At the end of what would prove to be his last season as the Maple Leafs president and general manager, Brian Burke was asked why the club was continually in the red. Because we havent made the right personnel decisions, Burke said, elaborating no further. This is years in the making. The current state of the Maple Leafs is not about one bad decision, one ill-advised signing or trade, but years of them in an era of dysfunction. This is about draft picks lost, draft picks missed, coaches and GMs hired and fired. This is about a history of bloated contracts and shortsighted trades. This is years and years of management failures (along with some finds and hits to be sure), a stretch of futility that Brendan Shanahan, the team president who has never run an NHL front office until now, is tasked with untangling. The current state is more than a decade in the making. 2003 A legitimate Stanley Cup contender at the time, the Leafs – still under the direction of Pat Quinn – made two trades in the spring of 2003 that would end up biting the club in the cap era that followed the ensuing lockout. They scooped up Owen Nolan and Glen Wesley in a pair of trades, deals that cost the club future first (2003) and second round picks (2004). Understandable at the time, those trades nonetheless robbed the club of an opportunity to restock its prospect pool when the cap was finally implemented in 2005. 2004 In the summer that followed, the team cut the general manager duties from Quinns portfolio and opted to hire a 36-year-old who had never held the role before. In the year that followed, John Ferguson Jr. traded first (2004) and second round (2005) picks to New York for Brian Leetch. Leetch played in 28 games for Toronto before retiring a year later. The Leetch trade in conjunction with the deal for Nolan left the Leafs without a first round pick in either 2003 or 2004 and short of second round selections in 2004 and 2005. Of the seven selections the club did make in Fergusons first draft as GM, only two ever made it to the NHL; a third round pick, Justin Pogge played in seven unimpactful games, and Robbie Earl, a sixth round pick, landed in 47 career games – mostly in Minnesota. 2006 Short of draft picks and the know-how to operate in a different climate, the Leafs were ill-prepared for the cap era that dawned after the lockout. No longer was big spending an answer to everything. It was about drafting and development and smart personnel decisions within the confines of the cap. Quinn was fired in April when the club fell just short of the playoffs. Ferguson opted to hire Marlies coach Paul Maurice to replace him. Maurice lasted two years, fired by Cliff Fletcher, who hadnt hired him in the first place. -- Later in the summer of 2006, Ferguson pulled the trigger on the disastrous trade that would come to define his tenure. Believing Pogge to be the future at that position with the Leafs, Ferguson inexplicably sent former first rounder Tuukka Rask to Boston for a goaltender in Andrew Raycroft, who owned an .879 save percentage in his final season with the Bruins. Rask went on to to win a Vezina Trophy in Beantown. A week after landing his apparent goalie of the present, Ferguson signed Pavel Kubina, Hal Gill and later, Mike Peca, to bolster a roster that was still fronted by the underappreciated Mats Sundin. None of the three signings offered much in the way of value. 2007 Sitting just outside a playoff spot in late February, the Leafs opted to shore up their depth down the middle. They swung a trade to land Yanic Perrault (again) from Phoenix, surrendering a second round pick that later became Roman Josi, now on a top pairing with Shea Weber in Nashville. Missing out on the postseason by a point and in need of an upgrade for Raycroft after just one season, Ferguson traded a first, second and fourth round pick to San Jose in exchange for Vesa Toskala, who split goaltending duties with Evgeni Nabokov in the year previous. Toskala lasted three seasons in Toronto, eclipsing a .900 save percentage just once. -- Just over a week after the trade for Toskala, the Leafs plunged into free agency on a deal they would quickly come to regret. Coming off the only 40-goal season of his career – in what was clearly an aberration – Jason Blake was handed a five-year deal worth $20 million. Blake never could live up to the contract on a mediocre Toronto team, scoring exactly 50 goals total as a Leaf; he was traded to Anaheim after just three seasons. 