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Chapter 1: What was the occasion for the live broadcast from the Edmonton Food Bank?
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. Hey, good afternoon, everybody. It's Bryn Griffiths along with Aidan Ganim. We're coming to you live on a rather breezy and mosquito-y Friday afternoon at the Edmonton Food Bank at 114th Avenue and 120th Street just south of Kingsway.
And we just generated, through the day, $212,000 going right back to the Edmonton Food Bank in conjunction with our friends at EPCOR. So thank you to everybody for being part of this throughout the entire day. You can give us a shout on the River Cree Resort and Casino hotline at 780-451-8800, the River Cree Resort and Casino. Excitement, bet on it.
Also, our Ashley Fine Floors text line has been hopping this afternoon, 780-451-8800.
Chapter 2: How did Brian Burke feel about being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Get the new floors you've always wanted. Just drop by Ashley Fine Floors. Their showroom is at 143rd Street and 111th Avenue, open Monday to Saturday. We ask you for some questions for Berkey, and you came through big time. I picked about six or seven, so we'll get to that coming up in a couple of moments.
But we do have to tell you that our spotlight conversation this hour is with Brian Burke, and it's brought to you by Cowan Graphics, trusted for over 80 years to bring your brand to life. Proudly Canadian. Visit them online at cowan.ca today. Joining us from Buffalo, and congratulations. Happy to say this. Congratulations on getting that call from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Brian Burke is joining us. Burke, how are you doing today? I'm doing well, friend. Nice job on the food bank. Thank you. It's a team effort on behalf of us, and the city came through big time, so that's great stuff. Okay, got to get to it. Got to congratulate you on getting the call from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Chapter 3: What insights did Brian Burke share about player movement in the NHL?
How did that play out? You had to know this was coming at some point, right?
Well, no, I never thought of it that way. I was so shocked. I know it's being nominated, but I wouldn't know about was really collected so. Oh yeah, that would explain the booing here for an amount of force to drop.
What a surprise. Well, I'm surprised a Wiley vet like you didn't sniff it out, but congratulations on that. So when you get a chance, when you get that call from the Hockey Hall of Fame, Brian, are you a reflective kind of guy? Like, do you have the opportunity to just think back on your career and what was so special about it and continues to be so special? You're still plugged in.
I still reflect on it. You have to understand, I started hockey at a late age. Never dreamed of anything like what's happened to me. So I introduced you to the starting defensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo Sabres Park. All right.
for sure uh sorry so i think to me i reflected on the great help i've gotten on the way how lucky i've been aiden gannon's with me here also on location today and aiden's got a few questions for you berkey yeah mr burke i just wanna i'm good how are you i gotta show him respect man he's all the famer yeah absolutely oh well anyways uh berkey i want to start off uh just by asking you
You've obviously been on the other side of it as a GM. The amount of movement that we have seen through player personnel and coaching staff in between the end of the playoffs and before the start of the draft has been absolutely insane. What do you think has kind of been the result of that?
I think the cause... I don't know about the result. I think the reason it happened is twofold. Number one... The salary cap's gone up dramatically for number two. Tiny number of free agents. They have to make trades now. You can't sign with free agents. So it's been exciting. It's been wonderful.
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Chapter 4: What are Brian Burke's thoughts on Mike Babcock's coaching style?
Yeah. For sure. And I want to ask you about Mike Babcock. Obviously, the Edmonton Oilers making that signing, and it's official now, so we can officially talk about it. What are your thoughts on Babs and also the addition of DJ Smith? Because you get that addition as well, and it's kind of like you're adding two head coaches.
Particularly great coach. I love him. Very good friend of mine. Really good coach. I think he deserves a chance here. I think he's got some flaws. I think he's the head coach now. Let's see what he can do. Let's give him a chance.
Hey, we got a text from Gordon in Red Deer who wanted to ask you about Mr. Babcock and how important was it to have the leadership group, the players, get involved in all of this. Do you like that? No.
Why? These players, star players, have always had input whether they want it or not. This has been pronounced, though, since five players put their name and taking credit for what's happened back in this change and say we want accountability. But soon as they go 0-4 at some point, they start sending out players who aren't in that group of five. They're going to be ugly.
So I don't like it, but like I said, give it a chance.
Hey, Jimbo and Edmonton wanted to ask you about the NHL draft and what your favorite thing is about being in a draft. You've been in a few of them, that's for sure.
I'll tell you what my favorite thing is not. It's this format. I don't like this format. We've got all the players out in the little lounging areas waiting out for their name to be called.
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Chapter 5: How does Brian Burke view the importance of leadership in the NHL?
I like the old format better. I've made two big deals on the floor. If you guys... recall, for Frogger and the Twins. Made those deals on the floor. I like the old format way better.
