Brian Burke enters Hall of Fame as one of the sport’s most memorable, polarizing characters

Former NHL executive Brian Burke was among the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 that were inducted Monday night.

Burke, 71, had a long and successful career in NHL management dating back to the late ’80s. He worked with the Vancouver Canucks, Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and helped win a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks.

He was also one of the league’s most memorable characters and polarizing figures, never afraid to step in front of a microphone or speak his mind on a topic around the game.

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton review Burke’s Hall of Fame speech and remember some of his most notable trades as a general manager.

Tyler Yaremchuk: A Hall of Fame executive and a Hall of Fame character.

Carter Hutton: At times, a polarizing figure in the game, right? He’s a guy that spoke his mind and he was aggressive when he needed to be. He was the lone builder in this year’s class, and if you think back to his times with the Ducks, or with the Sedins and the Canucks, he’s been a big piece of hockey for a long, long time.

Burke getting in is nice to see … a very well-respected man and a guy who called it as it is, and in the world of hockey, that has a lot of value to players. If you’re black and white with guys, I always thought that was the best. He was someone who was always honest with everyone and I think there’s a lot of value in there.

Tyler Yaremchuk: He’s made some iconic trades during his time. I know as players it’s easier to rattle off stats, but as a GM, it’s a little more difficult. When you think of the Sedin trade at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, that’s one of the most impactful trades in the history of the sport.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…