2008 Sitting 11 points back of a playoff spot on Jan. 22nd, the Leafs finally fired Ferguson. Seemingly in wait for the services of Brian Burke – who was still in Anaheim – the Leafs opted to let Fletcher steer the club on an interim basis and he did so in a rather poor fashion. In his first summer (back) in charge, Fletcher fired Maurice and proceeded with two horrific signings. Jeff Finger, who had played one full season in the NHL, was signed for four years at a head-scratching $3.5 million per season. Finger was placed on waivers less than three years later, finishing his Toronto tenure in the AHL. In addition to Finger, the Leafs added Niklas Hagman for four long years at $3 million per season. Hagman scored 20 goals in each of his two seasons in Toronto and was later sent to Calgary in the blockbuster trade for Dion Phaneuf. -- Fletcher also hired Ron Wilson to replace Maurice a month before that free agency period even began, continuing a chain of dysfunction that had an interim general manager hiring the coach for his successor. Toronto would later land Burke, who had an old connection with Wilson, but admitted on the day of his firing that the two never saw eye-to-eye philosophically. Burke hadnt hired the coach in the first place, just as his successor hadnt hired the man who would replace Wilson. -- Three weeks later at the NHL Draft in Ottawa, the Leafs, under Fletchers watch, sent a pair of conditional picks to the Islanders to move up two spots for the right to select Luke Schenn with the fifth overall selection. None of the other seven selections the club would make that June weekend have played for the Leafs to date – one, Jimmy Hayes, is playing for the Panthers this season. -- Lacking talent at the NHL level, Toronto opted to fast-forward the development process with Schenn, thrusting the physically-mature defender into the NHL as a teenager. Unable to match the considerable hype, Schenn was dealt to Philadelphia a few years later. Continuing an ugly trend of decisions made in an interim capacity that winter, Fletcher opted to send former first rounder Alex Steen (and Carlo Colaiacovo) to St. Louis for Lee Stempniak. Stempniak hadnt scored more than 20 goals in a few years and never has again. He was eventually traded to Calgary. Steen, meanwhile, went on to great success as a Blue, scoring 33 goals last season. -- The Brian Burke era officially began a few short days after the Steen trade was made. 2009 Burke promised a more belligerent product on the day he was hired and set about putting that idea into motion on the first day of free agency the following summer. Burke struck deals with Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin and Colton Orr. Komisarek was eventually bought out, weighed down by the size of his contract; Beauchemin was traded to the Ducks, never quite finding his feet as a Leaf; and Orr occupying an unjustified spot on Torontos fourth line for a few seasons, finally landed with the Marlies for good this year. -- A few months after that loud introduction to the city, Burke swung a big and still controversial trade he believed would fast-forward a rebuild. Phil Kessel was plucked from Boston after a 36-goal season; the return saw the Leafs part with two first round picks and a second round selection. Finishing near the bottom of the NHL standings that year, one first round pick turned into Tyler Seguin, another landing the Bruins lengthy defender Dougie Hamilton. Kessel has thrived as a productive offensive player in Toronto, but at an obviously steep cost. -- A few months after the Kessel trade, Burke parted with another first rounder, sending Jiri Tlusty to Carolina for Philippe Paradis. Tlusty evolved into a role player for the Hurricanes, Paradis still yet to make the NHL and is no longer part of the Leafs organization. -- Burke hunted North Americans in his first draft as the Leafs boss. He used all seven of his picks as such. Nazem Kadri proved a capable find with the seventh overall selection, none of the others yet to carve out any kind of NHL role. 2010 Burke swung another big and ultimately successful trade in late January – landing Dion Phaneuf from Calgary – but struck out again in free agency the following summer. A character type who was limited otherwise, Colby Armstrong was inked for three years at $9 million. Armstrong battled a litany of injuries in his two-year tenure in Toronto and was finally bought out in 2012. -- The Leafs picked seven players in the 2010 draft. None have yet to make any impact in the NHL, though Sam Carrick and Petter Granberg appear on the verge of at least joining the roster in some capacity (Carrick has played in 10 games this season). The top pick that June (a second round selection), Brad Ross, was just suspended by the AHL, testing positive for a banned substance. 2011 The Leafs had nine selections at the draft in June 2011 – trading a pair for the right to move up and select Tyler Biggs. Biggs has all the makings of a bust, bouncing between the AHL and ECHL this season. A few other picks – Stuart Percy, Josh Leivo, and Tom Nilsson – look promising, but have yet to find a place with the Leafs. -- Continuing a trend of awful free agent signings, Burke landed Tim Connolly from Buffalo on a two-year deal shortly after the draft. Connolly was mostly a ghost in one season as a Leaf, demoted to the Marlies the following year and yet to be heard from again. 