Versteeg to Flyers

So the Toronto Maple Leafs have regained a first round draft pick for the 2011 draft after trading their own away for Phil Kessel in a deal that left a sour taste in many fans' mouths. This first round draft pick is probably going to be a very late round pick whereas the Leafs' original pick is probably going to be around tenth overall.

The Leafs acquired Versteeg for Victor Stalberg, Chris DiDomenico, and Philippe Paradis. Stalberg was a free agent Burke lured into the organization, DiDomenico was a sixth round pick and Paradis was chosen in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes and traded to Toronto for another first round pick, Juri Tlusty, who has logged AHL time this season and last, and has 9 points in 32 games this season for the 'Canes.

Any first round pick is good and this trade seems like it will be a good fit for both teams, but unless Toronto GM, Brian Burke, uses this first rounder to acquire another player it will look like a step backward. Not in the overall sense of the team's assets, but in will not help the team win now. What the Leafs lost in Kris Versteeg was a 24 year old, 50 point scoring, Stanley Cup veteran who possibly wasn't fitting in as well as Burke may have liked. What they gained was a pick that could turn into an equal or better (or worse) player in about two or three year's time, and a third round pick. A fine trade if the mandate was to rebuld.

Sure the team could wait another three years, Dion Phaneuf is only 25, Nazem Kadri is only 20, and any one else that really matters is younger than Phaneuf, but Burke isn't going to wait. There's already talk that he's got a buyer for that third round pick, and the first round pick may not survive long in this Cup challenged city either.

With the trade deadline coming it will be an exciting time for Leaf fans, as it almost always is. Burke has also stated that he intends to be active on July 1st, the first day of free agency. While Versteeg may not have worked out in the Blue and White, let's hope that Burke can find someone who can survive in Toronto and let's also hope he gets enough time to meld.