Hey, Manny from St. Albert said, is it hard to sit at the draft table when you're a general manager and watch your scouting department do their thing, or do you get heavily involved? What was your approach?
It's hard to sit and watch this because I get the itch again. You've got to listen to the people around you. You've got to listen to your scouts. They're the ones who know the players. In fact, the scouts get mad when we go in and watch a player play. You get a snapshot. You go to one game at, say, Michigan State or London, and you see the guy scores three goals. You're at the draft meeting.
You're like, the guy scores three goals. We're like, he ended up a seventh of the year. God damn it. We don't want that. So I love the scouting part of it, but the scouts don't. All right, here we go. They're ready to go. Number one.
Who's stepping up? We'll let you broadcast it for us. So the Toronto Maple Leafs are stepping up.
I'm in an NHL seating section with all Toronto fans around me.
Oh, you're in the blast zone for the sound.
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Chapter 6: What was Brian Burke's experience with the NHL draft process?
So has the commissioner handed the mic off yet? They're on a commercial break. Okay, well, that's good. I can get a couple more questions in. Chris in Edmonton wanted to ask you whether or not you're a big fan of the player interviews. Did you like the player interviews? I know I sat in when I worked for the Oilers one time, and it was really fun to watch how the kids think. Did you like that?
Well, I felt by the time we got to the combine, I sat in on the interviews. By the time we got to the combine, These players are so well coached. Everyone had all the same answers. Who's your hero? My dad. Who's the best player I've ever played with? Wayne Vestager. So I used to ask the question to mess him up. What kind of a dog do you have? The guy's thinking to himself, I can't say a poodle.
Is this the first light to drop hockey? What do I say? Or I ask him, what kind of watch do you have? I'm not sure what to say. So throw him off the script. Yeah.
Well, I know slats like to do that too. Just like to see how the guys think. I got to ask you one because I was at the 1999 one in Boston, and you were creating all the waves prior to the draft. But when you look back, you mentioned the Pronger thing, and you mentioned the Sedin twins, which was just ā that was such a magical moment in Beantown.
Do you still look back on that, and do you wonder that ā are you still amazed you were able to put that thing together because it just took a lot of work on your part?
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Chapter 7: What does Brian Burke think about the current draft format?
It took a lot of work, but Thomas Gerdit was the scout that believed in these kids long before I did. Remember that year, the World Juniors were in Winnipeg. These kids were asked to play in the World Juniors. They didn't play very well. I told our guys, I'm not picking either one of them. But then I went to the World Championships. Thomas Gerdit insisted. I went to the World Championships.
I saw them play, and I realized how good they were. That's what he got for work. Very proud of that steal.
I know in hindsight, I don't know if that's perfect 2020 vision, but they were so tremendous at the National Hockey League level. You never doubted for a moment that their game from Sweden would translate over to North America, did you?
Clearly you didn't. No, I didn't. I saw them play one game in Norway at the World Championship. Saw them play one shift I knew that right then. Okay, listen carefully. Here comes the commissioner announcing the pick.
All right. Did you hear? Yep.
Oh. I mean, a celebrity pick it out. Yes. Here we go. The fans are saying Justin Bieber.
I love the fact you're in the middle of it all there. This is great.
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Chapter 8: What reflections did Brian Burke have on his career and key moments?
Who does he play for? Justin Bieber.
Anybody who wants to have him in town, I guess. The celebrity team. Exactly. So the Leafs organization up there now, Brian?
Justin Bieber is on the stage. That was the commissioner announcing, I'm guessing, Gavin McKenna. Okay. You got to wait one second.
You got to hear it. That's okay.
We're listening in on your phone.
Have they thanked everybody yet? Make the pick, guys. All right, Brian, calm down. Everything's going to be fine. We're good. I don't know if I'm supposed to come up right up here. Trying to sell albums, I think, and CDs. Okay, here he is. All right, here we go. It's a drama. Should I go for it? Yeah, do it. Do it, JB. Come on.
This is live. That's right. Check it out. Gavin McKenna. There you go.
Super. That it was, absolutely. Do you still get a tingle, though, when you hear that first name called anyway? Boy, I love the draft. Even though I don't want to perform it, I still love the whole part of it. It was fabulous. Hey, listen, thanks for joining us right there in the crowd. That was a lot of fun for us.
And once again, congratulations on a tremendous honor coming your way in November. We're very excited for you, okay? Thank you. Thanks very much, Fred. All right. Thanks, Perky. Talk to you later, Brian. Appreciate it. Brian Burke joining us this afternoon right from in the middle of the crowd. I know. That's firsthand, right? Are we allowed to use that audio? I think we are.
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