By HOWARD BERGER
MONTREAL (June 27) – With an uneventful but promising entry draft now behind the Maple Leafs, general manager Brian Burke will turn his attention to this coming Wednesday, July 1st, and the National Hockey League’s annual free agent swap meet. Burke promises he’ll be “active” on the open market – keep an eye on Richmond Hill’s Mike Cammalleri – and he’ll also deal with the circumstances surrounding veteran defenseman Tomas Kaberle and young goaltender Justin Pogge.
When the rights to UFA Jay Bouwmeester were dealt from Florida to Calgary just prior to the second day of the draft, Kaberle moved to the front of the line among top-end defensemen that are available for trade. Burke is playing it the only way he can – telling anyone who will listen that he “expects” Kaberle to return to the Leafs, and will only move the Czech-born blue-liner “if another team blows our socks off.” But, he also knows that Kaberle is the prime – perhaps only – trading chip he holds this off-season that will bring the club a significant return.
“I know my phone is going to start ringing on Monday,” Burke said. “The three pieces that have fallen into place are whether Scott Niedermayer was going to play again [for Anaheim], thereby making Chris Pronger expendable [traded to Philadelphia]. Once [Pronger] was moved, and now that Jay Bouwmeester has been dealt, I think the focus shifts to Tomas Kaberle. But, I’m going to reiterate: This is a good person and good player at a good [salary cap] number. He’s a guy I expect will be back, but we’re going to listen.”
What Burke obviously hopes will develop is a bidding war for Kaberle’s services among a half-dozen or so teams that drives up the price tag. He has until Aug. 15th to deal the club’s longest-tenured player; at that point, Kaberle’s limited no-movement clause kicks back in. I have suggested on several occasions that both the Leafs and Kaberle would be well served by a split of their decade-long association. Though he’s everything Burke declared pertaining to talent and integrity, Kaberle hasn’t led the Maple Leafs anywhere in the past four seasons, and his career badly needs a kick-start elsewhere.
The situation regarding Pogge is probably less-complicated than the Leafs have made it out to be. Understand that if Burke truly believed Pogge represented the future in goal for the hockey club, he would have long ago tendered the 23-year-old a qualifying offer – something he must do by Wednesday to prevent Pogge from becoming an unrestricted free agent. But, Burke is not at all sold on the former junior sensation and claims he hasn’t yet decided which path he’ll choose on July 1st.
“This is a difficult thing for Justin,” Burke acknowledged. “Everyone thinks being a pro athlete is a lot of fun but there are times when it isn’t that way. For this young man, who’s a good kid, to sit and wait for us to make up our minds… I’m not proud of that fact and I’m not happy about it. I feel for this kid. Unfortunately, that’s the flip-side of this business. I don’t know yet what we’re going to do with him, but, when in doubt, what you do with a good, young player is send him a qualifying offer and then figure out [the next step] later.
“So, that’s probably what will happen with Justin.”
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burkies big splash was more of a tinkle. after 42 years of incompetance,what else should we expect. if it is so difficult to win the cup how does every other team manage to win. it is truly depressing to watch this year after year i was 8years old the last time we had the big parade and my dad took me to bay street to see his favorite player, dave keon. it was the highlight of my youth. unfortunately, many generations since have not be able to experience the glory of lord stanley’s arrival. the ny islanders will be the next team to move ahead of the leafs and win it all.go isles go??? does’nt sound rihght but who am i to argue with success
- leafreakWhat’s the difficulty here.Sign Pogge and let him work out with Allaire. If need be sign Gerber,who would be a lot cheaper.(if we don’t sign Gustuffson) Don’t waste your money ( high salary) for Giguere. I’m really hoping and pulling for Burke and Nonis to right the Leafs,but I trully believed they bungled their chance at Schenn. They should not have signed Gerber to finish the season. They had Joseph.They should have played him, and let the cards fall where they may.I think they would have lost a few more games with Joseph in net than with Gerber.That would have moved them down. Jospeh was signed as a backup,and when they had the chance to use him, they didn’t.They shouldn’t have signed him to begin with. They should have signed Clemenson to be back up,as the Devil’s rightly did.
- AngeloWhat about Jason Blake? Will the Leafs buy him out like what they did with Darcy Tucker last season?
- Adami enjoy u howard u r one of the few free agents that doesnt seemed to b owned by anyone non biased commentary is rare in sports these days good work
- david mackinHoward.
Great chat on the weekend.
Just wondering when it became a bad thing for the Leafs to have too much young talent? (Sorry, it’s early. I really am a Leafs fan.) I don’t see why they wouldn’t keep Pogge on unless they have designs on someone else taking up minutes with the Marlies?
They need goaltending at the AHL level no matter what, and who knows what can happen with Pogge given the right teacher. There are plenty of NHL tenders who blossomed later on (Thomas is a great example). So even if he’s not the next/right/best one, why not keep the kid around instead of just filling in the spot with someone else ?
- PatrickTo me Pogge is a no brainer. Sometimes goalies take time to develop. Just qualify him and play in the minors another year.
- Guido