When Brian Burke talks about the Toronto Maple Leafs, you shouldn’t listen.
Brian Burke is the anti-Dubas, and if you’re wondering which direction the NHL is trending, ask yourself this: who is the current GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
The answer, thank whatever lord you believe in, is Kyle Dubas.
Brian Burke, you might also notice, is no longer an NHL general manager. To those who remember his tenure running the Leafs, it’s a small blessing.
Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs
With Don Cherry on his way out of the Coach’s Corner, it’s clear that Sportsnet is angling towards the equally bombastic, equally ridiculous Brian Burke as his replacement.
Of course, absolutely no one wants that, but when has that ever stopped anyone? Burke clings to a traditional view of the NHL that relies on toughness, size and reputation to guess at how players might perform.
With the statistics available online, anyone with an internet connection can do a better job evaluating hockey players than this career Hockey Man.
As Sportsnet struggles for relevance in a market flooded with content, Burke screams anything that pops into his head from his massive pulpit.
He ripped William Nylander and contributed largely to leading a million sheep to having a terribly wrong, empirically false view of one of the best young kids to ever wear the blue and white.
Then he wrongly proclaimed that Nylander would be traded in the summer. He said that one of the NHL’s best possession drivers and scoring chance creators isn’t a “difference maker.”
Yesterday he was at it again, stoking fear that Auston Matthews would leave the Toronto Maple Leafs when his contract is up.
Now, it’s a distinct possibility that that happens – we just saw John Tavares do the very same thing.
But realistically, it probably won’t happen. The Toronto Maple Leafs are on the verge of something very special. If Auston Matthews is the captain of the first Leafs team to win the Stanley Cup since people wore helmets, he’s going to be an all-time legend.
The Leafs have the best travel, best facilities, best city, and best management in the NHL. Matthews might leave, but he probably won’t.
That isn’t even the point, however. It’s just wrong to stoke the fears of people to make a little extra cash. There is absolutely no more reason for Auston Matthews to leave at the end of his contract than there is for any other player.
According to Burke it’s going to be for “tax reasons.” Even though the myth of lower taxes has already been exposed, and even though someone worth 50 million dollars probably doesn’t care about saving a few bucks. Even though Matthews could make more money playing in a big market, winning, or getting paid endorsements.
Who cares?
It’s five years away.
His new contract hasn’t even started yet and has a HALF DECADE to run. I mean, give it a rest. It’s completely ridiculous to even be talking about this.
And hey Sportsnet, if you want some free advice, look at the way the game is trending, and fill your broadcast with people who don’t hold to an outdated fantasy about the NHL should be played.
Asking Brian Burke for his take on hockey in 2019 is like calling up Phil Collins and asking him to discuss hip hop.