The Buffalo News, N.Y., Bucky Gleason column: Stage seems set for Burke's move to Toronto

Nov 16, 2008 (The Buffalo News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- DIS | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Brian Burke resigned last week as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks for personal reasons, which was surprising only in its timing. For years, he has talked about living closer to his four children from his first marriage and spending more time with his wife and their two young kids.

Who knew the Toronto Maple Leafs needed a general manager?

Well, everybody, actually. The Leafs' lust for Burke was hardly a secret across the NHL. The only thing preventing him from being named their next president and general manager is a few days for appearance sake or a total collapse in negotiations. At this point, it would only be shocking if Burke didn't get the job in Toronto.

This should be a no-brainer. Burke is a good guy and among the most respected minds in hockey. He was waiting for permission to speak with other teams, which is expected sometime this week.

"Once they tell me to start looking, I'll start looking in earnest," Burke told reporters in Anaheim after announcing his resignation. "And I'd like the answer to be that sometime in the future I come off the payroll. But they get that call, too. That's ownership's call."

The Leafs have been quiet, but there's no ignoring the connections. Burke and Leafs coach Ron Wilson are former roommates at Providence College in the 1970s, when Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was behind the bench. Burke's top advisor with the Ducks, Al Coates, was hired as player personnel director in Toronto last summer.

Burke has been flying across the country twice a month to see his older children in the Boston area. His wife, Jennifer, is a former CBC personality who hasn't been able to land a job in Southern California. Such factors make the much more appealing for the Harvard Law School graduate, especially with Toronto and Boston in the same division.

"I have children three times zones away, and I have two little ones here," Burke said. "I don't see any of them enough. It's time that if I get a chance to get in the same time zone with them, I'm going to take it."

All along, even when Burke returned this season, there was a sense he would rule the Center of the Hockey Universe. He's one of few people who can handle the pressure of having the top job in Toronto, which makes him an ideal candidate to take over for interim GM Cliff Fletcher.

The reason it took for him this long to leave Anaheim was because Burke and the Ducks respected one another. Burke helped build a Stanley Cup winner and felt obligated to stick around until they had everything in order. In fact, if they hadn't won the Cup two years ago, there's a chance he would still be there.

If anything, he did the organization a favor by coming back this season to help with the transition while leaving early enough to give new GM Bob Murray time to make adjustments before the NHL trade deadline. Anaheim will be in good hands with Murray, who was one of Burke's top aides.

Trickling down?

Penguins center Jordan Staal, fresh off the best game of his career, is looking to sign a long-term contract extension in the next several weeks before the possibility of his departure becomes a distraction. Well, that's one reason.

Another is the recent forecast on the NHL economy, which is expected to suffer from trickle-down effects from money problems in the real world. NHL players' association chief Paul Kelly is among the many who believe the salary cap could decrease next season. It will be mean less money for the players and fewer big contracts. Staal, 20, will likely need to accept less money to stay in Pittsburgh than he could get as a restricted free agent. Sidney Crosby is making $8.7 million per season, which is hardly pocket change but less than what he could have commanded in the market. Staal is making only $850,000 this season, the last in his rookie deal.

He's making a case for a hefty raise, especially after scoring three third-period goals and setting up the winner in overtime against Detroit last week. The Pens want to avoid being forced to match an offer sheet next summer, so look for an agreement before the NHL trade deadline. Otherwise, he could wind up getting shipped out.

Going, going, gone

Barry Melrose's pink slip was all but Fed Ex-ed last week when he took a day off from practice after unloading on his players during a heated meeting. Melrose was spotted walking down the street and smoking a cigar a few minutes after excusing himself from a Lightning workout.

That was fine with his players, who didn't want him there, anyway.

Melrose later moaned about the Lightning refusing to buy into his system, but what did he expect? He was out of coaching for 13 years. His time with ESPN was spent turning himself into a character, and he never gained credibility in the Bolts' dressing room.

He also was upset because Tampa Bay was inconsistent and terrible in the first period. That's a sign that they lacked discipline and preparation, which falls on him.

Still, he was gone after only 16 games. It's nowhere near enough to make an honest evaluation. Melrose's problem was that he was hired by new ownership, not GM Brian Lawton, and had virtually no room for error.

Taking his time

Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock has a history of gradually bringing along his young players, and he's not about to change his philosophy just because rookie center Derick Brassard was leading his team in scoring.

Brassard stormed out of the gate with seven goals and 15 points in his first 15 games this season. Average ice time: 14 minutes, 9 seconds. It's eighth among Blue Jackets forwards and more than fellow rookie Jakub Voracek, who was fourth in scoring with three goals and 11 points but was 12th among forwards in ice time.

"I get a kick out of people who say, 'They should play more minutes,' or 'They should do this and that,' " Hitchcock said. "It's like we haven't gone through this with young players before. To me, with younger players, everything is about the quality of the minutes, not the quantity. It's our job to make sure we protect those players from getting tired."

Time to pack

The Red Wings are playing a stretch in which 10 of their 13 games are on the road, which is exactly what they need. The Winged Wheels had an 84-35-13 record away from the Joe since the lockout, including a 7-1-1 record going into the weekend.

Detroit's problem, assuming it has one, has been at home. The Red Wings were 3-1-2 while trying to put on a show at the Joe and abandoning the style that has made them so successful on the road. They coughed up a lead and wound up losing, 7-6, last week to Pittsburgh at home in one of the more exciting games in years.

"We haven't been as diligent," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We haven't had the same killer instinct, when we get you and just bury you. At home, it's worse. We get a lead and it's a cute-fest."

Quotable

Coyotes star Olli Jokinen about facing the Panthers, with whom he spent seven seasons without making the playoffs: "I hear they finally have a good coach."

Around the boards

--Avalanche goaltender Peter Budaj, plummeting to uncharted depth in his first 11 games, resurfaced with two straight victories while stopping 57 of 58 shots. That should quiet talk that Colorado was trying to lure backup Jaroslav Halak from the Canadiens for veteran defenseman Brett Clark.

--Remember when the Senators were off to a great start last season and hailed as one of the best teams in NHL history? They were 15-2 on Nov. 15 last season. They skated into the weekend with a 34-41-10 record, including playoffs, since that roll.

--NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced last week that the league attendance was at a record high in October, which was a tad misleading. The league calculates its figures on tickets sold, not actual attendance. It explains exaggerated attendance figures in places such as Long Island when anyone can see the empty seats.

--Just wondering if the Oilers are regretting signing restricted free agent Dustin Penner away from the Ducks. Penner entered the weekend with only three goals and four points in 16 games, not nearly enough production for a winger making $4.25 million. He had 23 goals and 47 points with a minus- 12 rating last season.

--Atlanta skated into the weekend looking for its fourth five-game winning streak in its history. Les Thrash scored 19 goals in four straight victories, which was more than they scored in their first 10 games combined. His top six forwards combined for 15 of the 19 goals during the stretch.

--Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson on recording his 1,000th point: "I scored a goal and everybody ran out on the ice to congratulate me. Denis Morel, who was the referee, gave us a delay of game penalty. Same thing would happen to [ Wayne Gretzky], where he'd set some record, and they'd bring out a red carpet, give him a trophy and his family would be out on the ice with him."

bgleason@buffnews.com

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