The Burkean Priority Matrix
Peter Morrow | 20 July, 2009, 7:25 am
Since assuming office, Brian Burke has created nothing but confusion for Leafs fans. Are we rebuilding? Are we re-tooling perhaps? Wait, what’s that Burke? Our goal is to make the playoffs this upcoming season? Ok! Great!
I think we’re at the point where we know that Burke wants to make the playoffs this year. He went out and plugged some of the leaky holes in our defensive core and added a high-potential free agent netminder in Jonas Gustavsson, giving the Leafs a legitimate competition for the starting role we haven’t seen in years.
But he hasn’t put his stamp on the forward squad just yet. There’s no guy on the front end that is the hallmark of the Burke era. And while Colton Orr will put his stamp on many opponent’s foreheads, that doesn’t really count in terms of offensive punch.
That’s why I’m making a priority matrix, not in terms of position but in terms of organizational development priorities - as he turns this organization around, in order to serve as a reference point for explaining Burke’s moves.
1. Number one is player development. Right now, Burke sees a need to turn draft picks into prospects and prospects into players. This means that he will be as patient as he needs to be on prospects, and as generous as necessary to the development of young players on the roster.
2. Number two is respectability. Burke has said time and time again that he’s sick of seeing his team being pushed around. He’s sick of the trainers rushing onto the ice to pick up the broken remains of Mike Van Ryn. And he’s darn right sick of this team being out of the playoffs. To gain respectability is to not hang out his players, coaches and most importantly, starving fans out to dry. He has the money to do it, and he’s going to put a fun product on the ice, even if they suck at hockey.
3. Number three is gearing for a deep playoff run. This only happens if the other two have been firmly established. Burke has the money and skill to put together a contender, but he’s shown that he isn’t going to burn the farm to the ground in order to get there. There’s a reason Burke doesn’t trade Luke Schenn. There’s a reason Burke dropped the Kaberle-Kessel trade as soon as ‘1st round draft pick’ was mentioned by Chiarelli. The future is what matters right now, not the 2010 playoffs. Sure, playoffs is a good GOAL to have, but as the priority system indicates, player development is more important. Giving young players time is more important.
You might all balk at the notion that ‘playoff run’ isn’t the top priority. Well, in the pre-salary cap era, that was possible. As Cliff Fletcher once infamously said, ‘draft schmaft’. It doesn’t work that way any more. Burke is at liberty to say that any of these three things are priorities, but it’s clear to see that they can’t ALL be given equal weight. If that were the case, the priorities would contradict each other.
You may notice that ‘Squeak into the playoffs at all costs’ isn’t one of the priorities.
The failures of GMs before Burke have opened the door for a proper rebuild. And if we make the playoffs along the way, great.
Nice blog, I agree with pretty much everything said. One thing worth noting might be his views in regards to team building, from the back end…Which means IMO we are going to see MORE moves on the back end prior to acquiring out big offensive superstar.
That’s a good point Nick. I do believe that Burke’s moves to shore up the defensive side first were part of the respectability element - making it harder for the other team and protecting your goalie. At the bare minimum, that keeps even the best teams from making a fool of you.