Alexandre Ménard-Burrows (born April 11, 1981) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
left winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
who played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
and the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
. He is currently an assistant coach for the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. He was known for playing in the style of an
agitator
Agitator may refer to:
Politics
*A person who carries out political agitation; see agitation
*A member of the Agitators, political movement and elected representatives of soldiers during the English Civil War
* Levellers, also called Agitators ...
before developing into a skilled, top line fixture. He is also regarded for his remarkable ascension to the NHL from being an undrafted player in the
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The ...
.
[ After a two-year career in the ]Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The ...
(QMJHL), he played in the minor leagues for three seasons. He was signed by the Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
in 2005 from their American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets ...
. Burrows established himself as a checking forward with the Canucks in his first three NHL seasons before emerging as a scorer with four consecutive 25-plus-goal seasons from 2008–09 to 2011–12.
Before making it to the NHL, Burrows also enjoyed a prolific ball hockey
Ball hockey is a team sport and an off-ice variant of the sport of ice hockey. The sport is also a variant of one of several floor hockey game codes but more specifically a variant of street hockey.
Ball hockey is patterned after and closely r ...
career, competing in national and international tournaments in the summers. In 2005, he was named the International Ball Hockey Player of the Year. He has also been inducted into the Canadian and International Ball Hockey Hall of Fame.
Playing career
Junior and minor leagues
As a youth, Burrows played in the 1995 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...
with a minor ice hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from c ...
team from La Presqu'île, near Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...
.
Burrows played two seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The ...
(QMJHL) with the Shawinigan Cataractes
The Shawinigan Cataractes (french: Cataractes de Shawinigan) are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. The Cataractes have been previously known as the Shawinigan Bruin ...
, beginning in 2000–01. He recorded 16 goals and 30 points over 63 regular season games, then added three points over 10 post-season games. The following season, he improved to 35 goals and 70 points over 64 games, third in team-scoring, behind Jonathan Bellemare and Jason Pominville
Jason John Pominville (born November 30, 1982) is a Canadian- American former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the Buffalo Sabres and the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career Amateur
As a youth, ...
. He went on to lead his team in post-season scoring with nine goals and 21 points in 12 games[ as the Cataractes advanced to the Conference Finals, where they were eliminated in seven games by the ]Victoriaville Tigres
The Victoriaville Tigres are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada. The team plays its home games at the Colisée Desjardins.
History
The franchise was gra ...
.
Undrafted by a National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) club, Burrows went professional in 2002–03 with the Greenville Grrrowl
The Greenville Grrrowl were an ECHL hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They played their home games at the BI-LO Center. In the 2001–02 season, they won the Kelly Cup.
The Grrrowl's initial season was 1998–99, with former Ch ...
of the ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The ...
, a third-tier minor league. Late in his professional rookie season, he transferred to the Baton Rouge Kingfish
The Baton Rouge Kingfish were a minor professional ice hockey team in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as a member of the East Coast Hockey League. The franchise arrived in Baton Rouge in 1996 after relocating from Erie, Pennsylvania, where they had playe ...
and finished with a combined 32 points in 66 games between the two teams. The following season, in 2003–04, he returned to the South Division, as he was signed by the Columbia Inferno
The Columbia Inferno were an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. Beginning in 2008, the team went on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County, South Carolina. However, the ECHL dropped Columb ...
. Early in the season, he was signed by Columbia's American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets ...
, on October 21, 2003, having been scouted by Moose general manager Craig Heisinger. He appeared in two AHL games for Manitoba before being sent back down to the ECHL. Shortly after his return, he was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount by the league for abusing officials during a game on October 24 against the Greensboro Generals. Later on in the season, he was named to the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game The ECHL All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that traditionally marks the midway point of the ECHL's regular season, with many of the league's star players playing against each other. The starting lineup for the teams, including the start ...
for the Eastern Conference and recorded one assist.[ He went on to finish the season with 29 goals and 73 points, second in points among Columbia players to league-scoring champion ]Tim Smith Tim, Timothy or Timmy Smith may refer to:
Musicians
* T. V. Smith (born 1956), British singer and songwriter
*Tim Smith (Cardiacs) (1961–2020), English singer-songwriter and frontman of Cardiacs
*Timmy Trumpet (born 1982), Australian DJ and prod ...
.
