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Pat Burns
Patrick John Joseph Burns (April 4, 1952 – November 19, 2010) was a National Hockey League head coach. Over 14 seasons between 1988 and 2004, he coached in 1,019 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils, and he won the Stanley Cup in 2003 with the Devils. Burns retired in 2005 after being diagnosed with recurring cancer, which eventually claimed his life five years later. Burns won the Jack Adams Award three times, which is the most by a coach in NHL history. In fourteen seasons (twelve full), he reached the postseason eleven times.
In 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
As a child, Burns had always wanted to play on an NHL team, and win the Stanley Cup. Realizing he didn't possess the skill set to make it professionally, Burns became a police officer. He had also worked part-time as a scout for the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL. He became an assistant coach with Hull in 1984, and worked his way through the ranks, becoming the team's head coach after owner Wayne Gretzky and general manager Charles Henry decided he'd be the best fit. During his time with the Olympiques, he coached future Hockey Hall of Fame member Luc Robitaille. Before the start of the 1987–88 NHL season, Montreal Canadiens general manager Serge Savard offered Burns the head coach position for the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the American Hockey League. Burns held the position for one year before being promoted to head coach of Montreal.
In Burns first year as an NHL coach, the Canadiens finished the 1988–89 NHL season with a division-winning 53-18-9, ultimately losing the Stanley Cup finals in six games to the Calgary Flames. Burns won the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year, his first of three wins. A defensive-minded coach, Burns would lead Montreal to the second round of the playoffs in every year as head coach, before making a shocking resignation at the end of the 1992 season where they were swept by the Boston Bruins, citing his frustration with the media.
Following his departure from Montreal, Burns was hired as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had also received an offer from the Los Angeles Kings, but he cited the Leafs' history as a factor in his decision, and added "I find myself fortunate to coach two of the greatest franchises in NHL history." He led Toronto in their best playoff run since 1967, making it to the conference finals, losing in seven games to the Kings. At the NHL Awards, Burns won his second Jack Adams trophy. He followed that performance with another trip to the conference finals in 1994, losing in five to the Vancouver Canucks. The Leafs again made the playoffs in 1995, but following a disappointing losing streak during the 1996 season, Burns was let go in March 1996. Burns had been making $850,000 to coach the Maple Leafs, one of the highest salaries for a coach in the NHL.
Burns took a year off from hockey before being hired to coach the Boston Bruins in 1997. He won the Jack Adams at the end of the season, making him the only coach in history to win the award three separate times. All three of his wins came in his introductory season with the team. The Bruins continued to have success until the 1999-2000 season, when they missed the playoffs, the first time in Burns's career where his team missed the playoffs. Burns was fired eight games into the 2000-01 season, following a disappointing 3-4-1 record.
Described as a stern coach who expected the best from his players, Burns was once quoted as stating, "I’m not an overly happy person. There are times when I’m happy, and that’s usually in my private life. I don’t think anybody here wants to be my friend.” Burns finished his head coaching career with the New Jersey Devils, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 2003 while winning over 40 games in both seasons as coach of the team. He resigned in 2005 in an effort to focus on his health and treatment following a cancer diagnosis in 2004, though he remained with the organisation as a special assignment coach.
Burns was born in Montreal in 1952 to Geralda "Louise" Girardeau and Alfred Burns. Pat was the youngest of 6 children, he has 4 older sisters and 1 older brother (Violet, Alfred "Sonny", Lillian, Phyllis and Diane).
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Pat Burns
Patrick John Joseph Burns (April 4, 1952 – November 19, 2010) was a National Hockey League head coach. Over 14 seasons between 1988 and 2004, he coached in 1,019 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils, and he won the Stanley Cup in 2003 with the Devils. Burns retired in 2005 after being diagnosed with recurring cancer, which eventually claimed his life five years later. Burns won the Jack Adams Award three times, which is the most by a coach in NHL history. In fourteen seasons (twelve full), he reached the postseason eleven times.
In 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
As a child, Burns had always wanted to play on an NHL team, and win the Stanley Cup. Realizing he didn't possess the skill set to make it professionally, Burns became a police officer. He had also worked part-time as a scout for the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL. He became an assistant coach with Hull in 1984, and worked his way through the ranks, becoming the team's head coach after owner Wayne Gretzky and general manager Charles Henry decided he'd be the best fit. During his time with the Olympiques, he coached future Hockey Hall of Fame member Luc Robitaille. Before the start of the 1987–88 NHL season, Montreal Canadiens general manager Serge Savard offered Burns the head coach position for the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the American Hockey League. Burns held the position for one year before being promoted to head coach of Montreal.
In Burns first year as an NHL coach, the Canadiens finished the 1988–89 NHL season with a division-winning 53-18-9, ultimately losing the Stanley Cup finals in six games to the Calgary Flames. Burns won the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year, his first of three wins. A defensive-minded coach, Burns would lead Montreal to the second round of the playoffs in every year as head coach, before making a shocking resignation at the end of the 1992 season where they were swept by the Boston Bruins, citing his frustration with the media.
Following his departure from Montreal, Burns was hired as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had also received an offer from the Los Angeles Kings, but he cited the Leafs' history as a factor in his decision, and added "I find myself fortunate to coach two of the greatest franchises in NHL history." He led Toronto in their best playoff run since 1967, making it to the conference finals, losing in seven games to the Kings. At the NHL Awards, Burns won his second Jack Adams trophy. He followed that performance with another trip to the conference finals in 1994, losing in five to the Vancouver Canucks. The Leafs again made the playoffs in 1995, but following a disappointing losing streak during the 1996 season, Burns was let go in March 1996. Burns had been making $850,000 to coach the Maple Leafs, one of the highest salaries for a coach in the NHL.
Burns took a year off from hockey before being hired to coach the Boston Bruins in 1997. He won the Jack Adams at the end of the season, making him the only coach in history to win the award three separate times. All three of his wins came in his introductory season with the team. The Bruins continued to have success until the 1999-2000 season, when they missed the playoffs, the first time in Burns's career where his team missed the playoffs. Burns was fired eight games into the 2000-01 season, following a disappointing 3-4-1 record.
Described as a stern coach who expected the best from his players, Burns was once quoted as stating, "I’m not an overly happy person. There are times when I’m happy, and that’s usually in my private life. I don’t think anybody here wants to be my friend.” Burns finished his head coaching career with the New Jersey Devils, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 2003 while winning over 40 games in both seasons as coach of the team. He resigned in 2005 in an effort to focus on his health and treatment following a cancer diagnosis in 2004, though he remained with the organisation as a special assignment coach.
Burns was born in Montreal in 1952 to Geralda "Louise" Girardeau and Alfred Burns. Pat was the youngest of 6 children, he has 4 older sisters and 1 older brother (Violet, Alfred "Sonny", Lillian, Phyllis and Diane).