Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
Nope. I actually like Burke. I like the crusty GMs who treat reporters like the idiots most of them are. Burke is awesome in that regard. What I don't like is the double standard applied to Burke, like he's a genius or something, and Feaster getting ripped on endlessly. I hated Feaster, but I respect what he did with the team. I like Burke and am waiting for him to do something to improve the team. So far there's been nothing but a lot of talk. A guy like Burke needs to let his actions speak for him. So far there hasn't been much to judge him on except his inactivity. That hasn't prevented the a sycophant-like following developing in short order. Don't like seeing that. That is probably what I like least. Burke said he was going to do several things and came up short. If it was Feaster this would be a barbecue of epic proportions.
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Let me start this off by saying that I really did not like the Burke hire - I really didn't like Burke, and I can't say I am a huge fan even now. I do think he is competent as a GM, but I do think that he has been overrated.
However, it is still fairly early to fairly judge his body of work. He has had essentially just over half a season. There isn't a ton of moves that go on mid-season. You have essentially 3 bigger windows to shape a team - deadline, draft and free agency. Those are when most moves happen.
I am thankful that he has shown patience thus far (and this from him being a self-proclaimed 'impatient' guy).
I loved Darryl as a GM. However, most of his moves were impatient. Not even looking at the Phaneuf/Jokinen deals that shocked everyone. Look at his body of work (which was mostly excellent, and he helped over-haul the drafting and development programs). He simply made too many moves, including coaching, and it was a series of knee-jerk moves.
Requiring more offence after playfair - go out and get some offensive talent, and hire a coach with an offensive mindset (who, unfortunately, was already half-retired) in Mike Keenan.
Offence is great, but goals against is ugly. Fire the coach, let some key offensive assets move on and get another star defencemen, and hire a defensive-oriented coach. Team couldn't score (and resulted in an emergency mid-season knee-jerk trade of epic proportions).
Darryl forced this team to adopt an identity and they experience great success under him as a coach, and for most of his GM tenure. What started falling apart was too modifications to whatever plan he had - I think it was partly due to the high-level of expectations this team had at the time. This team lost its' identity. It became a team whose parts were greater than the sum of its' whole.
I prefer Burke just take his time with what he has promised to deliver. Make the right moves. Wait to hire the right GM instead of just hiring the best of what is available now. Put an emphasis on building through the draft a team that fits a certain blue-print, instead of trying to make a series of trades and possibly ending up with some mish-mash like what I think has happened in Toronto.
Lombardi was starting to feel the heat for being 'too patient' in LA. Had he made his moves too early, he may never have been in the position to take advantage of the marketplace that year (Richards and Carter), not had a big and deep enough team, and might have had already made his coaching move ahead of hiring Darryl Sutter. They may never have won the cup.
I think a team like Calgary now just has to show patience. Take advantage of things as the come up, but not force a move right now. They do not have a 'window' any longer. This is the 1st year of the rebuild. The worst thing that can be shown is impatience, in my opinion.
Tough to say what Feaster would or would not have been roasted for. If Feaster had made these very same exact moves (which is doubtful - any other GM would perhaps do things differently than every other GM), maybe he would have gotten roasted for only moving Stempniak and Berra. Why would that be fair (or unfair in your opinion)? Because Feaster has had a history of coming out to the media and declaring some 'big moves', only to do nothing. Eventually that schtick grows old (and it did for a large number of fans).
Burke has roughly a half-season so far. Let's see what his blueprint is, and let's see how he goes about shaping the roster. It is still too early to expect a big change, especially after what we all witnessed this past trade-deadline of pieces moving for probably the 'cheapest' prices that I ever remember. I would rather he keep showing patience, than do something impatient just for the sake of change.