In the subsequent off-season, Burrows was re-signed by the Moose on August 3, 2004.[ He was initially sent back down to the ECHL after a training camp both he and head coach ]Randy Carlyle
Randolph Robert Carlyle (born April 19, 1956) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the former head coach of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. He won the Stanley Cup in 2 ...
described as disappointing. Following an injury to Wade Brookbank, he was recalled on October 29, 2004.[ He scored his first AHL goal with the Moose five days later, a game-winning goal against goaltender David LeNeveu of the ]Utah Grizzlies
The Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah.
Franchise history
The current Utah Grizzlies franchise started in 1981 as the Nashville South Star ...
in a 2–1 win. He finished the 2004–05 season with Manitoba and posted 26 points over 72 games in a fourth- line role.
Vancouver Canucks (2006–2017)
Having worked his way up from the ECHL, Burrows' energetic play in the minors earned him a two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
with the Moose's NHL affiliate, the Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
, on November 8, 2005. He had appeared earlier in the Canucks' training camp for the 2005–06 season, but was sent back to the Moose.[ After recording 30 points in 33 games with the Moose, he was recalled by the Canucks on January 2, 2006.] Eight days later, Burrows scored his first career NHL goal against Ed Belfour
Edward John Belfour (born April 21, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of ...
of the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. He also added an assist as the Canucks won the game 4–3. Establishing himself on the Canucks roster, he added his first NHL career hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
on March 27, 2006, in a 7–4 win against the Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. He finished with seven goals and 12 points over 43 games in his NHL rookie campaign. Burrows' ascension to the NHL has been attributed to his hard-working and abrasive style of play, generating momentum for his team and aggravating opposing players.
Burrows completed his first full campaign with the Canucks the following season in 2006–07. He contributed primarily on the team's penalty kill
Short-handed is a term used in ice hockey and several related sports, including water polo, and refers to having fewer skaters (players) on the ice during play, as a result of a penalty. The player removed from play serves the penalty in the pen ...
, which ranked first in the league. Burrows' average shorthanded ice time per game was second among team forwards, behind Ryan Kesler. He struggled to produce offensively, however, and recorded a career-low three goals and nine points in 81 games.
In 2007–08, Burrows formed an effective duo with centre Ryan Kesler on the third line as defensive forwards, countering opposing teams' top players while contributing offensively, as well. During the season, he was fined an undisclosed amount by the league after spearing Detroit Red Wings forward Aaron Downey at centre ice during the two teams' pre-game skate on February 23, 2008. He finished the campaign with 12 goals, 31 points and a team-high plus-minus of +11. He was voted by Canucks' fans to receive the team's Most Exciting Player Award and the Fred J. Hume Award, given to the team's "unsung hero" as voted by the Canucks Booster Club.
After remaining on the third line with Kesler at the start of the following season, head coach Alain Vigneault
Alain Vigneault (born May 14, 1961) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. Vigneault has previously coached the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL, as well as in the Quebec Major Ju ...
separated the two after the All-Star break, placing Burrows on the first line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin
Henrik Lars Sedin (born 26 September 1980) is a Swedish ice hockey executive and former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 17-season National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Vancouver Canucks from 2000 to 2018. He additional ...
, beginning on February 12, 2009, during a game against the Phoenix Coyotes. Burrows' crash-the-net style—skating hard to the opposing team's goalmouth for rebounds or tip-ins—combined well with the Sedins' cycling
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from t ...
plays. Vigneault's line adjustments were precipitated by a losing streak in January, which Burrows was instrumental in breaking. The Canucks' home winless streak had extended to eight games, a franchise record, when Burrows broke a 3–3 tie with a shorthanded breakaway goal with 82 seconds remaining in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
. This sparked a resurgence in the Canucks, spearheaded by Burrows, who then immediately followed their record setting home losing streak with a record setting home winning streak, winning their next 10 games at home. Shortly thereafter, the Canucks extended his contract with a four-year, $8 million deal on February 4, 2009, quadrupling his $525,000 salary.[ Following a game against the ]Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
on April 4, Burrows received a $2,500 fine from the league for punching Oilers enforcer Zach Stortini from the bench.
Late in the campaign, he was selected by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association
The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is a North American professional association for ice hockey sports journalism, journalists writing for newspapers, magazines and websites. The PHWA was founded in 1967 and has approximately 180 vot ...
as the Canucks' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL ...
, awarded for perseverance, dedication and sportsmanship. Burrows was not shortlisted for the award, however. Prior to the last game of the season, he received his second consecutive Most Exciting Player Award.
