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Shy; reserved; diplomatic; polite: all terrible words to describe Brian Burke. Say what you will about the President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the man says what he means, and means what he says - a rare quality in professional sports, not to mention, life.
Now, back in college, Brian dreamed of playing in the NHL, but after one year in the minors, he decided his future lay in the boardroom, not the locker room. To date, he's been a General Manager in Hartford, Vancouver and Anaheim, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2007. For the past three years, he's been running the Leafs - arguably the biggest job in Canadian sports, in the biggest media market in Canada, with reporters and fans picking apart your every move.
But Brian also asks his own questions about the direction of the game. Last month he made headlines by defending enforcers, arguing that they hold players accountable and promote safety.
And recently, Brian's embraced a cause that transcends hockey. Two years ago, his 21-year-old son Brendan was killed in a car accident, just months after announcing he was gay. Inspired by Brendan's courage, Brian has become a spokesperson for tolerance, speaking out on a subject often ignored in the world of sport.
It's a critically important message, coming from a guy who understands both the weight of words, and the power of hockey.
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