Let me explain.

Kaberle is exactly what the Canucks NEED on their blueline. However, a quick analysis of the Canucks current assets and the Leafs current needs shows that this proposed trade doesn’t line up.

So let’s look at this situation.

The Leafs need top 6 forwards, and currently have a huge pool of defencemen and promising young goaltenders.

The Canucks are still potentially in the market for a top 6 forward as well as a puck-moving defenceman. They have, as their trade bait, a few too many bottom 6 forwards and one VERY promising young goaltender.

How does this line up for a trade with the Leafs? It doesn’t. Not at all.

The Canucks could possibly afford to trade back Mason Raymond, Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa, and Cory Schneider. But Toronto really doesn’t need any of them. Raymond doesn’t fill any hole that currently exists in the Leafs offense. It’s clear that Burke is trying to toughen up the Leafs roster, and Bieksa would be a good fit for Burke’s type of line-up. However, the Leafs have too many defencemen as it is, so I don’t see them taking a defenceman back in a trade. As for goaltending, the Leafs have Toskala and two very promising goalies in Pogge and Swedish phenom Jonas Gustavsson. So adding Schneider to that mix doesn’t make any sense.

If this trade rumour is legitimate, which I very much doubt, I will be very interested to see how this trade is finalized and what players/prospects/draft picks are involved.

If you were going to pick a GM to control and win a trade between Brian Burke and Mike Gillis, who would you pick? Yeah – I would pick Burke hands down, too.

Good luck, Mike.