If you could ever ask Brian Burke what he thinks is his greatest hockey accomplishment ever, he would likely give you the finger. The finger with the Stanley cup ring on it. In hockey circles, that's how people are measured.
But, don't be fooled. Brian Burke's greatest success is not winning the Stanley Cup. In Anaheim, he simply tweaked a team he inherited and achieved the ultimate goal. He did much more than that in Vancouver. Burke's biggest success occurs at every Canucks hockey game. It happens in the third period when public address announcer, John Ashbridge, thanks the Canucks for having the greatest fans ever, en route to supporting the team for another sell-out. 222 and counting upon the writing of this Locker Talk. Burke came to this team and saw thousands of empty seats. He hit every garage sale, cubs group, and PTA meeting, to tell people that the Canucks were their team - and fans needed to support them. Everyone bought in.
Last summer, it was Burke who I ran into at a local golf tourney. Home for the summer, still selling. I'm just not sure who was buying since he was a California broker now.
So in the next few days, or weeks, maybe even months, Burke will be off to Toronto, the biggest hockey market in the league. It's a place that could sell out even if Junior 'B' players were behind every Maple Leaf jersey. He will not need to go to banquets, chamber of commerce meetings, or luncheons. But he will - because there will be cameras and reporters there, hanging on his every word. He will make people laugh and piss people off. He will be Brian Burke. If he ever gets a ring with the Leafs, he will have achieved hockey's ultimate goal. Because he is equal parts big ego, big heart, and big head, it's going to be fun to sit back and watch what he can do with hockey's biggest challenge - if and when he takes over in Toronto.
