Burke just covering his messy tracks !

The public outlash that Brian Burke gave Kevin Lowe was an attempt to cover-up what Burke has done in the past. Let's roll back a year and reflect on what happened in Edmonton.

At the end of the 05/06 season and Edmonton's magical ride to the cup final, one must imagine how Chris Pronger had made his way to Anaheim. Did Kevin Lowe extend HIS hand to Burke and offer him Pronger in exchange for a few measily players? I don't think so. Reports indicate that Pronger was almost insistant that not only was he to be traded but also where he was to go.

If you think that Burke has never made a call to Pronger to tell him to demand a trade and that Burke will make sure that this will happen. Was Burke totally sold on Lupul's ability? Burke made the right call on Lupul.

So here is the scenario that I see that went down. Burke call Pronger and tells him that with Pronger's help in Anaheim, they almost ensure a Cup win and with the talent of Neidermeyer and his certainty of his upcoming retirement, now is the time, not next year.

Burke tells Pronger to demand a trade and to blame his wife and family for the move. Play the personal and emotional card to Lowe and make the situation paramount to leave Edmonton.

Burke magically calls Lowe and makes him an offer after the news of Pronger demanding a trade and dangles Lupul's mediocre success and a few crumbs in trade. Lowe, needing to deal with Pronger's "personal and now public problem", takes the deal to expedite Pronger's wishes.

Now fast-forwarding to July 07, Kevin Lowe is not a stupid business man. He understands the truth behind the Pronger deal. So what does Lowe do? Kevin Lowe slaps Burke in the face with the Dustin Penner offer sheet. Burke, knowing of Lowe's displeasure about the Pronger deal, public dilutes the past with his outlash at Kevin Lowe and his underhanded business practices/ethics.

Burke plays this card well. He should run for a political party. Burke has dooped thousands and creates a public hatred for Lowe to only cover his own underhanded business practices/ethics.

If I am wrong about my hypothesis, please reply back and refute. I love to be proved wrong.

Scott Page - Ponoka, Alberta

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Kingsrule41JV Squad

858 days ago

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Your "hypothosis" has no real factual backing at all. Making the assumption that it was Burke's idea for Pronger to leave Edmonton (not Pronger's) is an awfully large assumption.

You also are severely downplaying the trade. "Lupul and a few crumbs?"

Oilers send: Pronger

Ducks send: Joffrey Lupul (1st round, 7th overall, highly touted offensive prospect, 24 yo) Ladislav Smid (1st round, 9th overall, highly touted defensive prospect, 21 yo) 2007 first round pick 2008 second round pick Conditional first round pick if Ducks reached the cup finals over 3 year span (achieved)

For a guy that wanted out/demanded a trade, Burke simply offered the best package. At this point in time Edmonton was looking to the future; and I don't think any other team in the league had the luxury of being able to give away this much of their future. Two top 10 picks, two 1st round picks, and a 2nd round pick is nothing to sneeze at.

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