Brian Burke: Leafs Should SHOP the No. 1 Pick HARD 👀

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]We were just talking firstly about Austin Matthews. What's been your read on everything that's transpired? Is it getting a bit misconstrued in your opinion in the media?

[00:00:08]>> What recently? You mean?

[00:00:10]>> Yeah.

[00:00:12]>> What's happened recently?

[00:00:14]>> So recently there's been stories coming out that he's he's non-committal about his future. But what's any different than like say Conor McDavid in Edmonton?

[00:00:24]>> Yeah, I think he wants to say I think he's been very emphatic about that. I think he's his first choice. They'll have to come up with a plan. It's a new now a one-year deal instead of a two-year deal. He's got to decide by the end of this year. They have to convince him by the end of this year, not the second year. Otherwise, he'll be gone for nothing. So, I think it's on a one-year time frame. I think he wants to stay and I think they can paint a portrait where he will.

[00:00:50]and Berky. Uh, obviously some pretty exciting news in Toronto, unexpected to a lot of people, but uh, were you watching that draft lottery and were you were you surprised when it came up?

[00:00:59]Maple Leafs with the number one overall?

[00:01:02]>> Yes and yes, I was surprised. It changes everything for the Leafs. Everything.

[00:01:08]>> Well, yeah. I was going to ask you like like how like it's funny because you go from everything surrounding the Chaika and Sundine story and the narrative and and everything surrounding that and then you go to the elation of getting that that first overall pick. Like what a way to start your tenure for Chica and Sundine, eh?

[00:01:24]>> Well, it wiped out all the questions that were being asked are no longer being asked. Everyone's focused on the pick. It's a great thing for the lease. It's a great development for John Chika. Um it gets rid of all the questions about him for now.

[00:01:42]>> Yeah. And after that really poor season that they just had um you know a lot of question marks about retool rebuild is this has this gone stale with these star players and whatnot. Do you think that this pick and this draft lottery um you know luck for lack of a better term has has changed that conversation as all at all as far as as inevitably doing a rebuild sometime in the near future?

[00:02:11]>> Yes, I think it has dramatically and I'm not sure they're going to pick. I would shop that pick hard. I think you can get a real good comparable asset. There's not one clear number one in this draft.

[00:02:22]When you get a clear number one asset, add two or three and add a couple picks or a couple players with it. I would chop this pick hard.

[00:02:34]>> What are people around you? Obviously, you're big in the hockey world. You talked to a lot of people. McKenna versus Stenberg. What's What's the general conversation been around the consensus number one and who the Maple Leaf should maybe side with here?

[00:02:45]>> Well, there's a split. there's a real split and um between the two forwards and the D the first D VO but he's he's a lot of people like him too so you we'll see I'm not sure that that McKenna will go number one if they pick it seems like online from the fans point of view McKenna is who they want he's the splashiest he's the flashiest we were talking to Richard Petty earlier last week and he said if you listen to the fans you'll soon be sitting with them but with a guy like Chaikica and Sundine, brand new, controversial hires, you could say. Do you think they have it in them to rock the boat enough to get rid of that first overall pick?

[00:03:27]>> I don't know. I did it once. It worked out pretty well for me.

[00:03:31]I would chop this pick. I think you could you could take one of those first three guys or Reed, the other defenseman, could take one of those first four players and get two more assets to help your team right away.

[00:03:45]been asked a lot.

[00:03:46]>> Sydney Crosby, it's not a clear number one.

[00:03:49]>> It's a really good Gavin McKenna is going to be a really good player. It's a safe pick.

[00:03:56]>> It's a lot different. You're You're right. And I was going to ask you, I mean, I know I know you've told this story a lot, but the Sadines, how you brought them into Vancouver, uh, what do you remember the most about pulling off, you know, those crazy trades to bring those two together in Vancouver?

[00:04:11]>> Well, there's two people that deserve credit for the Sudines. It's not Brian Burke, it's Mark Crawford and Thomas Greerine. Thomas Scredin was the scout that believed in these kids right from the get-go. He pushed me to get him. He made me go back and watch him again in in Norway in the World Championships and Thomas Green was the driving force behind that deal. I didn't like the twins. I saw him at the World Juniors. I didn't like them and went back at his insistence and saw them and fell in love with them. and Mark Crawford Tournament of Players.

