‘The game is always better with Burkie in it’
Flames’ Treliving thrilled Burke’s back in NHL
CALGARY — What should Pittsburgh Penguins’ staffers expect when their new president of hockey operations arrives for his first day at the office?
Unfiltered opinions. Unwavering support. And, of course, the unknotted look that Brian Burke has made famous.
That was the scouting report from Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving, who was hired during Burke’s tenure at the Saddledome and was pumped about Tuesday’s news that his former boss and stillfriend is returning to the front-office game with the Penguins.
“He’s going to tell you what he thinks,” Treliving said. “The thing with Brian, and I always liked this, is it’s honesty, but it’s brutal honesty. So, if he has an issue, he’s going to tell you. Secondly, there will be a tie strung around his neck. You’ll wonder why he actually has a tie, because he doesn’t really wear it. He just kind of hangs it around his neck. And if you’re wondering, ‘Is he going to tie that up?’ Well, the answer is, ‘No, he isn’t going to tie it up.’
“And then he’s just going to be very, very supportive.”
It didn’t come as any sort of shock Tuesday that the Penguins tabbed Ron Hextall — a fiery goaltender and later the roster architect for their state rivals — to fill their vacancy at general manager.
The surprising part was they also welcomed Burke, bringing the 65-year-old to Pittsburgh as president of hockey operations.
Burke had that same title during his five-season stint with the Flames from 201318 and had not worked for a club since, instead sharing his insights as an analyst for Sportsnet.
“He’s always got a fire to be in the action,” Treliving said. “So, when this opportunity came up, I think it’s a great fit for him. Talking to him, I know he’s excited, and I’m real happy for him and his family. I know there’s lot of passion that still runs through the old Irishman.”
A Harvard Law School graduate, Burke has experienced the hockey business from just about every angle — as a player agent, as a highranking employee at league headquarters, as a general manager or hockey-ops executive for several organizations and as a broadcaster.
He’s mentioned once or maybe twice that he was the guy who, on behalf of the Vancouver Canucks, manoeuvred to get both of the Sedin twins — Daniel and Henrik — in the 1999 NHL Draft.
You’ve probably heard the tale about how his Anaheim Ducks narrowly missed scoring the first-overall pick in a post-lockout lottery in 2005. They selected second, but Sidney Crosby was gone by then … to the Penguins.
As GM, Burke led the Ducks to a Stanley Cup celebration in 2007. His resume also includes gigs with the Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Flames.
Midway through his first winter at the Saddledome, Burke turfed Jay Feaster and his right-hand man John Weisbrod, appointing himself as interim general manager during the search for a replacement.
He ultimately hired a rookie in Treliving, now in his seventh season as Calgary’s shot-caller and with a stellar reputation in the business. (This turned out to be such a savvy move that Burke and the Flames mutually determined in 2018 that, after providing several years of stability and wisdom, his guidance was no longer necessary.)
As he jumped back into the front-office ranks, Burke was asked about his takeaways from his time as an intermission panellist.
“I learned that I should smile more than I do,” he quipped.
“Everyone watching on TV would send me notes when I’m on the air — ‘Smile once in a while.’”