Playing in a more offensive role on the first line for the latter part of the season, Burrows finished the 2008–09 campaign with 51 points. His 28 goals broke Andrew Brunette
Andrew D. Brunette (born August 24, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an associate coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, Brunette played over 1,100 car ...
's mark for the most in a single season by an ECHL alumnus (27 in 2006–07). In the subsequent first round of the 2009 playoffs, Burrows scored the series-winning goal in overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
to sweep the St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
. It was his second goal of the game. The Canucks advanced to meet the Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
in the second round, who defeated them in six games. Burrows' level of play was noticeably diminished in the Chicago series and it was revealed afterwards that he required surgery to remove bone chips in his left wrist. He finished the playoffs with three goals and an assist over 10 games.
The following season, Burrows recorded back-to-back hat tricks against the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
and Phoenix Coyotes on January 5 and 7, 2010, respectively. It marked the first time an NHL player notched consecutive three-goal games since Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montrea ...
in November 2007 and the first time a Canucks player did so since Petri Skriko in 1986. With six goals and an assist over two games, Burrows was named the NHL First Star of the Week on January 11, 2010.
NHL officials controversy
The night of his first star of the week selection, Burrows and the Canucks played a controversial game against the Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
. With the game tied 2–2 in the third period, Burrows was penalized twice by referee Stéphane Auger—once for diving
Diving most often refers to:
* Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water
* Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes
Diving or Dive may also refer to:
Sports
* Dive (American football), a ...
and the other for interference
Interference is the act of interfering, invading, or poaching. Interference may also refer to:
Communications
* Interference (communication), anything which alters, modifies, or disrupts a message
* Adjacent-channel interference, caused by extr ...
.[ The latter call was deemed questionable by media sources, including TSN and the '']National Post
The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
''. The interference penalty along with an additional penalty committed by Henrik Sedin resulted in Nashville's game-winning, 5-on-3 powerplay goal late in the game.[ With three seconds to go in regulation, Burrows skated by Auger and protested the interference penalty, resulting in an unsportsmanlike minor and a ten-minute misconduct.][
Following the game, Burrows accused Auger of having a personal vendetta against him for a play against the Predators the previous month that had made him look bad. After Burrows had been hit into the boards by Nashville forward ]Jerred Smithson
Jerred Smithson (born February 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Undrafted, Smithson played in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen before he s ...
during a game on December 8, 2009, Auger assessed Smithson with a five-minute major and a game misconduct. However, the league later rescinded because it was believed Burrows had embellished injury. Burrows claimed that Auger told him before the January 11 game: "you made me look bad or calling the Smithson penaltyso I'm going to get you back tonight." He went on to tell reporters that Auger "should stay out for the rest of the year making calls like that ... We just blew two points because of his officiating tonight."
The following day, the NHL fined Burrows US$2,500 for publicly criticizing Auger and deemed that his claims "cannot be substantiated." Later that week, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
(CBC)'s ''Hockey Night in Canada
CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (often abbreviated ''Hockey Night'' or ''HNiC'') brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its hi ...
'' telecast aired an 11-minute segment hosted by Ron MacLean and NHL vice-president Colin Campbell Colin may refer to:
* Colin (given name)
* Colin (surname)
* ''Colin'' (film), a 2008 Cannes film festival zombie movie
* Colin (horse) (1905–1932), thoroughbred racehorse
* Colin (humpback whale), a humpback whale calf abandoned north of Sydney, ...
reviewing Burrows' past transgressions, spanning two years. The segment was widely criticized for being biased against Burrows and failing to illustrate both sides of the argument. Burrows' parents subsequently issued a formal letter of complaint to the CBC, accusing MacLean of "verbal assassination" and for displaying "no journalistic balance."
The following Saturday after the segment aired, the Canucks refused any interviews with the CBC before, during or after their game against the Chicago Blackhawks, which was broadcast on ''Hockey Night in Canada''. The boycott was ordered by Canucks general manager Mike Gillis
Michael David Gillis (born December 1, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. He was born in Sudbury, Ontario.
Playing career
Gillis spent his junior hockey ca ...
after MacLean refused to apologize.[ CBC and Canucks representatives later agreed in a ]conference call
A conference call is a telephone call in which someone talks to several people at the same time. The conference call may be designed to allow the called party to participate during the call or set up so that the called party merely listens into ...
to "move on" and team players were allowed to resume interviews. MacLean later issued an unofficial apology aimed to clarify the situation.[
Later in the 2009–10 season, Burrows left during a game against the ]Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
after being hit in the throat by a Jarret Stoll slapshot. He was not injured, however, and did not miss any games thereafter. Playing a full season on the Canucks' top line with the Sedins, he recorded a career-high 35 goals, 32 assists, 67 points and a +34 rating. His goals total ranked first on the Canucks. Fans voted him as recipient of the team's Most Exciting Player Award for the third consecutive season.
The Canucks first line struggled to score in the playoffs, however. In 12 games, Burrows scored three goals, two of which were into empty nets, and notched three assists. The Canucks advanced to the second round past the Los Angeles Kings, where they were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks for the second consecutive year. It was revealed in the off-season that Burrows was suffering from a shoulder injury, which he later received surgery for.[
While Burrows' offensive numbers increased from playing on the top line, the Sedins' mutually benefitted from playing with him.] Daniel and Henrik had not had a constant linemate on the first line since Anson Carter
Anson Horace Carter (born June 6, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for eight teams, most notably with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. He was l ...
played with them in 2005–06. Since then, Vigneault had used a variety of wingers, including Markus Näslund
Markus Sten Näslund (born 30 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and former general manager for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL, formerly named Elitserien). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) f ...
, Taylor Pyatt
Taylor William Pyatt (born August 19, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers and P ...
and Steve Bernier
Steve Bernier (born March 31, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. Selected in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, Bernier would play for the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vanco ...
, to fill in the unit. In those years, Daniel and Henrik were point-a-game players; with Burrows on their line, they vaulted into top scorers in the league, as Henrik won the Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who leads the league in points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the league by former player, General Manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has ...
as the league's leading point-getter (Daniel scored at a similar pace, but played less due to an injury).
Run to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
Due to rehabilitation from the shoulder surgery, Burrows missed the first ten games of the 2010–11 season. Continuing to play with the Sedins upon his return, he recorded 48 points (26 goals and 22 assists) in 72 games, sixth in team-scoring. Winning the Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
, the Canucks entered the 2011 playoffs as the first seed in the West and matched up against the Blackhawks for the third consecutive year. With a 3–0 lead in the series, the Canucks lost their next three games, resulting in a game seven. In the deciding game, Burrows scored both Canucks goals, including the overtime winner after a turnover from defenseman Chris Campoli
Christopher Campoli (born July 9, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Dundas Real McCoys of the Ontario Hockey Association's Allan Cup Hockey. He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and ...
.
After defeating the Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
and San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
in rounds two and three, the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 17 years. Playing the Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, Burrows received much attention of the series for biting opposing forward Patrice Bergeron
Patrice Bergeron-Cleary (born July 24, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bergeron played junior hockey with the Acadie–Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Ju ...
during a scrum at the end of the first period in Game 1 of the series. While the two players were being held apart by a linesman, Burrows appears to be shown biting down on Bergeron's finger, while both players were pushing and shoving at one another. The incident was reviewed by the league, but was ruled unsuspendable with "no conclusive evidence that eintentionally bit ergeron'sfinger." The following game, Burrows scored his second overtime-winner of the playoffs, part of a three-point effort (two goals and an assist). Occurring 11 seconds into the extra period, it was the second-fastest goal scored from the start of an overtime game in Stanley Cup Finals history (Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
forward Brian Skrudland
Brian Norman Skrudland (born July 31, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars.
Playing career Junior
Skrudland playe ...
scored nine seconds into overtime in Game 2 of the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1986 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1985–86 season, and the culmination of the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Campbell Conference champion Calgary Flames and ...
against the Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
). With two overtime goals in one playoff season, Burrows tied the NHL record, which was held by 28 other players. After leading two-games-to-none in the series, Vancouver went on to lose the Stanley Cup to Boston in seven games. Burrows finished the postseason with 9 goals and 17 points over 25 games.
In 2011–12, Burrows recorded 28 goals and 52 points in 80 contests, helping Vancouver to a second consecutive Presidents' Trophy. Facing the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings in the first round, they were eliminated in five games. Burrows had one goal during the series. The Los Angeles Kings went on to become the 2012 Stanley Cup champions.
On March 16, 2013, Burrows scored a goal six seconds into a game against the Detroit Red Wings, setting a Canucks record for fastest goal scored to start a game. This surpassed the previous record of nine seconds set by Trevor Linden
Trevor John Linden (born April 11, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former president of hockey operations and alternate governor of the Vancouver Canucks. He spent 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), play ...
and was also the fourth-fastest goal scored to start a game in NHL history. Burrows managed 13 goals and 11 assists in the lock-out-shortened 2012–13 season.
Burrows had a forgettable 2013–14 season, scoring only 5 goals and 10 assists. In 49 games played, he did not score until game 36, where he scored two goals against the Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
. His 15 points on the year were the third-lowest of his career and his lowest since 2006–07. The 2013–14 season was also forgettable for the Canucks as a whole, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007–08.
The 2014–15 season saw the Canucks sign free agent Radim Vrbata, who replaced Burrows as the Sedins' primary linemate. Burrows played only a handful of games with the Sedins, mainly in the latter part of the season. Playing mainly on the second line, Burrows tallied 18 goals and 15 assists in 70 games.
Burrows finished the 2015–16 season with 9 goals and 13 assists in 79 games, splitting time on the third and fourth lines. Towards the end of the season, it was speculated the Canucks would buy-out the final year of Burrows' contract in favour of playing a younger player. In March 2016, he was reportedly told by Canucks coaching staff "younger players were a roster priority". However, in the ensuing off-season, the Canucks instead bought-out the contract of teammate Chris Higgins and stated they would not be doing the same to Burrows.
Ottawa Senators (2017–2018)
After Burrows was asked to waive his no-trade clause, on February 27, 2017, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
in exchange for Jonathan Dahlén. Ottawa immediately signed Burrows to a two-year contract extension. He made his debut for the Senators on March 2, 2017, scoring both goals in a 2–1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
. Burrows played 15 games in the 2017 playoffs before suffering an injury in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 17, subsequently ending his season. His Ottawa Senators were eliminated in seven games by the eventual Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
.
On February 7, 2018, Burrows was suspended ten games for kneeing New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall
Taylor Hall (born November 14, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft selected by the Edmonton Oilers. He has ...
in the head during a game on February 6, 2018. Burrows himself lamented on the incident: "Obviously, I messed up on that one. I let the emotions get the best of me." While serving the suspension, the Senators placed Burrows on waivers, but he went unclaimed by any of the NHL's other 30 teams.
Burrows' first full season in Ottawa was a disappointment, with the forward recording six goals in 71 games. On June 27, 2018, the Senators placed Burrows on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout. Since his contract was signed after he had turned age 35, his salary would still represent a full cap-hit for the team.
Retirement and subsequent coaching (2018–present)
On July 6, 2018, it was announced that Burrows had retired and that he would join the AHL's Laval Rocket
The Laval Rocket (french: Rocket de Laval) are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) as an affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Montreal Canadiens. Based in Laval, Quebec, Canada, the Rocket play th ...
as an assistant coach. On December 3, 2019, Burrows was inducted into the Vancouver Canucks Ring of Honour. On February 24, 2021, Burrows was named assistant coach of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
.
Patrick O'Sullivan Incidents
On two separate occasions Burrows told Patrick O'Sullivan "I will hurt you like your father did" once in the minors and once in the NHL. O'Sullivan grew up being verbally and physically abused by his father; Burrows defended his actions stating "I was playing six or seven minutes a night on the fourth line and I wanted to help any way I could. And if I could get one guy off his game and get in someone’s kitchen, I was willing to do it to help our team or maybe get son the power play." Burrows has since apologised and remarked "I see that it was bigger than what I really thought back then"
International play
Following his seventh NHL season, Burrows received his first invite to the Canadian national team for the 2012 IIHF World Championship
The 2012 IIHF World Championship was the 76th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 4–20 May 2012 in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden. This tournament determined the countries' s ...
, held in Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
and Sweden. Burrows' Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
had been eliminated in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, making him available for selection. At 31 years old, he was the oldest player on the Canadian roster.[ Making his Team Canada debut against ]Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
in the first game of the tournament, he fell to the ice and hit his head after colliding with two opposing players. After leaving the ice, he was kept out of the contest with concerns that he had sustained a concussion. The following day, Burrows' agent, Paul Corbeil, told reporters that while he was symptom free, a return to the line-up would not be possible for four to five days, as per team protocol in scenarios in which a concussion is suspected. Returning to the line-up a week after the hit, he scored his first career international goal against Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
goaltender Kari Lehtonen
Kari Lehtonen (born November 16, 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers and Dallas Stars. He was selected second overall in the 2002 NHL Ent ...
in a 5–3 win. The following contest, he scored a shorthanded goal in an 8–0 win against Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
to earn player of the game honours for Canada.
Ball hockey career
Burrows began playing organized ball hockey
Ball hockey is a team sport and an off-ice variant of the sport of ice hockey. The sport is also a variant of one of several floor hockey game codes but more specifically a variant of street hockey.
Ball hockey is patterned after and closely r ...
at the age of 19.[ In 2001, he won his first national championship with the Montreal Red Lites in Burnaby, ]British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. Burrows went on to win the national championship in every year he played with the Red Lites. He was the tournament scoring leader in 2002 and 2003 and earned All-Star Team honours from 2002 to 2004. In 2005, Burrows scored two goals in a 5–2 win against the Toronto Midnight Express in the national final to capture his fifth consecutive Canadian title with the Red Lites. Burrows was named the Tournament MVP by the Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA). He returned the following year to lead the Red Lites to a sixth consecutive title in 2006.[
Burrows made his first appearance on the international stage in ball hockey when he was named to Canada's national ball hockey team for the 2003 World Championships in ]Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for ...
, Switzerland. He helped Canada beat the Czech Republic 6–1 in the final. Tying for the lead in tournament scoring with five goals and 10 points, Burrows was named the Most Valuable Forward. Two years later, in 2005, he won his second World Championship in as many appearances with Canada in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
.[ He capped the season off by being named the 2005 International Player of the Year by the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation (ISBHF). The following year, he was voted in a Canadian poll as the country's greatest ball hockey player ever.][
Burrows has credited ball hockey for his fitness and discipline which has carried over to the NHL.] Following his first full season with the Canucks in 2006–07, Burrows retired from his ball hockey career. In 2010, he was inducted into the CBHA Hall of Fame, along with national teammate and goaltender Michel Perodeau. He is also a member of the ISBHF Hall of Fame.
Alex Burrows is the president o
The Alex Burrows Tour
which specializes in large-scale ball hockey tournaments. They are renowned for being accessible to everyone and bringing together the largest number of dek hockey players in one place and offering the most prestigious tournaments across Canada. The Alex Burrows Tour is more than 17 categories (men, women and mixed) with teams from all over North America.
In February of 2020 Alex Burrows launch with is team the LNHB: the very first hocke
professional league in the world of ball
The organization, made up of enthusiasts of this sport, works hard to build a clean and solid structure in order to grow ball hockey. All players of the NHLB are paid throughout their career. within the NHLB.
Personal life
Burrows was born in Pincourt, Québec, to parents Rodney and Carole.[ His father emigrated from ]London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, at 23, while his mother, a Québec native, is an elementary school principal. Burrows has two sisters as well—one older and one younger.[ He grew up speaking mostly French and attended French schools.] His English has a noticeable Québecois accent.
In July 2010, Burrows married his longtime girlfriend, Nancy Roy. On April 27, 2011, Nancy gave birth to the couple's first child, a girl named Victoria. Alex became a second-time father on March 4, 2013, to a daughter named Lexie. On November 15, 2015, the couple's third child and first son Jacob was born. They live in Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...
during the offseason.
Burrows was the closest friend on the Canucks to former teammate Luc Bourdon
Joseph Luc Bourdon (February 16, 1987 – May 29, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League from 2006 until 2008. After overcoming childhood arthritis, he was s ...
, who died in a motorcycle accident in May 2008. In the hockey season following his death, Burrows occasionally celebrated goals with a bow-and-arrow mime, a gesture that Bourdon himself did after scoring during his junior career. He and his wife (girlfriend at the time) remained close to Bourdon's girlfriend, Charlene Ward.
In the 2009 off-season, Burrows was involved in an assault incident while playing in a summer ice hockey league. Police were called to an arena in Kirkland, Québec, on July 21 after Burrows allegedly struck a goaltender, 19-year-old Koray Celik, in the face. No arrests, however, were made at the scene.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards
ECHL
Vancouver Canucks
NHL
Ball hockey
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burrows, Alexandre
1981 births
Baton Rouge Kingfish players
Canadian ice hockey left wingers
Canadian people of English descent
Canadian people of French descent
Columbia Inferno players
Greenville Grrrowl players
Ice hockey people from Quebec
Living people
Manitoba Moose players
Ottawa Senators players
People from Montérégie
Shawinigan Cataractes players
Sportspeople from Vancouver
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Vancouver Canucks players
Montreal Canadiens coaches