[00:04:45]>> Yeah, it's one of the that's legendary stories of the NHL draft. No doubt. Um, you know, aside from the draft and the new news about the pick, this team didn't have a very good season. People are trying to figure out exactly why Craig Breub's future, I don't know if it's in question or not, but do you think that the Leafs are going to, you know, at least look at the future of Craig Breub? I know he's got a few years left on his deal. Do you think he could be part of the problem that he's on the hot seat or No, >> I think they're going to look at everything and I think that the easy thing here is to make a coaching change.

[00:05:19]But Craig Baruvie is an is a good coach.

[00:05:21]He's not he didn't become stupid. Didn't become a poor coach because they made some poor decisions. He's a good coach.

[00:05:28]They should give him a chance in my view, but I don't think they're going to >> really. Um, is there somebody out there you think that would be a suitable replacement if if they decide Craig Breu is not that guy? Like, does somebody stand out for you, Berkie?

[00:05:41]>> Not in particular, but an analyticsoriented guy. Yes.

[00:05:48]>> Good luck at that. free a far as free agency. Berky, what do you think the number one issue is that they need to address? Maybe it's a trade, maybe it's free agency, but what do you think the Leafs are lacking the most?

[00:06:03]>> I think a number two center, but that's what everyone says. I think it's a puck moving defenseman. I think Morgan Riley still a really good player, but everyone the social media are saying we need a puck moving defenseman and a number two center. I'm not sure about either one of those.

[00:06:21]I think they need some size with speed and I think they need to keep bringing along the young guys.

[00:06:28]There's there's You're right. And and there's a lot of moving parts of this thing, too. Like, you know, circling back to the whole Austin Matthews conversation we were talking about earlier on how um I think it's a bit asked backwards where I I like Matthews has to be involved in a conversation about the coach. Like, do you think they have a general feel of how Matthews feels about Craig Ruby right now?

[00:06:47]I have never asked Austin Matthews. I've never talked to Austin Matthews about hockey. Just said hi to him a few times.

[00:06:53]I really like him. I really think he's a good player, but I don't know him that well to ask him that. But I agree with you. I think they should have a conversation with him about the coach and about what's going on with the pick.

[00:07:06]What's the plan? Players have more to say now than they did when Rosie played.

[00:07:12]A star player always had a lot to say.

[00:07:14]Now they have even more. have more of a voice. So, we got to ask him. We got to get him involved.

[00:07:21]>> Yeah. I was gonna ask you, Berky, like a lot's changed in the National Hockey League and and players have more say, more power. Um, what's your take from from your perspective as far as how much influence you allow a player to have within the organization and decisions like coaching?

[00:07:37]>> Well, you remember Rosa, you played for me. My my star players had a lot of say because I believe you can't win without leaders and you can't win without listening to the leaders. So Mark Messier could walk into my office and say I think we need this. Marcus Naslin could do that. Trevor Lyn could do that.

[00:07:55]All those leaders type players could do that with me. Scott Nemire never did. He was too quiet. But he would always say at the end of a talk he'd say, "Well, I think we need this or that." So I always listen to my star players. The notion that that's new is wrong. The notion that the role has changed and expanded, that's correct. Players have more voice now than they did. That's not a bad thing.

[00:08:20]>> Definitely not. And uh certainly I think the market's still reacting to the news of Chica and Sundine and that new administration here in Toronto. Uh what did you make of that and specifically the reaction from around the league when it went down?

[00:08:34]>> Well, I believe in in uh Keith Bell. I I'm a friend of his. I'm a fan of his. I believe in his guidance. I believe he'll figure this out. I'm not sure I like the process or the the choices they've made.

[00:08:48]I'm going to leave that for now cuz I believe in the Keith Berky. Last one from me. This draft, let's say they don't have the gull to to flip the pick or make some kind of a deal with it. They pick one. What do you think they go with? Who's the player they pick at one if they in fact make the choice?

[00:09:07]McKenna.

[00:09:09]I think he's a better suited to play with Austin Matthews than than the other guy.

[00:09:15]>> The other guy's going to be really good, too. He's more complete player maybe, >> but Gav McKenna can play with Austin Matthews and Fraser or not Fraser. Um, what's it like?

[00:09:29]>> Matthew N. One of those guys.

[00:09:31]>> Cow.

[00:09:32]>> Yeah, >> Cow. That's who I met.

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