NHL ENTRY DRAFT

June 26, 1999

Brian Burke

BRIAN BURKE: The whole thing came together about ten minutes before we went to air, maybe 15 minutes before we went to air today. We started work on this with Chicago the day they won the lottery. It's been kind of a big chess game ever since then.

BRIAN BURKE: Well, we paid a very high price to make this deal, in my opinion. You know, Chicago is getting an excellent defenseman and a first round pick back. Bob Murray did a good job on this. To our way of thinking, the price was worth it because we felt that one twin standing alone had very little value because they made it clear they weren't going to come right away and they weren't going to come for two years unless they played on the same team. We felt there was a chemistry they have as players that was worthwhile, that the sum of the two was greater than the individual parts broken down. I think it's critical from our standpoint. That was the strategy from the get-go, as far as if we couldn't get the first pick overall, which we didn't, until right before, and I'll explain that more in a moment, we wanted to try to get the pair of them. We're very pleased we got them both. We had very -- publicly we felt Patrik Stefan was most ready to play in this draft. We still believe that. The package deal we put together this morning by acquiring the first pick overall included the condition that we not select Patrik Stefan. This was a deal put together with Atlanta and with Tampa Bay, that everyone got the player they wanted. That was, again, no deception on our part. As I told our media, that's the only time of the year we feel free to mislead the media, if we have to.

BRIAN BURKE: They have made it clear from the get-go that initially their plan was to play another year in Sweden, at least, and that if they were not drafted as a panel or acquired as a package, they would play a second year in Sweden. We are hopeful to be able to get them for next year. But we're prepared to wait for a year, if that's the way it plays out. I think they're ready to play. For those hockey fans who saw the Sedin twins play in the World Junior Tournament, I don't think they had a great tournament. We certainly did not have them rated as highly after that tournament as we did after the World Championships when they played extremely well.

BRIAN BURKE: That was part of the package. But I will tell you, had there been no strings attached, we would have drafted the Sedin twins at 2 and 3, even if there had been no conditions on that pick.

BRIAN BURKE: Well, obviously we have to sign them both. There's an issue on where they're going to play unless they agree to terms. So we have to worry about that. Then to sort out what, if anything, the relationship is contractually with their club in Sweden, with MoDo. I believe our agreement with the IHF allows us to take the players even if they have time remaining. We have to sign them first before there's any issue about where they're going to play.

BRIAN BURKE: Well, they're different players. Daniel is more of a shooter, more of a scorer. Henrik is more of a possession guy and a play-maker. But having watched them play, I mean, these guys were voted the co MVPs of the Swedish elite league. That's impossible. That's simply not possible. Players at 17, that's an outstanding league, you're playing against men. It was an amazing feat. To watch them in Oslo and Hamar during the World Championships, they had no problems with the physical side of the game. They both protect the puck well. I think Daniel shoots the puck a little bit better. They both protect the puck well, pass the puck well. By the midpoint of the tournament, the Swedish coach was using them in all key situations, including power-play and shorthanded. Last minute of each period, penalty killing. These kids at this point are 17 or 18 years old playing against men. They did not have any trouble even against the North American team. It was at that point that our rating of these players went up dramatically and we started to work to acquire them.

BRIAN BURKE: I think you'd have to ask some of the teams above or below us, Chicago, what other teams were in. We targeted this. These deals on draft day don't just happen, as you all know. A few years ago I made a deal on Hartford involving a player named Chris Pronger. The work on that started a month before. Work on this deal started when Chicago won the lottery. We realized we weren't dealing with the Islanders for the fourth pick. Up until then, we were working on the Islanders for the pick. I will say we're very pleased to get two players of this stature in Canada. I think this is a good day for the Canadian teams.

BRIAN BURKE: It would take too long. I'll try the Reader's Digest version.

Once Chicago made the lottery, I think what enabled to us make this deal is we said from the get-go that we were not going to trade the pick and we were going to take a twin if there was one there, no matter what. By sticking to that, I think we were convinced that no one else was going to leave with the twins. Someone might leave with one, but no one else was going to leave with both of them. We started extensive discussions with the teams above, again, with Chicago, then the teams above us. We had no indication that we'd be able to move up in this deal at all. Both Tampa Bay and Atlanta indicated they were not going to trade their pick. I don't think it really took hold until last night when I told both teams that, "Look, I've got four." That had not been announced to anyone. "I'm telling you right now, we're leaving with the two best players on the chart. No one's leaving with both the twins, just us. We're the only team that can leave with them both. We might leave with a twin and Brendl, a twin and Stefan, but no one is walking out of here with twins but us." At that point I think that was the pressure that led to the deal as far as talking to both Atlanta and Tampa Bay into the deal.

BRIAN BURKE: We finished up with Atlanta about quarter to 2:00, we finished up with Tampa Bay about 2:30, I guess, 2:15. So if I look tired, it's because I am (laughter).

BRIAN BURKE: We did it on the floor before we went on air, ten minutes before the broadcast started.

BRIAN BURKE: I'm surprised in this draft that anyone traded a player in the top four. But I think my first reaction to the deal is I think they got some good players back. I wouldn't be critical of that deal. I think Brendl -- as I've told our media, Brendl is a can't-miss player. In my question, it's a question of how many goals he's going to score, not can he play. I think Patrik Stefan's head is fine. He is clearly the most ready to play out of this group. I think all four of these guys are going to be good players. That being said, I was surprised, but I wouldn't be critical of that deal because I do think they got some quality back.

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