an old friend and really good guy with tons of Toronto sources. He threw lines in the water and said Antropov makes sense. He has heard, however, that the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs keep going back and forth, that “the Blue Jackets don’t want to give up anything.”

OK sports fans, let the speculation begin, besides draft picks, which prospects on the CBJ do we want and for whom?

You can read the rest of the article here…. and which Toronto person do you think he is referring to? I say it’s Richie Rich himself!

Canada won gold at the WJC…yadda yadda yadda. Congrats to all the kids and to good guy Pat Quinn. I really hope this lands you back in the NHL to a team of your choosing. Personally, I would love to see you in Pittsburgh Pat, a box of Cohibas if you go there and not Ottawa (but that is illegal jerry!)

Our old friend Bryan McCabe returns to the scene of the crime tomorrow night. Amazing how quickly the guy turned south. Acquired for Alexander Karpotsev and a 4th rounder, McCabe quickly became a fan favorite. Then 3 things happened. One the league rules changed, one change banned his favorite move, the can opener and two the guy got a BIG contract. The rest as they say is history. Someone out there will remind me of another player who fell from grace so quickly, but I can’t name one. To me, McCabe lost my respect when during the lockout he stated that he would rather retire then accept a salary cap, and that the PA would never, ever accept one (that is not a direct quote by the way). Of course, Caber didn’t have to waive his no trade clause that JFJ gave him but his unwillingness to do ensured his place in TML fans hearts forever.

It’s nice to see that Mccabe still has the brains “”The only thing that kind of stinks [in South Florida] is there aren’t too many people in the building,” said McCabe, who mostly has been paired with the shot-blocking Skrastins. “You miss the buzz, the sold-out, loud building for every game. But I don’t miss 30 people in the media scrum every day.” I am sure the 2 people who read Florida papers are gonna love that (even though it is true). No offense to Panthers Fan, but, ummm, when $17 buys you a ticket, parking, food and a gas card and you can’t fill a building the writing is clearly on the wall. At 80.6% of capacity on average, the Panthers are above only the Trashers and Bluejackets as the worst drawing teams (based on % of capacity).

So, there I was watching the NBC pregame for the big NFL tilt over the weekend and whom do I see in the studio??? Matt 0-16 Millen. Come on folks. This has to be a joke. Did he offer to do the gig for free??? How does a guy who’s record as GM was 31-97, the worst 8 year tally since World War II, get a gig on national TV. This isn’t the WFL, or the Arena league, this is the NFL. How does he have any credibility? Shame on NBC for putting him in the box and my sincere apologies to those who had to work with him. That crew’s credibility just nosedived.

Then on my drive home from cottage country I got to listen to one Jonas Siegel in studio hosting a show. The guy certainly is trying hard, I will give him that. Man is he green. He needs to be a little bit more confident and start to use his own shtick. His referring to Ottawa in the same tone as Wilbur is beyond lame. He does this all the time and it really needs to stop. Be original, come up with a catch phrase, a name or two of your own… Here is the reality, he has a job that many of us would kill to have. He follows the buds on a daily basis. His competition is Howie. He travels with the team. No one cares that he was a closet JFJ lover. Either spend a lot more time in front of the mirror or ask some of the folks at your station for some lessons. I can’t imagine that the flagship station of the Leafs is going to be much more patient with the guy. Having said that, based on his A&F wardrobe maybe he is an intern!

640 Toronto's Jonas Siegel

Speaking of creating names for folks, we have a new co-host with Jack Armstrong on the after lunch show on the Fan. The show is now hosted by Jack Armstrong and Richie Rich. Seriously, this show would be FANTASTIC, as in really, really good if Richie could, for one segment STOP talking about all the money he has. Has anyone else noticed that besides the phrase “back when I was a GM” his references to his money is his favorite moniker??? Instead of Hey Now Hank, it’s I’m loaded Doug “Richie Rich” MacLean.

Anyways, I can’t wait to hear what Archie Bunker has to say tomorrow night on 640!

Bill Watters