Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill are joined by Brian Burke to break down the state of the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Burke weighs in on Toronto’s handling of rookie Easton Cowan and explains what typically happens behind the scenes between a GM and coach during deadline week. The conversation stems from Craig Berube telling reporters there would be no “roster management” scratches—only for Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to sit out against the New Jersey Devils hours later.

Burke says he’s stunned the Leafs find themselves in this position—potential sellers for the first time in a decade—and admits he’s puzzled by the team’s lack of intensity. He places the blame squarely on the players, not Berube. Burke also outlines what his deadline strategy would be, including maximizing the return on Ekman-Larsson and potentially moving Laughton and McMann if the price isn’t met.

Plus, Burke weighs in on the big questions surrounding the roster—whether he’d ever consider moving Auston Matthews or William Nylander, why Matthews is a hard no, and why he’d at least listen on Nylander. He also defends Morgan Rielly, saying the market has unfairly turned on him, before giving his honest assessment on whether this Leafs team can turn things around quickly. 🏒

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