Burke interviewed in Toronto Star

[Bingo]

hopefully this wasn't posted already

like the opening where they wonder if the Leafs have a better future than the Flames

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey..._exit_cox.html

“What’s made the difference for us is the impact our coach, Bob Hartley, and our captain, Mark Giordano, have made,” said Burke. “Giordano is lights out as a captain and a leader and Hartley has changed the culture. We tend to outwork the opposition.

“Bob won’t get any coach-of-the-year votes. But he should. Because of our coach and our captain we’ve played better than anyone expected, including me.”

Burke offered no thoughts on the Leafs — himself a veteran of the Twitter wars, he was only vaguely familiar with the social media troubles of the Reimer family — but argued his team’s strong play in recent weeks isn’t the same kind of meaningless blip that the Leafs delivered at the end of his first season.



“We’ve been doing it for two months,” he said. “It’s not a new phenomenon.”

[PeteMoss]

Likely going to be a lot of Burke heading into this Leafs game... first game back in Toronto, the Leafs imploding and Nonis being questioned (Clarkson/Phaneuf contracts).

[Canada 02]

Giordano is lights out as a captain and a leader

was this a thinly veiled dig at Phaneuf? I'd like to think it was

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

was this a thinly veiled dig at Phaneuf? I'd like to think it was

If anything it was a shot at the outgoing leadership and culture.

“Giordano is lights out as a captain and a leader and Hartley has changed the culture. We tend to outwork the opposition.

[Scoutski]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

was this a thinly veiled dig at Phaneuf? I'd like to think it was

I'd be surprised about any malicious intent in his comments... it seemed like he wanted to steer clear from topics about the leafs and just bring the focus to what he's doing now.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

If anything it was a shot at the outgoing leadership and culture.

Nice try to take a jab at Jarome. Burke wasn't here for that so he doesn't know what the culture or leadership was like

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

If anything it was a shot at the outgoing leadership and culture.

Burke wasn't with the organization when that previous leadership & culture were in play. How much did he know about it? Outsider's perspective? On-boarding meetings with Feaster?

[strombad]

Crazy thought: What if Burke just meant what he said, and there were no hidden meanings or ulterior motives?

[the_only_turek_fan]

I love how a compliment to his current player and coach gets instantly over analyzed on an internet forum and turned into a "jab" at two players that used to play here.

[sa226]

If anything it was a compliment to Giordano and Hartley.

Good Lord.

[the_only_turek_fan]

You know its stupid stuff like this that probably drives players out of Canadian NHL cities.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Giordano HAS been absolutely phenomenal as captain.

He's really raised his game to an entirely new level, to the point where you have to wonder if its sustainable. I was expecting him to come back down to earth by mid-season, but he's not having any of that.

If this is the new Giordano for the next few seasons, that will make me a very happy BACKCHECK!!!

[Scoutski]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

If this is the new Giordano for the next few seasons, that will make me a very happy BACKCHECK!!!

I thought you were really excited about it, but that is your screen name written correctly...

[Poe969]

Can't we all just agree that it was probably a shot at the oilers. Even if Burke didn't mean it, it was a shot at the oilers.

[FlameZilla]

Burke really seems to approve of Hartley, at least in the media.

These comments, and the previous ones about tanking ('Hartley would punch me if I told him to tank') lead me to believe he's developed some serious respect for the coach.

I hope he means what he says and keeps Hartley around for the foreseeable future.

[nik-]

“What’s made the difference for us is the impact our coach, Bob Hartley, and our captain, Mark Giordano, have made,” said Burke. “Giordano is lights out as a captain and a leader and Hartley has changed the culture. We tend to outwork the opposition.

Shots Fired!

[PlayfulGenius]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Giordano HAS been absolutely phenomenal as captain.

He's really raised his game to an entirely new level, to the point where you have to wonder if its sustainable. I was expecting him to come back down to earth by mid-season, but he's not having any of that.

If this is the new Giordano for the next few seasons, that will make me a very happy BACKCHECK!!!

I feel the same way... I've been very firmly in the 'trade all vets' camp for quite some time...and I've really wanted Gio traded as I felt he had the most value, but I did a 180 a few weeks ago...I really hope he sticks around... He's my favorite Flame now, no question!!

[BigTuna]

Hartley has done a fantastic job. One of the best NHL coaches this season.

[FlamesAddiction]

Yeah, I never really bought the idea that there was something about Iginla personally that held this team back. Maybe it was management or coaches relying too heavily on him... maybe it was the fans putting him on a pedestal.... I'm not really sure what the root cause was, but for years there seemed to be something ingrained into the psyche of the team where this was Igilna's team and no one else was worthy to challenge that. There was a real "alpha dog" situation. And I don't think for a second that it was Iginla that brought that on by his actions or behaviour.

Hartley and Giordano have adjusted this team well post-Iginla. I think it will be crucial to the culture of this team when another superstar player emerges that they (other players on the team) don't feel like this team belongs to that player.

[CliffFletcher]

Iginla was not the hardest working player on the team, both sides of the puck. Not by a long shot.

Giordano is.

That makes all the difference in the world to a team's culture.