Congratulations to the Red Wings

Despite the longstanding rivalry with the Leafs, I've always respected the Wings. Their current roster was built without tanking or top draft picks -- just great scouting, good coaching, and an overall commitment to excellence that starts at the top and works down through every executive, coach and player.

A note to Leaf fans: The Wings have now won four Cups in 12 years. But before their win in 1997, they went 42 years without a Cup. That was 42 years of misery, including a very long stretch where the team was a complete non-factor. Then they got their act together, and the rest is history.

It can be done. Know hope.

P.S. A note to any Red Wings fans: click here.

Breaking news: Leafs talking trade with Ducks

As everyone knows, the NHL held its General Managers meeting on Monday. While the focus was on rule changes and the state of the game, it was only natural that several GMs took the time to touch base with their colleagues about potential trades.

Down Goes Brown has obtained an exclusive transcript of one such negotiation. Our spies caught Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher talking trade with Ducks GM Brian Burke. Here's how the conversation went.

(Scene: A distant corner of a fancy hotel lobby. Two men in suits sit by a small table, huddled in conversation.)

Fletcher: Hi Brian. Thanks for meeting with me. I always enjoy talking about trades.

Burke: Yes. I will enjoy this discussion, which is focused solely on a potential trade between our teams. And nothing else.

Fletcher: Of course.

Burke: Absolutely.

Fletcher: So, as you may know, the Maple Leafs are looking to improve our team.

Burke: Yes. I imagine you're focused on building a core of young players while divesting yourself of veteran salaries, clearing cap room while also rebuilding a culture of winning inside the dressing room. You're looking for players with a mix of skill and toughness, preferably Canadian players who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and can adapt to a hard-nosed, playoff style approach. Oh, and stockpiling draft picks.

(Silence.)

Burke: I know that's what I would do if I was in your shoes.

Fletcher: Oddly enough, that's exactly what we're looking to do.

Burke: Good to hear.

(Cliff's phone rings. He looks at the incoming number.)

Fletcher: Oh, look, Ron Wilson is calling me. We've been planning to interview him for our head coaching vacancy. Say Brian, do you know Ron?

Burke: Actually, yes I do. We're very close friends. He's an excellent coach, and exactly the type of guy I would hire to coach the Maple Leafs, if I were involved in that process.

(Cliff writes something down on a notepad.)

Fletcher: So back to the trade talk. We'd love to acquire some good young players, and the Ducks have several. Would you be interested in adding some veteran talent? Or are you, Brian, more interested in building for the long-term in Anaheim?

Burke: I am not currently interested in building for the long-term in Anaheim.

Fletcher: Interesting.

Burke: My current focus is short-term.

Fletcher: As in...

Burke: Ideally a few weeks, maybe a month. One year at the absolute most.

Fletcher: Hmm...

Burke: But preferably nothing beyond the draft.

Fletcher: Good to know.

(Cliff's phone rings. He looks at the incoming number.)

Fletcher: Oh look, Dave Nonis is calling me. We're considering him for an assistant GM's role. Do you know Dave?

Burke: Yes I do, Cliff. He's a great guy, and would be an asset to your organization. I would strongly recommend hiring him as assistant to your new GM, whoever that should happen to be.

(Cliff writes something down on a notepad.)

Fletcher: So anyway... we have several players available. You've taken a look at our roster. Any interest in these guys?

Burke: To be honest, I'm not a big fan of most of them. Especially McCabe and Blake. I would not be interested in having these players on my roster. If they did somehow wind up on my team, I would probably make it a priority to move them immediately, in any way I could. I also wouldn't be interested in guys like Bell or Raycroft, although I imagine they'll be sent to the minors soon.

Fletcher: I imagine they will.

Burke: On the other hand, I like Kaberle. But I'm sure he's not available. He's probably untouchable, isn't he Cliff?

Fletcher: Yes he is, Brian.

(Gary Bettman walks by, spots Burke and Fletcher talking, and scurries over.)

Bettman: Hey! What are you guys talking about?

Burke: Just two GMs engaging in some friendly trade talk, Gary.

Fletcher: Nothing more.

Burke: Why? What did you think it was?

