No, they didn't get the Sedins, and Mike Cammalleri is a Hab. But Brian Burke is well on his way to...

No, they didn't get the Sedins, and Mike Cammalleri is a Hab. But Brian Burke is well on his way to putting together his collection of goons, brawlers and about three or four skill players that worked so well in Anaheim -- while completely pissing off his division rivals along the way. Gotta love it.

But when is the team going to upgrade at forward? And when we find out the fates for Curtis Joseph, Olaf Kolzig and Martin Gerber!?

GRADE: C+

Drinking buddy of the blog Greg Wyshynski gives out the early Free Agency Grades.

7 months ago PPP 37 comments 0 recs |

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Wyshynski stinks

C+ while the habs get B?? I call bullshit.

by lordosis on Jul 3, 2009 6:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Burke’s not done yet, but the habs are spent, literally.

by LeafFanInVan on Jul 3, 2009 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, but the Canadiens acknowledged failure and replaced an entire freaking lineup. When you’re bad enough that you have to change everything and actually do it, points. And their signings made every team around them better.

by Ryan Classic on Jul 3, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, it seems like some panicked moves. They couldn’t get Komisarek or Kovalev to return, they didn’t get Hossa or Havlat, and they traded their best prospect for Gomez.

It’s what makes me scratch my head in ottawa too, Gainey preached patience, building through the draft, and when they win the Eastern Conference he doesn’t take his shot at the Cup. Now that things fell apart they are making wholesale changes.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 3, 2009 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I get the feeling they wanted Kovalev to return the most, and I actually buy into the rumours that he was offered the captaincy. After the mess that was the team last year, in the media and on the ice, making the playoffs by a tie-breaker to Jacques Martin’s Panthers, the great blowup actually makes some sense. It doesn’t make it any less weird.

Hossa taking Havlat’s job, as a Senators fan, is absolutely hilarious. Gaborik leaving Havlat his job (and apartment) is also amusing. There was no way either would sign on to be coached by Martin again. Hossa might, but only if the Blackhawks and Canadiens meet in the finals and the Habs win. I think it’s written into his contract that he can request one unconditional trade to a team of his choice every summer.

by Ryan Classic on Jul 3, 2009 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually buy into the rumours that he was offered the captaincy

I’ve seen a lot of Habs fans discussing this. I wonder who will be named captain. Markov?

Also, welcome and thanks for joining.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 4, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did anyone else read the Vancouver Province (I think it was the Province, anyways) article with the accusations against Burke about tampering with the Sedins?

by dare_ on Jul 3, 2009 6:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yah, Calamity Karina fan-shotted it from 50 paces!

by LeafFanInVan on Jul 3, 2009 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I found it right after I left the comment.

/fail. :(

by dare_ on Jul 3, 2009 6:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No, they didn’t get the Sedins,

Neither did every other team that wanted them. Props for Gillis for getting them re-signed.

and Mike Cammalleri is a Hab.

Hahahahahahahaha. I love how he ends with two full sentences of questions about what they did, but they get a B.

But Brian Burke is well on his way to putting together his collection of goons, brawlers and about three or four skill players that worked so well in Anaheim — while completely pissing off his division rivals along the way. Gotta love it.

Clearly he visited this site yesterday.

But when is the team going to upgrade at forward?

I’m sorry. Was adding the two most sought-after college free agent forwards, drafting a kid who tied Tavares in playoff scoring, signing prospects including another guy who lit up the NCAA last year, a guy who just won the Mem Cup (and scored a natural hat trick in a must-win game in doing so) and a guy who scored 49 goals in the Q, and re-signing a centre who finished 3rd in rookie scoring not enough for you?

And when we find out the fates for Curtis Joseph, Olaf Kolzig and Martin Gerber!?

So he knocked our mark down because we chose not to re-sign a 41 year-old who was clearly past his last legs, a 39 year-old on the IR, and a guy we picked up off waivers because our goalie was shut down for the year? We’ll upgrade goaltending once the Monster makes up his fucking mind. Deal.

Now i think this asshat deserves all the trolls his message board gets. If you’re gonna pull marks out of your ass for teams’ performance over an arbitrary length of time, at least an inane and completely uncomparable scale, so that when people pick you apart you don’t come off like an unknowledgable douche.

