Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Grading Every Brian Burke Trade as the Toronto Maple Leafs G.M.

By Stephen Nixon

WINNIPEG, CANADA - JANUARY 3: Phil Kessel #81 of the Toronto Maple Leafs plays the puck down the ice during second period action against the Winnipeg Jets on January 3, 2015 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Leafs 5-1. (Photo by Lance Thomson/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, CANADA - JANUARY 3: Phil Kessel #81 of the Toronto Maple Leafs plays the puck down the ice during second period action against the Winnipeg Jets on January 3, 2015 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Leafs 5-1. (Photo by Lance Thomson/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
TORONTO – FEBRUARY 9: Nik Antropov  (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
TORONTO – FEBRUARY 9: Nik Antropov  (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images) /

Trade #1 – Toronto trades Robbie Earl to Minnesota Wild for Ryan Hamilton – January 7, 2009

Grade: B –

Trade #2 – Toronto trades 2010 Conditional 6th Round Pick (Not Exercised) to Anaheim Ducks for Brad May – January 21, 2009

Grade:  C – 

Trade #3 – Toronto trades Dominic Moore to Buffalo Sabres for 2009 2nd Round Pick (Jesse Blacker)  – March 4, 2009

Thoughts: Acquiring a 2nd Round Pick for Moore was awesome value. Only trouble was that they didn’t capitalize on it as they could have drafted someone like Tyson Barrie or Brayden McNabb instead of Blacker.

Grade: B 

Trade #4 – Toronto trades Nik Antropov to New York Rangers for 2009 2nd Round Pick (Kenny Ryan) and 2010 Conditional 4th Round Pick – March 4 2009

Thoughts: As a pending UFA, Burke found good value with this trade for a player nearing the end of his career. Although they once again gained a high draft pick, they weren’t able to find a future NHLer in Kenny Ryan, who never played a game.

Grade: B-

Trade #5 – Toronto trades Richard Petiot to Tampa Bay Lightning for Jamie Heward, Olaf Kolzig, Andy Rogers and 2009 4th Round Pick – March 4, 2009

Grade: C

Trade #6 – Toronto trades Future Considerations to Tampa Bay Lightning for Jay Rosehill – March 10, 2009

Grade: C-

Trade #7 – Toronto trades Pavel Kubina and Tim Stapleton to Atlanta Thrashers for Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart – July 1, 2009

Grade: D 

Trade #8 – Toronto trades Anton Stralman, Colin Stuart & 2012 7th Round Pick to Calgary Flames for Wayne Primeau, 2011 2nd Round Pick (Brandon Saad) – July 27, 2009

Thoughts: Stralman turned into a very steady defenseman for years, while Primeau retired at the end of the year. This trade could have been saved if they kept the draft pick and Saad became a Leaf, but unfortunately they traded it away a few months later.

Grade: D – 

Trade #9- Toronto trades Justin Pogge to Anaheim Ducks for 2011 conditional pick (Dennis Robertson) – August 10, 2009

Grade: C

Trade #10 – Toronto trades 2011 2nd Round Pick (Brandon Saad) & 2011 3rd Round Pick (Michael Paliotta) to Chicago Blackhawks for 2010 2nd Round Pick (Jared Knight) – September 5, 2009

Grade: D

Home/Editorials