Former Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf heaped praise on Brian Burke ahead of his Hall of Fame induction. Burke takes his rightful place in the Hockey Hall of Fame for his contributions as an executive.
Burke worked in various roles during his career in hockey. His career included stints as an agent, in the NHL league office, and a general manager and executive with several franchises.
Burke reached the pinnacle of the sport with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. He served as general manager and made key acquisitions that led to the Ducks winning the Stanley Cup.
After his time with the Ducks came to an end, Burke was named the Maple Leafs’ general manager.
Burke did not waste any time putting his stamp on the team. He acquired Phaneuf in a blockbuster trade with the Calgary Flames. Phaneuf eventually became captain and was a core member of the Leafs roster during that era.
Ex-Maple Leafs Captain Dion Phaneuf Praises Brian Burke
Former Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf praised Brian Burke for the impact he has had on the sport. He revealed that he is still close to his former general manager and expressed gratitude for his mentorship and guidance.
“[I’m] thrilled to be here to see Brian Burke go into the Hall of Fame, who’s a great friend of mine. A mentor that I learnt so much from and I just think its so deserving to see him go into the Hall of Fame. And I’m here to celebrate it,” Phaneuf told Unsportsmanlike Content.
He continued:
“When he made the trade and brought me to Toronto, and then [I] eventually became captain here, I have so much respect of how he went about his business. We obviously aligned on how he liked the game played. I tried to play as hard as I could night in and night out, and respect the game in that sense. Burkie liked big, tough teams that would grind you down.”
Phaneuf Reveals Burke Takes Community Engagement Seriously
Phaneuf also shed light on Burke’s philanthropic initiatives off the ice. The former Leafs captain revealed that Burke took community engagement very seriously and went above and beyond to build relationships.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t have the success that we both would have liked here. But with saying that, the way that he carries himself, the way when he walks into a room, you know Brian Burke’s there, but in a respectful way,” Phaneuf told Unsportsmanlike Content.
He continued:
“I learned so many things of how to carry yourself, you look at how many charitable events that he goes to. He’s big about supporting the community. When we were here working for him when he was the general manager, you could see how much he made an impact in the community here. And that’s in every stop he had.”
Ex-Maple Leafs Captain Praises Brian Burke Ahead of Hall of Fame Induction