/rant

Resident Capologist

by clrkaitken on Jul 3, 2009 6:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The last part is a joke but the grade is based on July 1 to publication.

Bozak and Hanson don’t count but it’s part of why Burke didn’t have to hit a home run Wednesday.

I don’t think that the plan was to upgrade at the top six except for the kind of players that would still be elite in the future.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 3, 2009 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, Things Kinda Escalated Quickly There...

I know that I touched on things that he wasn’t referring to, but these instant-analysis, can’t see the forest for the trees type of pieces annoy the hell out of me. Especially when he’s not even consistent about what periods he’s marking for.

Take Calgary for instance. Between July 1 & this afternoon the Flames signed Sjostrom and lost Aucoin & Cammalleri. Yet they received a B-. Why? Because of the Bouwmeester signing, which happend on June 30!!! If Calgary gets credit for doing their biggest piece of business before the period he’s giving out marks for, and it reflects in his rating (same thing for Vancouver and the Sedins) then why do we get penalized for doing the same thing?

It’s lazy, and it makes me lose respect for him as a journalist.

Resident Capologist

by clrkaitken on Jul 3, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, I am all for letting things flow once a rant picks up steam :)

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 3, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Bay Street Bullies

I like the new Leafs.

Keep firing Assholes!

Out out, you demons of stupidity!

by Ubernoober on Jul 3, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The new Leafs are alluring.

(843): the red head has a bf
(1-843): just because there's a goalie doesn't mean u can't score

by wrap around curl on Jul 3, 2009 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's semantics but...

I’m sorry. Was adding the two most sought-after college free agent forwards, drafting a kid who tied Tavares in playoff scoring, signing prospects including another guy who lit up the NCAA last year, a guy who just won the Mem Cup (and scored a natural hat trick in a must-win game in doing so) and a guy who scored 49 goals in the Q, and re-signing a centre who finished 3rd in rookie scoring not enough for you?

none but the Grabovski signing was done during the free agency season he’s grading us for. And, re-signing an RFA isn’t really upgrading, it’s maintaining.

Trust me on this, a C+ is a pass. I know, I’ve had my share… :)

"If you are going through hell, keep going." Sir Winston Churchill, a Leafs fan...
Stalk me here...

by blurr1974 on Jul 3, 2009 6:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My only gripe is that no one failed. :(

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 3, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, how the Sens didn’t rock an F-..

by Godd Till on Jul 3, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And personally, I’d give the Leafs a check, but not a check-plus.

by Godd Till on Jul 3, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No gold stars here.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 3, 2009 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A team bit on Heatley. Saving grace. That and letting Brendan Bell walk.

by Ryan Classic on Jul 3, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But Heatley is still a senator and the team paid the $4M bonus.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 3, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would be an F, but they got Tambellinni and Lowe to fly to Kelowna on a private jet, meet with Heatley, sit through not one but two deadlines, and still want another bite. This alone would get you a C- in that situation, but they re-signed Neil. I was hoping for New York so I could pick on Sather more, but then he signed Arnason and I became happy again.

by Ryan Classic on Jul 3, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can still hear Avalanche fans laughing about that signing

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 4, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If we can sign the Monster, I’d give us a B-… if we can somehow acquire a first line forward and not have to mortgage the farm, the grade increases greatly.

Remember, after this year there will be another big turnover in players and by then Burke should have his nucleus in place.

Besides, I choose to ignore the rumour that NASH!!1 is considering a long term offer from Columbus.

"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds."
Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jul 3, 2009 7:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

LAtest Monster non-update

LONDON – Brian Burke may continue to push, but The Monster hasn’t decided yet.

In fact, agent Joe Resnick said today that Swedish free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson’s situation hasn’t changed after meeting with Burke yesterday in Stockholm.

“No, no change,” said Resnick. “It’s really up to Jonas now. I can’t make a decision for him.”

The earliest Gustavsson will decide is tomorrow, but it could still drag on into next week. The Colorado Avalanche have already effectively dropped out by getting incumbent Peter Budaj and free agent Craig Anderson under contract.

The Leafs are likely to hang in there, and its not clear whether San Jose or Dallas may yet choose to head in a different direction for goalkeeping help.

by Godd Till on Jul 3, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs