NHL Executive Legend Brian Burke (1/30/26)

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Oilers NOW with Bob Stauffer 18 min 4 speakers 5 chapters transcribed 1 month ago

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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

Bob Stauffer 0:00

Hey, it's Bob Stauffer. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Oilers Now ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime. All right, it's 434 in oil country. Bob Stauffer with you. And I want to tell you that guests on the show receive gift certificates to Japanese Village. It's a true celebration for the census, quality ingredients, and an unmatched grill side experience. Book your seat at jvedmonton.ca. A reminder that today is the annual Chorus Radiothon. Phone lines are still open. You can still donate to the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation website. Please call 1-866-407-KIDS. Now or go to StolleryKids.com. Proudly supported by 880JED. We head off to the River Crete Resort and Casino Hotline and welcome back to the show for Ultrashine.

Bob Stauffer 0:51

Commercial cleaning done smarter. Request your free cleaning quote today by visiting Ultrashine.com. We welcome back longtime NHL executive legend and and does some media work as well. Brian Burke. Hello, Brian. How are you? Hello, Bob. How are you? Good. Brian, you know, it's interesting with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I'm going to take you back to the 16-17 season for the Colorado Avalanche. They had a real rough goal that year, and I saw Chris McFarlane, who's now the GM of Colorado, and he said, Stoff, the game's getting faster and younger. And we are going to go in that direction. And that's what we're going to base our, you know, that's how we're going to build our teams carrying forward. And I thought to the orders of 17, 18, 18, 19, the orders built older, slower teams.

Bob Stauffer 1:49

It backfired. I like Brad Traylor even a lot. I think he probably built a better team for the playoffs, at least in theory that was supposed to happen. They've had some injuries. But have we also seen a little bit of a scenario where never more so than today does speed kill in the NHL? You've got to have it.

Brian Burke 2:12

Yes, but I think there's a hybrid team that can do well as well. I don't think you can play with just speed, especially the way forward plays.

Bruno Satin 2:21

Yes.

Brian Burke 2:22

It's coming back and size is coming back. I think you need to have a hybrid team. You can have speed in your top six. You better have some bangers in your bottom six.

Bob Stauffer 2:32

Yeah, and you know what? I mean, the Oilers have the fastest guy on the planet on their top line in Connor McDavid, as good as anybody. Colorado's got McKinnon and McCarr, and that team's running a little bit of trouble. How much of what's happened with the Maple Leafs, Brian, in your opinion, as a former executive for that team, how much of this is just about injuries and the wrong guys getting hurt? Or is that a cop-out?

Brian Burke 2:57

No, I don't think it's a cop-out. I think it's something you have to look at and explain. You can't use it as an excuse. Everyone gets hurt. But I think in this case, their injuries have been untimely. They've been positionally where they can't have the most impact and everything can't happen. The goaltender's getting hurt. A lot of Stolarz having a great year, their first year in Toronto. And they saw him to an extension. He's been hurt repeatedly since then.

Who is Brian Burke and why is he featured on Oilers Now?

Brian Burke 3:26

So I think they're It's legitimate to talk about injuries, but you can't use them as an excuse. Everyone has injuries.

Bob Stauffer 3:33

Yeah. There's no question about that. Brian, the Edmonton Oilers haven't always started on time. In fact, they're on an eight-game homestand, and some managers and coaches will tell you that's too long for a homestand, but they're on an eight-game homestand, and in the first six games, three of the first six games, they have had horrendous first periods. Yeah. I got a little animated last night during the intermission because to me it was unacceptable. And they were able to work their way back because they're playing San Jose. Minnesota has had Edmonton's number for years. If they're down 3-0 to the Wild tomorrow, they got no chance to come back in that game. How much of the responsibility of a team's start is on the players?

Bob Stauffer 4:17

And how much of the responsibility of a team's start is on the coach?