Veteran Burrows hangs up his skates
Moving to AHL coaching job
Alex Burrows had to battle long odds to get to the National Hockey League.
On Friday, he announced he had suited up for the final time.
After taking time to contemplate his future, the 37-year-old Burrows has decided to retire after being bought out of the US$2.5-million final year of his contract by the Ottawa Senators late last month.
Acquired by the Senators from the Vancouver Canucks before the NHL trade deadline in 2017, Burrows provided a veteran presence during the team’s run to the Eastern Conference final.
However, Burrows’ play slipped last season and he was waived by the Senators before the trade deadline in February.
Burrows told the NHL Players’ Association’s website that the time had come to move on. The Montreal Canadiens announced Friday that Burrows would become an assistant coach with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
“I’m happy with my career and have some great memories,” Burrows told NHLPA.com. “I met some wonderful people over the years. I’ll miss my teammates the most. The amount of fun we had working on our craft, the time we spent together away from the rink, the time we went through adversity together … those are things that I’m going to miss.
“I would like to also thank my family, who have been so supportive of me throughout my career. My wife (Nancy) has always been there for me. My kids ( Victoria, Lexie and Jacob) were born in Vancouver and they got to see me play. I had some wonderful times in Vancouver and I enjoyed my time in Ottawa."
Getting to the NHL wasn’t an easy road for Burrows, who finished with 205 goals and 204 assists in 913 regular-season games. He wasn’t selected in the draft, but signed to play in the East Coast Hockey League before working his way up to the NHL.
He spent most of his NHL career with the Canucks.
He didn’t perform up to expectations in Ottawa, but was a well-respected player and leader.
“It all went by fast,” Burrows told the website. “It was a lot of fun and it was a lot of work early on, to be undrafted and come into the league and earn your spot. I’ve had some great teammates and great coaches. The last few years, I’ve enjoyed helping the young guys out, the way others had helped me.
“When you have the passion, that’s one thing. You have to set a vision and have a plan for yourself. I feel very fortunate to have played as long as I did.”