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Leafs-Flames trade sent Twitter all a twitter

January 31, 2010 02:31 PM | Posted by   Jeff Marek  

While the actual deals started on the phone, reports of the Toronto Maple Leafs two big moves Sunday started where just about every sports story begins these days, on Twitter.

Coming back from Hockey Day in Stratford last night, rumours about the Leafs deal started furiously and by the time most of us were having our Sunday coffee, Twitter was fired up with specifics of the Leafs/Flames deal being put together followed shortly by the news about the Ducks deal.

Many Flames fans, even the most ardent Dion Phaneuf bashers, were left scratching their heads a little after Darryl Sutter sent him packing in a 7-player swap.

Meanwhile, Leafs fans online seemed to rejoice after picking up the hard-hitting defenceman as well as shuffling off targets of scorn and derision (at times both fairly and unfairly) in Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake.

The deals…

True to his word, Brian Burke made sweeping changes to the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring Flames defenceman Dion Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom and defender Keith Aulie in exchange for forwards Matt Stajan, Nik Hagman and Jamal Mayers, plus defender Ian White.

In a separate move Burke addressed the team's salary cap situation along with the lament that the team lacked a first round pick by sending netminder Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake to the Ducks and picking up netminder J-S Giguere.

There was some initial expectation the Leafs would also pick up a first round pick in the deal but that was not in the final package.

Two goalies with same style

By picking up Giguere the Leafs now have both goaltenders who play the Francois Allaire (Leafs goaltending coach) system. Gigure is in to lug some of the mail and also, as Burke presented it, act as a mentor for The Monster.

The inclusion of Keith Aulie intrigues many, myself included, and was a key piece to the deal. Burke indicated this morning that Calgary was very reluctant to include him in the package and that’s no surprise.

Here’s a large, lean 6-foot-6 blueliner (and with that size anyone surprised to hear he’s also a volleyball player?) who is in his first pro year playing with the Abbotsford Flames of the AHL.

While he’s not a threat to score he is a very good skater who can be punishing at times and with that wingspan makes him a natural for the penalty kill when he’s ready for the NHL. And while Aulie will start in the Leafs organization logging 20 minutes plus with the Marlies most look for him to be a key piece of the Leafs blueline within a couple of seasons.

Maybe even next year, but that’s doubtful.

Don’t forget last year at the World Junior tournament in Ottawa, Aulie was paired with Tyler Meyers and the two made up head coach Pat Quinn’s shut down pair who hit the ice every time the oppositions top line jumped over the boards. He used his size almost flawlessly against forwards both big and small.

He uses both his body and stick well both angling and knocking players off the puck.

Kaberle staying

On a future note, once again Brian Burke indicated that Tomas Kaberle will still not be asked to waive his “no trade” clause but it’s hard to believe that at some point he won’t be dealt when the season ends and his clause is lifted.

Being well aware of that, many expect camp Kaberle to submit a list of teams he’d be willing to move to in order to facilitate a trade by the deadline.

I would imagine it’s picks and prospects the Leafs would be gunning for and front and centre is obviously a first round selection or top prospect which would have to be a forward, preferably a centre.

And while the Leafs have been knocked, and perhaps rightfully so, for emptying the prospect shelves, they now have a future nucleus that includes Phaneuf, Phil Kessel, Luke Schenn (who many feel is too good to be this average for this long), Nazim Kadri, Jonas Gustafsson and Keith Aulie.

And that’s better nucleus to build around than they had before you woke up today.

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