2012 The Leafs unraveled under Wilsons direction in the first of what would be a series of collapses – the goaltending of Jonas Gustavsson, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens certainly lacking in this case. Wilson was fired on a cool March night in Montreal, replaced by Randy Carlyle, who had been fired by the Ducks earlier that season. It became obvious to me in the last week that we needed to make a coaching change if we wanted to try to salvage this season, Burke said. Ive never had a team fall off a cliff like this before in my life. Ive had dips and Ive had slumps, had rough patches, but this akin to an 18-wheeler going right off a cliff and Ive never seen anything like it before in my life. I dont know what happened. Carlyle talked about restoring respect to the Leafs brand, talked about turning the tides of a porous defensive team. It never happened. The Leafs ended a lengthy playoff dry spell under his watch, but were amongst the worst defensive teams in the NHL during his tenure. He was fired earlier this month. -- Two months prior to that did management make another curious signing. While John-Michael Liles sat with a concussion, the club signed him to a four-year deal worth more than $15 million. Liles had played in less than 30 games as a Leaf (positively for the most part), but in spite of that short window, not to mention the concussion, the club decided to lock him up long-term. They would quickly regret the decision. Liles never fit under the new head coach, was briefly assigned to the Marlies and then traded to Carolina for another bad contract. The Leafs then bought out that contract (Tim Gleason) and will have it on the books until the end of the 2018 season. 2013 The Leafs changed course again just days before a lockout-shortened season was due to begin, firing Burke in a move that stunned the hockey world. Long the No. 2 to Burke, Dave Nonis was installed as the general manager. Just a few months after the changeup did Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment hire Tim Leiweke to run its empire. Leiweke, who hadnt hired Nonis, handed him a five-year extension anyway. Quiet and prudent in his first few months on the job, Nonis swung for the fences in the summer that followed. He landed Jonathan Bernier in a smart trade with the Kings, but then surrendered three draft picks – two fourths and a second – to land Dave Bolland for a year. Nonis then employed the first of two compliance buyouts on Komisarek, later parting with Mikhail Grabovski in the same such manner. Grabovski, who clashed with Carlyle, was an asset surrendered for nothing. The freed up money was used to re-sign Tyler Bozak to a five-year deal and then David Clarkson to an exorbitant seven-year deal. If we wanted to get in on a player like David Clarkson, that was the price-tag for us to pay, Nonis said on the day of the signing. Im not worried about [years] six and seven right now. Im worried about one [year] and year one I know were going to have a very good player. Clarkson didnt have a productive year one in any respect and is struggling through another difficult season. An anchor on Torontos cap that will be difficult to move, the 29-year-old has five more seasons to go at an annual cap-hit of more than $5 million. -- On the eve of Clarksons first season with the Leafs, Nonis opted to extend Kessel for the long haul. The former top-five overall pick was inked for eight years and $64 million and while still an incredibly productive talent, Kessel has been at the forefront of a series of varying tailspins. His long-term future with the club remains in question. -- In a less notable move shortly before the Kessel signing, but still symbolic of a troubled tenure, the club parted with Joe Colborne to keep the likes of Orr and Frazer McLaren. It was the kind of short-sighted move that hindered the teams infrastructure. 2014 On the first day of the New Year – with the Leafs sitting in a playoff spot – Nonis locked up another prominent piece. Set to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer that followed, Phaneuf was signed for seven years with an annual cap-hit of $7 million. He and Kessel had been set into place as the teams two highest-paid players and faces of the franchise. The Leafs would unravel again in the months that followed, missing the playoffs in disastrous fashion. -- The club announced the hiring of Brendan Shanahan as team president just a few short days after that fate became official. Shanahan was installed to lead a front office despite having never been involved in a front office of any kind before. Though far too early to evaluate his tenure, his first move remains worthy of question and criticism after the fact. Instead of changing directions entirely, Shanahan opted for a halfway measure in the coaching realm. He fired three of Carlyles assistants while keeping the head coach (whom Nonis didnt hire) oddly in charge for another season. -- The Leafs were generally prudent in free agency in the summer of 2014 (despite reported attempts otherwise), though they did look to the home run approach with Jake Gardiner – signing him for five years in spite of his questionable resume to that point – while also going to three years for 37-year-old Stephane Robidas. Neither contract looks to be of value at the current moment. 