A legendary figure in the hockey world has been enshrined in one of hockey’s great halls. Brian Burke, who served as president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames from September 2013 to April 2018 (and as acting general manager between December 2013 and April 2014) has been named as part of the 2023 induction class to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
Burke is joined by Dustin Brown, Katie King Crowley, Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Murphy in the 2023 class.
Burke, 68, has held a ton of roles within hockey during his lengthy career:
  • He played, briefly, captaining the Providence College Friars in his senior year and playing a season in the AHL with the Maine Mariners before opting to head to Harvard Law School.
  • He worked as a player agent for several years after law school.
  • He spent five seasons (1987-92) as director of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks.
  • He spent six seasons (1993-99) as the NHL’s chief disciplinarian.
  • He spent one season (1992-93) as general manager of the Hartford Whalers, five seasons (1999-04) as GM of the Vancouver Canucks, part of four seasons (2005-08) as GM of the Anaheim Ducks, and part of five seasons (2008-13) as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • He spent five seasons (2013-18) as president of hockey operations with the Flames, and parts of three seasons (2020-23) in the same capacity with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
  • He’s also worked in several different capacities with USA Hockey, including hockey operations roles at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
  • He’s also worked extensively in media in-between NHL jobs, and has served on the Hockey Hall of Fame’s selection committee since 2012.
  • Most recently, Burke has been involved with the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players’ Association, serving as its executive director.
In short: Burke’s done a lot in the game, in virtually every way a person can contribute to it. He’s a very worthy selection to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, and seems like the type of person who will eventually be named to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder before too long.
The 2023 class of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame will be formally inducted in a ceremony held Dec. 6 in Boston.