OK, so Brian Burke did make a trade. It's just that it wasn't the one most people were hoping for. Carter Ashton is perhaps not the 'Carter' most people were hungry to see in a Leafs uniform, but he may well make the Leafs roster at some point - something Keith Aulie was looking less and less likely to do on a permanent basis.

I think I'm in good company when I say that Brian Burke being relatively quiet at the deadline is a good thing for the Leafs. It does, of course, mean that Ron Wilson's head is going to roll if/when this team doesn't make the playoffs. Burke believes in this group, and if Wilson can't take them to at least a first-round exit, I think we all know what's going to happen.

Naturally, we turn first to James Mirtle to give us quotes from the big man himself:

"Panic can’t be part of your vocabulary if you’re a general manager," he said. "If you want to win a championship, that can’t be part of it. Setbacks for 10 days or 12 days, that can’t be how you guide the ship. You can’t change your course because you have 10 bad days out of 180 or 190 days in the season.

Jump for more.

Leafs Links:

How the Maple Leafs Fared On the Trade Deadline
The one and only PPP with his take on the goings on at The Leafs Nation.

When NHL Twitter Accounts Go Bad
The latest from Dirty Dangle.

Toronto moves Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay for Carter Ashton
Justin Fisher of Hogtown Hockey has his say.

Keith Aulie traded for Carter Ashton
Jeffler with his two cents.

Dirty Dangle 2012 NHL Trade Deadline Drinking Game!
Like Leafs fans need the help.

Burke has luxury of standing pat
Wilson, not so much. Story from Jeff Blair at the Globe.

We rule the internet.
Hard. From Chris Lund at Backhand Shelf.

More ruling.
More us. Still from Chris Lund.

What I liked—and didn’t like—about the Leafs' activity (and inactivity) on deadline day…
From Michael Langlois.

Other Hockey Links:

Rivalry renewed, Oilers trump Jets
A sliver of good news for the Leafs' slipping playoff hopes.

It was prudence, not parity that made the deadline boring
A good little read from Ryan Lambert at Puck Daddy.

Scott Howson tosses Rick Nash under the C-bus, reveals captain’s trade demand
For some reason, I thought it was Nash's agent that went public with the demand, but nuts to Howson. Story from Wyshynski.

From The Branches