NEWS RELEASES FROM DEVILS, CANADIENS, LEAFS AND BRUINS:
Pat Burns succumbs to cancer at 58
 DEVILS
REMEMBER PAT BURNS
PAT BURNS, 1952-2010
Newark, NJ – Pat Burns, who coached the New Jersey Devils to the 2003
Stanley Cup Championship, and served as a member of the team’s coaching
staff the past eight seasons, passed away today after a courageous bout with
cancer at Maison Aube-Lumiere in Sherbrooke, Que.
“On behalf of the ownership, management, staff, and players of the New
Jersey Devils, we are all deeply saddened by the loss of Pat Burns,” said
Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager Lou Lamoriello. “Pat was a close
friend to us all, while dedicating his life to his family and to the game of
hockey. He has been part of our family here in New Jersey for eight years.
Today, the hockey world has lost a great friend and ambassador. Our thoughts
and prayers are with his wife, Line, and the entire Burns’ family.” Pat
Burns served as the Devils’ head coach from June 13, 2002-July 8, 2005
before stepping down due to personal reasons. He became just the 11th
individual in NHL history to reach the 1,000 games-coached mark on February
27, 2004, and was the ninth to reach the 500-win plateau on March 30, 2004.
Burns led the club to a 46-26-10=108pt (.622) record and its third Stanley
Cup Championship in 2002-03. He posted a career mark of 501-353-165 (.573)
in 1,019 NHL games coached.
Burns’ previous NHL head coaching position included Boston from May 21, 1997
until October 25, 2000, leading the Bruins to two trips to the Stanley Cup
Playoffs. In 1997-98, he became the first coach in history to win three Jack
Adams Awards as the league’s top coach, leading Boston to a 39-30-13=91pt
mark. Burns coached Toronto from May 29, 1992
through March 5, 1996 and posted two forty-win campaigns, leading the Maple
Leafs to the conference championship following the 1992-93 and 1993-94
seasons. In his first season with Toronto, he led the Leafs to a
franchise-record 32-point improvement, and received the Adams Award for the
second time. Burns became just the third individual to win multiple
Adams Awards and only the second to win it with more than one team. His
first NHL head coaching experience was with Montreal from 1988-89 through
1991-92. Burns led the Canadiens to a league-leading 174-104-42 (.609) mark
during that time, including two 41- win seasons and a 53-18-9=115pt (.719)
mark in 1988-89. In his first season with the Canadiens, he led the team to
the Stanley Cup Finals and won his first Adams Award.
Burns was promoted to the position of Montreal’s head coach after spending
one season with the AHL’s Sherbrooke Canadiens in 1987-88. He served as head
coach of Hull (QMJHL) for four seasons from 1983-84 through 1986-87,
including a trip to the Memorial Cup in 1986. Burns was selected to coach
the QMJHL All-Star Team on two occasions and
served as an assistant coach of the 1986 Canadian National Junior Team. An
arena being built in Stanstead, Quebec will bear his name and was dedicated
on March 26, 2010. Prior to his coaching career, Burns served as a police
officer in Gatineau, Quebec. He was born April 4, 1952 in St. Henri, Quebec.
Pat Burns is survived by his beloved wife, Line, his daughter, Maureen, son,
Jason, stepdaughter, Stephanie, stepson, Maxime, and grandson, Samuel.
 LE
CLUB DE HOCKEY CANADIEN ATTRISTÉ
PAR LE DÉCÈS DE PAT BURNS
Montréal (19 novembre 2010) - C’est avec tristesse que la grande famille des
Canadiens a appris le décès de Pat Burns à la suite d’un long et courageux
combat contre le cancer. Âgé de 58 ans, Pat Burns a rendu l’âme entouré de
ses proches à La Maison Aube-Lumière de Sherbrooke, au Québec.
Né le 4 avril 1952 dans le quartier Saint-Henri, à Montréal, Pat Burns a
fait son cheminement comme joueur dans les rangs juniors, s’alignant avec
les Knights de London de la Ligue de l’Ontario, avant d’amorcer une carrière
dans les forces constabulaires de la ville de Gatineau. Parallèlement, il
continuait à être entraîneur d’équipes de hockey mineur de la région. En
1983-1984, il devient entraîneur-chef Olympiques de Hull avec lesquels il
demeurera quatre saisons, menant les Olympiques au tournoi de la coupe
Memorial en 1986, après une saison de 54 victoires et seulement 18 revers.
C’est en 1987 que Pat Burns fit ses débuts dans l’organisation des
Canadiens, dirigeant la filiale des Canadiens à Sherbrooke. Après seulement
une saison dans la Ligue américaine de hockey, il est promu au poste
d’entraîneur-chef des Canadiens de Montréal. Dès sa première saison, Burns
vient près de remporter la coupe Stanley après une remarquable saison de 53
victoires, 18 défaites et 9 verdicts nuls et se voit remettre le premier de
trois trophées Jack-Adams, attribué à l'entraîneur de l'année.
Après quatre saisons à Montréal, il prend le chemin de Toronto en 1992-1993.
C’est derrière le banc des Leafs, qu’il mène à la finale d’Association, que
Burns hérite de son deuxième trophée Jack-Adams. Il effectue un retour dans
la LNH, cette fois avec les Bruins en 1997-1998 et est une fois de plus
choisi entraîneur par excellence de la LNH. Après quatre saisons à Boston,
Pat Burns accepte de diriger les Devils du New Jersey en 2002-2003 et mène
son équipe à la conquête de la coupe Stanley en prenant la mesure des Mighty
Ducks d’Anaheim au terme d’une excitante série finale de sept matchs.
