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.

 For years, even dating back to his championship days in Anaheim, Burke has stood firmly against giving out front-loaded contracts that circumvented the salary cap. This policy was debated endlessly when the Luongo-to-Leafs trade rumors began in the summer, since Lou has one of the more famous front-loaded deals in the League. Even though the new CBA has eliminated the possibility of such deals being signed again, owners agreed to honor front-loaded deals already in place. So Luongo looked like he was still out of the question for a Burke regime, making him forbidden fruit to Leafs fans and ownership alike.
 When the lockout ended and the anticipation for roster moves to be made, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment must not have been satisfied with Burke's suspected lack of aggressiveness to acquire Luongo from Vancouver, so they sacked him on the spot. For about a decade, goaltending has been seen as Toronto's Achilles heel, and in a gargantuan media market like that, ownership knows all about it. MLSE saw Lou as the "missing link" to a long absent playoff berth, and when Burkie didn't feel the same way, he was out. Still skeptical? Just look at who they promoted to replace Burke.

(Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

 Dave Nonis is now in charge of general managing duties for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a man who made a name for himself as a General Manager in Vancouver when he made a blockbuster deal to acquire... Roberto Luongo from the Florida Panthers. Nonis has ties in Van City, ties with Luongo, and as the now-former Senior VP and Head of Hockey Operations for the Leafs, he is familiar enough with the system to make ownership feel that he's capable of making the most shrewd trade possible.
 Only time will tell if Luongo is truly the catalyst for the Leafs returning to the playoffs, heck, no one even knows if he will even end up in Toronto when this is all said and done! But be sure, the move to relieve Brian Burke of his duties was all about getting Bobby Lou in white and blue.

It's hard to say what it is I see in Lou

Wonder if he'll ever wear the blue

Leafs can't win, Burke won't do

Now make the move, and it's all for Lou