Burkie!

IT IS NO ACCIDENT THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE ANAHEIM DUCKS BRIAN BURKE HAS SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IN TORONTO…
THERE ARE TWO THINGS BURKE HAS HIS EYE ON…
THE FIRST IS MATS SUNDIN…
THANKS TO THE EDMONTO OILERS SIGNING DUSTIN PENNER LAST SUMMER…
THE DUCKS OWN THE OILERS FIRST ROUND PICK…
THANKS TO THE LOTTERY SYSTEM…THAT PICK COULD EASILY BE IN THE TOP 5…
EARLIER THIS WEEK BURKE MADE IT CLEAR HE PLANS TO BE A BUYER AT THE TRADING DEADLINE…
IN THE WORDS OF BURKE…”THAT PICK IS IN PLAY…I WOULDN’T BE DOING MY JOB IF I DIDN’T LISTEN TO ANY TEAM THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN IT”…
IF TEEMU SELANNE DECIDES NOT TO PLAY THIS SEASON…SUNDIN WOULD BE THE PERFECT FIT…
IT WOULD TAKE SOME SERIOUS WHEELING AND DEALING TO FIND THE CAP SPACE…
BUT KEEP IN MIND…THIS IS THE MAN WHO FOUND A BUYER FOR SERGIE FEDEROV…
NOW HERE’S WHERE THINGS GET REAL INTERESTING…
ALTHOUGH BURKE CAN NOT AND WILL NOT SAY IT…HE WOULD LOVE…AND I MEAN LOVE…TO BECOME THE NEXT GENERAL MANAGER IN TORONTO…
JOHN FERGUON JR. IS QUITE SIMPLY A DEAD MAN WALKING…
BURKE STILL HAS ANOTHER YEAR LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT…BUT IF THE COMPENSATION IS RIGHT…WHY WOULD THE DUCKS HOLD HIM TO IT???
THE TRUTH IS…IF THE LEAFS WANT BURKE BAD ENOUGH…THEY CAN EASILY WAIT 15 MONTHS…AND THE DUCKS WOULD GET NOTHING…
AS LONG AS BURKE IS IN UNDER CONTRACT TO THE DUCKS HE CAN NOT OFFICIALLY TALK TO THE LEAFS…
BUT IN THE REAL WORLD…LOTS CAN GET DONE UNDER THE TABLE…
THE MOTIVATION FOR BURKE IS OBVIOUS…
THE LEAFS COULD AFFORD TO TRIPLE HIS SALARY…
TORONTO IS THE BIGGEST HOCKEY MARKET IN THE WORLD…AND IT IS THE MEDIA CAPITAL OF CANADA…
WHICH MEANS NOT ONLY CAN HE GET MAXIMUM CAMERA TIME SO CAN HIS WIFE JENNIFER…
THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND…
IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS BURKE CAN MAKE ONE MOVE THAT WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE TEAM HE NOW WORKS FOR AND AT THE EXACT SAME TIME…DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE TEAM THAT HE COULD RUNNING BY NEXT SEASON…
SO WHEN BURKE CALLS TORONTO PRESIDENT AND CEO RICHARD PEDDIE A “GOOD GUY”…HE REALLY…REALLY MEANS IT…