It seems that I am the only Blue and White fan that actually enjoyed the presser this afternoon. Over the past week I have been listening to what Leaf fans wanted Burke to say, versus what they expected him to say. I full out believe that it didn’t matter what was said by the Leaf’s GM and that the failure of the season was enough to simply cast aside anything meaningful he could have or did address.

So what is it that Leaf fan’s were expecting from this presser? Did they want Burkie to blow the team up? Did they want him to try and dump some salaries? Were they looking for him to try and trade up to get a near guaranteed future star?

Fortunately, all of these questions were asked of Burke, and in my opinion, he responded admirably.

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I can already imagine the comments I will get on this piece, but regardless what I am told, I need to document my stance on this (as well as put this on record for when the prediction comes true ).

Jonas Gustavsson has been under some serious heat from the moment he was signed by the Blue and White. Thought of as the soon-to-be goaltending saviour of the franchise, when he was first signed by Burke, the bar was set from the get go. Having lost his mother shortly before signing with Toronto (his father passing away 4 years prior), it is easy to say that the Swedish goaltender had a lot more on his mind than just hockey. Not to mention the fact that on his first day of training camp Gus was diagnosed with a heart condition that required surgery. In addition to all of this, some forget the fact that he had just made the switch to the North American ice surface, as well as the vast changes in life-style between Europe to North America. Nevertheless, he played admirably during the first year in a Leaf uniform, posting a .900+ save percentage, with a 16-15-9 record, on a pretty horrendous team. These are by no means stellar numbers for an NHL goalie, but considering the conditions under which it was done, most Leaf fans were willing to give him a pass for the year.

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 Dear Ron Wilson,

 I along with most Leaf fans today feel your pain. Our team is not performing and it is frustrating as can be for fans, as well (I’m sure) for players and the coaches. You may feel that you are being unfairly blamed, as has been your feeling throughout your time in Leaf’s Nation. What I saw last night was pathetic. The players let you down early with bad decisions coming one after another. There was, however one important difference between last night and every other night.

 You were thrown under the bus! The “Fire Wilson” chants were loud and impossible to ignore. All of Leaf’s nation could see that they were getting to you as your post-game interview lacked all the characteristics of a typical Ron Wilson Blamefest. You were cautious with how you dealt with the media, you actually defended your goalie (FOR ONCE!), and you had a far more mellow tone than I have ever seen from you after a loss. Clearly last night we saw a Ron Wilson who had been emotionally drained and suffered from being called out by all of Leaf’s Nation. All I can say is, you deserved it all! I can think of nothing more fitting than a person being put in the same unfair position that he has put others in time and time again, and that is what happened last night. Two bad plays from the defence lead to this loss, and that should have been on their shoulders, instead it was on yours. Justice was served!

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Let’s face it, with how inconsistent this team has been over the course of this year (and the last 2), we can basically be assured that Ron Wilson will not be the coach of the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His “systems” make for some exciting hockey, but the run n’ gun offense will not survive in today’s NHL. Players these days have far too much skill and a goalie cannot be expected to stop odd man rush, after point blank shot, after breakaway, on a nightly basis. His system relies on speed, and puck movement, which is very tough to keep up consistently. To be maintainable, the players need adequate rest and recovery time, because if they show up gassed, the game is as good as lost (as we have seen too often this year). Even if we somehow make it to the playoffs, the intensity and frequency of the games will not allow us to make it out of the first round. So what do we do?

As I have already stated, Wilson needs to go. He refuses to change the system, and the system doesn’t work. Stubbornness is fine, when the product produces. His doesn’t, end of story.

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Most Leafs’ fans are getting excited with the possibility of a playoff berth for the first time since the lock-out, and who can really blame them? While I think it is Burke’s intention for the team to make it to the post-season this year, I have also heard the GM mention on several occasions that the cup is his primary target, and a first-round exit is not his goal.

With this in mind, I bring up the idea of whether the Leafs should be sellers or buyers come trade deadline? While you can make a strong case for both at this point, I myself am leaning towards seller. I understand the pain of ‘giving up on the season’ but that scenario may be the best for the Leafs in the long run. Here are my reasons for considering it:

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