En 15 saisons derrière un banc d'une formation de la LNH, Burns n'aura raté
les séries qu'une seule fois - soit en 1999-2000 à Boston. Les statistiques
de Pat Burns parlent d’elles-mêmes. Au cours de sa carrière dans la LNH, il
a dirigé 1 019 matchs, cumulé une fiche de 501 victoires, 353 revers et 165
verdicts nuls. En séries éliminatoires, Burns a maintenu une fiche de 78
gains et 71 défaites en 149 rencontres.
Pat Burns laisse dans le deuil sa conjointe Line, sa fille Maureen et son
fils Jason.
THE MONTREAL CANADIENS MOURN THE LOSS OF PAT BURNS
Montreal (November 19, 2010) - The Canadiens organization was deeply
saddened to learn that former head coach Pat Burns lost his long and
courageous battle against cancer. Burns, 58, died surrounded by his family
at La Maison Aube-Lumière in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Born on April 4, 1952 in Montreal’s St-Henri borough, Pat Burns played his
way through the minor hockey ranks earning a brief stint with the London
Knights of the OHL, before embarking on a career with the Gatineau police
force. His passion for the game kept him in hockey as a minor hockey coach
in the Outaouais area, and in 1983-84 he was called upon to coach the Hull
Olympiques of the QMJHL where he served for four seasons, including a trip
to the Memorial Cup in 1986 after posting a remarkable 54-18-0 regular
season record.
Burns made his debut with the Montreal Canadiens’ organization in 1987 as
head coach of the franchise’s main affiliate Sherbrooke Canadiens. He was
promoted to the position of Montreal’s head coach after a single season in
the AHL. In his first season behind the Habs’ bench, Burns led his troops to
the Stanley Cup finals after a regular season record of 53-18-9 and his
first Jack Adams award as Coach of the Year.
In 1992-93, following four seasons with the Canadiens, Burns took on the
coaching duties with the Toronto Maple Leafs, leading the team to the
Conference championship and earning his second Jack Adams award after
leading the Leafs to a franchise-record 32-point improvement. Following a
one-year hiatus in 1996-97, Burns is hired as head coach of the Boston
Bruins and at the end of his first season he becomes the first head coach in
NHL history to win three Jack Adams Awards. After four seasons in Boston,
Burns accepts an offer to coach the New Jersey Devils in 2002-03 posting a
.622 winning percentage and leading them to the Stanley Cup over the Mighty
Ducks of Anaheim in a thrilling 7-game series.
Through his 15-season career as head coach in the NHL, only once did Pat
Burns miss the playoffs (1999-2000 with the Bruins) while at the helm of his
team. His overall numbers speak volumes of his character and dedication.
Burns won 501 of the 1,019 games he coached, losing only 353 and tying 165
games. His record in the playoffs stands at 78 wins and 71 losses in 149
games.
Pat Burns is survived by his beloved wife Line, his
daughter, Maureen and son Jason.
 MAPLE
LEAFS MOURN THE PASSING OF PAT BURNS
It is with deep sorrow that the Toronto Maple Leafs
learned the passing of former coach Pat Burns, who passed away due to
illness earlier today. Pat Burns was 58 years of age.
Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager
Brian Burke:
“On behalf of the Maple Leafs, I want to convey our
deepest sympathies to Pat’s family, and the long list of his close friends
throughout the hockey community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in
this time of grief.”
Cliff Fletcher, Toronto Maple Leafs senior advisor and
the general manager during Burns’ tenure with the hockey club:
“Pat forged a tremendous bond, not only with a very
good veteran team in Toronto, but also with Leafs fans everywhere. He
commanded respect from the players and the team quickly had great success
while taking on the identity of the head coach. The Leafs’ rise at the time
was a testament to Pat’s strength, toughness and determination. Hiring him
18 years ago was easily my best decision in hockey, and we developed a great
friendship that I will always treasure. Pat will be greatly missed.”
Pat Burns is the only Leafs coach to win the Jack
Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year by leading the club to a 44-29-11
record in 1992-93 in his first season behind the Toronto bench. He is the
only NHL bench boss in history to earn the award three times (also
1989-Montreal, 1998-Boston). The Leafs’ resurgence in 1992-93, with Burns at
the helm, marked the first time that the Original Six franchise advanced to
the Conference Final since the 1977-78 campaign. The team would repeat their
playoff success the following season in 1994 under his leadership.
With the Leafs, Burns posted a coaching record of
133-107-41 (.546%) in 281 games behind the bench. On the Leafs’ All-Time
Coaching List, Burns is tied with Red Kelly for fifth place in victories.
Overall, he coached in 1,019 NHL games in 15 seasons
from 1988 to 2005 and compiled a record of 501-353-165. He coached the
Devils to a Stanley Cup title in 2003.
 BRUINS
STATEMENT REGARDING PAT BURNS
BOSTON, MA - Boston Bruins President Cam Neely issued
the following statement today regarding the passing of Pat Burns:
"On behalf of the Jacobs family and the entire Boston
Bruins family, I would like to express our deep sorrow on the passing of Pat
Burns. Pat was a great coach and more importantly a wonderful man. The
Bruins are honored to have him as a part of our history. Our thoughts and
prayers go out to the Burns family."
Burns coached 254 games behind the Bruins bench from
May 21, 1997 to Oct. 25, 2000. He won the Jack Adams Trophy as the league’s
top coach following the 1997-98 season, one of only three coaches in club
history to earn that honor.
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