2015 In the first week of 2015, Carlyle was finally fired, the team remaining a worrying house of cards under his direction. Shanahan spoke with frustration about ongoing issues with team defence and possession. Peter Horachek was moved into the head coaching role on an interim basis. -- Whats next for the Leafs under Shanahans direction is the lingering question. What vision does he hold for the beleaguered club and how does he go about implementing it? How long will it take? Where does he turn with the core of the roster? Which coach will he land in the summer? Will it prove the right hire? Can Shanahan ultimately right a decade-long run of managerial malfunction or will he assume the same fate as so many of his predecessors? Those answers are yet to be determined. Aaron Gordon Jersey . The mood in Seattle was electrified as the parade featuring the NFL champions began near the Space Needle and made its way to CenturyLink Field, the home of the team. At a ceremony inside the stadium, the team thanked its loyal followers -- the 12th Man -- capping a day of boisterous celebration that drew an estimated 700,000 revelers to Seattle. Grant Hill Jersey .com) - Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll knows about life in the NFL from other stints around the league. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-moham...a-magic-jersey/. Ferrer will play Mikhail Youzhny on Sunday after he defeated Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 6-4 in an all-Russian semifinal. "Youzhny is a good player," Ferrer said. D.J. Augustin Jersey .com) - Even-money favorite Liams Map proved a little too tough down the stretch and won Saturdays $100,000 Harlans Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Jonathon Simmons Jersey . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park.Sunderland striker Fabio Borini has confirmed the team are desperate to secure their top-flight status as soon as possible. The Black Cats require three points from their final two fixtures to maintain their place in the Premier League and send Norwich and rivals Newcastle down to the Championship with already-relegated Aston Villa.Victory over Everton on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 1, would complete the task ahead of next Sundays trip to Watford. Sunderland go into the first fixture with confidence soaring following a 3-2 victory over Chelsea last Saturday, a game in which Borini netted his fifth goal of the campaign. Borini scored Sunderlands second goal in their 3-2 win over Chelsea on Saturday Were going to try and do it over 90 minutes because its better to do it obviously and not bring it to the end, the last breath, Borini said ahead of the clash with Everton.But its half done because we need to win another game. We need to work probably harder than what we did on Saturday, the same desire of winning the game and that will hopefully give us the result.Borini praised the Sunderland fans for their backing in recent weeks and for the way they lifted the team in the Chelsea match. Sam Allardyce looks ahead to Wednesdays match against Everton And the 25-year-old revealed his efforts to secure tickets for Sundays trip to Vicarage Road have proved fruitless as the maatch is already sold out.ddddddddddddorini said: Ive been trying to buy tickets myself for my friends in Watford, but it was sold out so I couldnt buy any, and that shows you how much following we have - even in a tense situation they help us a lot. Allardyce: Extraordinary win Sam Allardyce hailed an extraordinary comeback as Sunderland beat Chelsea 3-2 Like Saturday, I think the first to believe we could do it was the fans, and they transmitted that to us with the singing and the cheering, and thats unbelievable at this stage of the season.But a sell-out crowd is always good to play in front of.Sunderland boss Sam Allaryce revealed last week claimed he has been practising meditation to help relieve the stress of the relegation battle. Phil Thompson reflects on Sunderlands crucial win over Chelsea Borini insists he has not seen evidence of that, but is happy if Allardyce has found a way to cope with the situation.If he says it helps him, I cant say otherwise because I dont know that side obviously. I do my own job mentally and different stuff, but if it helps him to be calm then good for him, Borini said. 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