I think you may be putting too much stock in giveaway stats. Naturally, a defenseman that handles the puck alot is more likely to turn it over more than a D that fires it up the boards every time. Yes, there is a time and a place for just clearing the puck out of the zone off the boards, but there is also a place for a D that is not afraid to advance the puck in a manner that can create offensive opportunities. I believe a more relevant stat would be a stat, expressed as a ratio, that compares touches on scoring chances versus givaways.

Just a note: Kaberle is one of the best passing defencemen in the league, maybe even the best.

Phaneuf is one of the best shooting defencemen in the league, maybe even the best.

Kaberle is soft on physical play.

A poll of NHLers rated Phaneuf far and away the hardest hitter in the league.

Phaneuf has been criticized for not being great at the first pass.

Kaberle is one of the best first-passers in the game.

hmmm.

Sounds like an awesome first D pairing, and a fantastic powerplay duo.

#1 Mayers (35), Hagman (30) and Blake (36) had all kinds of time to prove they could help this team and didn’t.
Their age and contracts, especially Blakes were not helping the team either.

Stajan (26) and White (25) still have age on their side
but neither of these players had proven he was untouchable.

All of these guys were with the Leafs for years we are still NOT back to the payoffs.

The only one that I am somewhat sorry to see leave is Ian White. He still might have some more up side left but when you can get Phaneuf I can live with that.

#2 J.S. Giguere is far better than Toskala. Vesa also had years to prove himself and he didn’t.

Kaberle, Poni and two defencemen are next, Exelby and Finger at least and there will be more moves by Burke.

Brian Burke couldn’t fire Ron Wilson because it would sabotage his comittment to the US Olympic team where he named Wilson as his head coach some time ago. Ron Sutter couldn’t stomach firing his brother.

Historically trades have been analysed by suggesting that the team that ends up with the best player wins, regardless of who else was involved. In the modern era of sports however, with salary caps being able to cripple a team’s maneuverability, ‘value’ has to be examinined as well.

The best player in the Calgary - Toronto trade is, without doubt, Dion Phaneuf. In my opinion, the best value is Ian White. Although a ‘restricted’ free agent at the end of the season, White will be signable by Calgary for less than half of Phaneuf’s current 6.5 million dollars per year. I question if the Leafs really needed to give up White.

Brian Burke said the impetus of the trade was the fact that the combination of players the Leafs currently had was not working. Fair enough. A great definition of stupidity is said to be, “doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting a different result.” Having said that, the Leafs went from being a mediocre team last year, to becoming a horrific team this year. If building a successful team is to be an incremental progression, wouldn’t it make sense to examine the elements that were added to regress the team, and trade those elements, rather than the elements that were already in place when the team was better than it currently is, albeit still pretty bad? In my opinion, the players that should have been considered first as trade bait were, Mike Komesarek, Francois Beauchemin, Jonas Gustavsson and Phil Kessel.

I mentioned Beauchemin, Komesarek, and Gustavson as other newcomers who’s presence has to be considered as reasons for the Leafs regression. Let’s face it Beauchemin and Komesarek’s contract make them both untradable from a value perspective. Gustavson offered better goaltending than Toskala at a fraction of the price, so he wouldn’t be traded.

The Calgary Flames were desperate for scoring, as well as creating salary cap space for off season moves. I think that the Flames would have seriously considered a Phil Kessel for Dion Phaneuf trade with unrestricted free agent Matt Stajan thrown in as a rent-a-player. Although Kessel is a good player, his presence clearly has not helped the Leafs progress. Stajan’s free agent status suggests there’s a good chance he’s leaving town anyway, and he would be attractive to Calgary, not only as an offensive asset, but also because they would have no further contractual obligations to him after the season.

Giving up Ian White, one of the few bright lights in the Leaf season, and not an added 2009 ingredient that made the Leafs worse, is in my opinion, a mistake.

The Anaheim trade is just window dressing for both organizations. In Toronto we have been complaining about the performances of the overpaid Blake and the underperforming Toskala since their arrival. If hockey fans in Anaheim actually cared, they would be moaning similar sentiments toward Gigere. Burke knows enough about hockey to realize that Gigere is a ‘cover the net’ type goalie. A goalie who’s effectiveness has been lessened greatly by restrictions imposed by the league regarding the size of goalie equipment. Even so, Toskala and Blake is not a trade that will hurt the Leafs. As the song goes, “Nothing from nothing, leaves nothing”, so this is an even up trade. Not to mention, Burke and his counterpart in Aneheim relieve a little pressure off their own backs by appeasing antsy fans.

Go Bruins!!!!!

I’m sad to see good people like Stajan, Hagman and White go because they deserved a better season. But good for them that they are going to be a part of a better team in Calgary that needs more offense and responsible two way forwards. Not to mention a quick footed fast thinking Ian White. God bless you guys, enjoy the Cup run in Calgary. At least Calgary fans know how to get up and cheer for their team.

I’m also sad that this season is going down the drain so fast. But I have a lot of hope for next season. We will see 2 more defensemen go and probably sign 2-3 more highly praised american prospects. Burkie’s shown that he gives the players a chance, if it’s not working out he’ll find you a place where you’ll fit.

I have a interesting side thought, how would Kaberle look next to Chara. Would the Leafs straight up trade Kaberle for a chance to get Fowler or Seguin. Because I believe Kaberle is worth at least Toronto’s originally traded first round pick and a prospect. Hmmmm what do you think?