Former Canucks GM Brian Burke named to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2023

The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame named its 2023 class of inductees on Friday morning — and it includes former Vancouver Canucks general manager Brian Burke.

Dustin Brown, Katie King Crowley, Jamie Langenbrunner, and Brian Murphy will also enter the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2023. The official induction ceremony will take place in Boston on December 6.

Burke initially joined the Canucks in 1987 as the club’s director of hockey operations, remaining in the position for five years. After becoming the general manager of the Hartford Whalers during the 1992–93 season, Burke returned to the Canucks in 1998 for a memorable stint as GM that lasted until 2004.

During Burke’s tenure as general manager, the Canucks reached the playoffs in four consecutive years (2001–2004) and reached the second round in 2003, falling to the Minnesota Wild in seven games. The Canucks posted a 219-181-68-24 record during Burke’s time as GM.

Burke’s most notable act as Canucks GM was to orchestrate a series of moves leading up to the 1999 NHL Draft to enable the team to select both Henrik and Daniel Sedin with the No. 2 and 3 picks. The Sedins ended up spending their entire NHL careers in Vancouver and were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022.

After being fired by the Canucks after the 2004 playoffs, Burke was named GM of the Anaheim Ducks in 2005 and won the Stanley Cup in that capacity with the team in 2007. Just over a year later, he left the Ducks to become the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, remaining in that capacity from 2008 to 2013.

Since the end of his time with the Leafs, Burke has served as the president of hockey operations of both the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has also worked as a television analyst on Sportsnet hockey broadcasts and currently serves as the Executive Director of the PWHL Players’ Association.