Brian Burke provided his first interview since his shock firing on Wednesday, speaking to, of course, Damien Cox of The Star.
There’s nothing particularly notable or revealing about the interview besides Burke being a beacon of class and grace in the wake of, whether you think it’s justified or not, an ugly and untimely move.
Burke also had his car’s back window smashed in the morning before the firing, apparently. Primary suspect is George Cope.
On what he did upon receiving the news:
“I called the older kids on the way, but I wanted the little ones to hear it from me first,” Burke told the Star today in an exclusive interview.
“They were okay. They just wanted to know if we’d have to move again. I said no.”
On his reaction to the firing:
“I was floored, and I still am stunned. I’ve never been fired before,” he said about Wednesday’s announcement. “How am I doing? I’m doing okay.
“I’m so grateful I had a chance to run the crown jewel franchise of the NHL. I’m grateful to have been given the chance to live in Toronto. I love this city and I am grateful for the support of the fans.”
On his new role as senior advisor:
“I think I can help,” he said. “I’ve been at this for a while. I have my name on the Stanley Cup. I’ll do whatever I can.”
On his successor:
“I wish Dave (Nonis) and the Toronto Maple Leafs all the success in the world,” he said. “I’ll do my best to help them win.”
Sportsnet’s Michael Grange reports Brian Burke will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday) morning.
