San Jose Sharks Could Benefit From Toronto Maple Leafs Shakeup

Feb. 9, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke during an NHL press conference for the 2013 Winter Classic between Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Big news in Leaf land today as Brian Burke was unceremoniously dumped by the Toronto Maple Leafs as they appointed Dave Nonis as their new GM.  You’re sitting there, reading a Sharks blog, saying “who cares?”  You should care.  I like the Sharks’ chances with the current lineup, but if it turns out that the Sharks are looking to dump salary, Toronto seems to be a likely destination.

Three quick reasons the Sharks could find a trading partner in the Leafs:

1) Dave Nonis knows the Sharks.  He was the Canucks’ GM from ’04-’08, briefly worked with Burke on the Ducks’ staff the summer of ’08 and landed in Toronto later that same year.  The Sharks and Canucks saw a lot of each other in the West.  The Sharks and the Ducks saw a lot of each other in the Pacific Division.  Those were great years for some of our top paid players.

2) Toronto has cap space, San Jose has highly paid players with expiring contracts.  Look no further than the capgeek.com sites on the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks.

3) Nonis has historically been an unpopular GM who’s been willing to spend.  This is a great read, on Yahoo Answers of all places.  I don’t know if I like best the comments or the fact that this chain exists…on Yahoo Answers.

Don’t like a player?  Look to see if he’d fit into Toronto’s needs.  Their needs?  Everything.

~BB

Be sure to follow all of your BoT staff on twitter!!!  

@KingShark49 @bluelineboomer @81Bayer

Blades of Teal: Tape to tape “WITH THE PASS” of expert analysis on San Jose Sharks, Worcester Sharks, and San Francisco Bulls hockey