Brian Burke Out; All For Lou

"Wait, you guys weren't kidding, were you?
I'm actually fired?" - Brian Burke (probably)

 The lockout is over, hockey is returning, everyone is excited, but before the first puck drop on the shortened 2013 season, we already have experienced out first major surprise of the year. On the same morning the NHL Board of Governors officially approved the league's new CBA, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired their lightning rod General Manager Brian Burke. Nobody saw this move coming. Yes, the Leafs have been mediocre at best under Burke, but he wasn't fired at the end of last season. He wasn't fired halfway through or at the conclusion of another year without sniffing the playoffs. No. He was just dumped.
 Though Tom Anselmi said publicly that this did not factor into their decision, this move is all about one thing: Roberto Luongo.

Takeaways From the 2013 WJC

 The 2013 World Junior Championship was one of the most unpredictable in history, as the United States won gold after their seventh place finish in 2012, Canada couldn't even manage bronze despite having a supercharged, lockout induced roster, Switzerland pushed everyone to the brink, and many other endlessly fun stories. All of the havoc mixed with the high level of competition made it worth waking up at 2:30 every morning. Now that the anthems have been sung and medals have been awarded, here's a little "what we learned" from the 2013 World Juniors.

ANAHEIM HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE IN NET AFTER HILLER
 The runaway MVP of the 2013 World Juniors was the United States' golden goalie, John Gibson. In similar form to Petr Mrazek in 2012, Gibson stole the show at the tournament while setting a new record for save percentage in one World Juniors. Everyone watching the tournament couldn't help but be impressed, fans of the USA rejoiced after every incredible save, and the staff of the Anaheim Ducks had to be drooling on their television remotes.

Gibson robs Ryan-Nugent Hopkins of
Canada and the Edmonton Oilers.

 Gibson was drafted in the second round by Anaheim in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, a draft that Gibson was touted as the top North American tendy available going in. With Jonas Hiller coming off of a spectacular 2010-11 season, many wondered why the Ducks went with a goalie with the ninth pick in the second round when they had other issues to address. The answer is proving to be an easy one. He's that good.
 Sure, stats are impressive, but you can't truly evaluate a player's game based on his stats. Gibson not only put up MVP-caliber statistics, but he looked phenomenal while doing it. His angles were sharp, he put himself in position to make tough saves, battled to the end to make the highlight reel saves, and, most importantly, kept the puck out of the net when it mattered most. He was never making saves of luck, always saves of skill. Steve Spott, Gibson's Head Coach in Kitchener and bench boss of the rival Canadians at the World Juniors, has been saying for the past year and a half that Gibson is the real deal. He's proved it at the OHL level countless times, but now we all got to see him get the job done on the international stage in high-pressure situations.
 Jonas Hiller's play declined in 2011-12 and injuries continued to be an issue. He'll be turning 31 this February, too. Maybe he'll bounce back and be great in the next few season for Anaheim, but no matter what happens when his contract expires at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, Ducks fans can rest easy knowing they will have John Gibson as a potential option to turn to between the pipes.