Bettman (suspicious): I'm watching you.

Fletcher: Hey Gary, I think they're showing an old NBA game on ESPN Classic over at the bar.

Bettman: Really? Oh goodie!

(Bettman hops up and down, claps his hands and scurries away excitedly.)

Fletcher: Well Brian, I'd love to continue this conversation, but I'm afraid I'm very busy. I have to call Ron Wilson and Dave Nonis, and then work on trading McCabe and Blake while focusing on acquiring youth and draft picks. I am so busy with these tasks, I will sadly be unable to interview any pontential new GMs until immediately after the draft, at the earliest.

Burke: That sounds like an excellent plan, Cliff. Meanwhile, I need to get back to my duties of ensuring that the Anaheim Ducks are in good shape for the next several weeks.

(Cliff's phone rings. He looks at the incoming number.)

Fletcher: Oh look, Richard Peddie is calling me.

Burke: Tell him to go fuck himself.

Fletcher: Will do. Talk to you soon, Brian.

Burke: Very, very soon.

Confirm or Deny

Any truth to the rumor that the Leafs have already agreed to a deal with Ron Wilson, but the press conference is being delayed until Richard Peddie is finished memorizing the script?

Leafs to hire Ron Wilson?

TSN.ca is reporting that Cliff Fletcher has made an offer to a new coach, but would not name him. The site also says that former Sharks coach Ron Wilson is getting on a plane to Toronto, but wouldn't comment on whether he's the new coach.

I'm not a huge fan of Wilson, and I think it's completely moronic that the Leafs would hire a coach before a general manager.

That said, I can see where Cliff may be going with this one. Wilson has a reputation around the league as an awful coach to play for. To put it nicely, he's a jerk. This is the guy who likes to walk into the dressing room during intermission, write a player's name on the chalkboard and declare "this guy is the reason we're losing" and then storm out. Players hate him.

And after two years of the Paul Maurice Country Club, where every veteran was coddled and every loss came with an excuse, that sounds like a just what this team needs.

I sincerely hope Wilson comes in and makes these guys miserable. This pack of long-time losers could use a good kick in the balls, and Wilson sounds like just the guy to do it. What do you think about waiving that no-trade clause now, Bryan? Still want to be a Leaf for life, Darcy?

Of course, that may apply to Mats Sundin as well, but I have my doubts. It's interesting that Sundin talks publicly about the club's "direction", then meets with Fletcher just a few days before this news breaks. Could Mats be as tired of the excuses as we are, and have actually asked Cliff for a coach who'll hold people accountable?

Either way, the next few years is about cleaning house, so why not bring in a miserable jerk like Wilson to help sweep out the cockroaches? Then, when its time to take a shot at winning again, you can flush him out too and find a real coach.

I think I could talk myself into this.

Update: Check out this great five-month-old quote from Wilson, courtesy Howard Berger:

"I've talked to a few of our players -- names I won't mention -- and have said, 'Hey, if you want attention, it would be something to play in Toronto,' " said Wilson, who broke into the NHL as a defenceman with the Leafs in 1978. "They tell me, 'No chance -- there's no way I'll ever go up there and be put through that.' Unless you knew you could absolutely win the whole thing, it's awful tough to survive in that atmosphere..."

"My P.R. people show me everything and highlight it if [a newspaper] says I'm getting fired," Wilson said. "But, guys like Paul Maurice and Mike Babcock -- in bigger markets -- need things sanitized so they never have to read they're an idiot. It's hard to see that stuff about yourself."

Um, Ron? May want to stay away from this guy's column tomorrow.

US sports fans sure do hate fighting

Last night, US sports fans could choose between the Stanley Cup playoffs on NBC, and the mixed martial arts card featuring Kimbo Slice on CBS.

Full ratings info isn't available yet, but Dave Meltzer is reporting that CBS won the matchup in the coveted 18-49 demographic, and it wasn't close. The MMA action was actually the top rated show on television in its second hour for that demo, and that was before the much-hyped Slice fight started.

Boy, it's a good thing Gary Bettman came along and got rid of most of the fighting so that the NHL could appeal to a US audience, isn't it?