Burke Upset About Linden Ceremony Snub

[flex_buff_chest]

TSN.CA STAFF
12/18/2008 4:03:30 PM

One of Trevor Linden's biggest supporters is very upset about not being invited to the Canuck star's retirement ceremony in Vancouver on Wednesday night.

Former Canucks GM Brian Burke, now the president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, told Vancouver media on Thursday that he was not happy about being left out.

"I was clearly excluded and I'm extremely disappointed," Burke told the Vancouver Province. "I would have flown from anywhere on the planet to be there last night."

Burke was the Canucks assistant general manager when the team drafted Linden in 1988. In 2001, when he was the Canucks general manager, Burke made a trade to bring Linden back to Vancouver. He signed Linden to a new contract in 2003 to keep him in the fold.

Full Story At TSN.CA

[hockeybooks]

Brian Burke starts another public fued
brian burke is pissed , because he was not invited to Trevor Linden's jersey retirement ceremony last night.

quote: " i would have flown from anywhere in the world to be a part of it"

Burke was affiliated with a rival group, when the acquilini's bought the Canucks.

the sale was disputed in the courts, with burke testifying against the current owners.

that's why he wasn't allowed to be a part of a night he rightfully belonged at.

burke was on the podium when the canucks drafted trevor, and he made the deal that brought trevor home from exile.

dave nonis was also snubbed.

pat quinn sent a taped message, because he's coaching the world juniors right now.
__________________
our entire country qualifies as Team Canada's " 7th Man "

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Acquilini doesn't want anything to do with Brian Burke, and he fired Dave Nonis. Probably would have made for an uncomfortable get-together. However, it was Linden's night and both should have been there.

[canuckfan]

As soon as the ceremony was over I turned to my gf and said "where's Burkie?" The one real glaring ommission of the night.

I feel with Burke on this one. Brian had a lot to do with drafting Linden, watch him grow and mature into a pretty decent captain, and was responsible for bringing Linden back to the team in 2001 at a minimal cost. The day we brought Linden back was one of the happiest of my life as a Canucks fan.

The Acquilini's didn't have anything to do with Burke's dismissal from 2004. That was the previous ownership group, and all those guys are gone now. I thought maybe Gillis didn't have a good past with Burke from his player agent days and that was the reason he wasn't invited.

Regardless - Burke should have been there, or at least have a video tribute. I'll never forget what Burke did for the Canucks franchise and the fans bringing Linden back, he will always have my personal thanks for that. It would have been nice to see him there, and I'd be hurt too if I was Burke.

[rondo]

Burke should have either been there or sent a video message. I'm sure Linden would have appreciated it but he understands the business. I missed the ceremony last night how was it?

[nilan30]

Brian Burke...if he ain't complaining, he ain't talkin

[JKidd]

He has a valid gripe. Without question.

But, the media world doesn't need to know about it, and no one other than Gillis and Trevor needed to hear about it.

Valid bitching point, just bitched to the wrong people.

[canuckfan]

Originally Posted by rondo

Burke should have either been there or sent a video message. I'm sure Linden would have appreciated it but he understands the business. I missed the ceremony last night how was it?

It was awesome! And I'm not just saying that because Linden was my fave, or I'm a diehard Canucks fan - but overall the ceremony was real classy, really well done - I just didn't want it to end. And even though it was an hour long - it felt like it was only 15 or 20 minutes. People may sniff at the fact it was an hour, but the Canucks do this once every 20 years, and who knows when they'll do it again? It was worth it!

Gary Bettman was there and was booed when he was introduced, almost as loudly as when Mike Keenan's picture quickly floated by on the jumbotron during the tribute video. That was cool. And former Canucks ply-by-play man and legend Jim Robson helped mc the event. When all the Canucks skated out wearing Linden jerseys, they were joined by several children fighting illness or cancer who were all decked out in all the different jerseys Trevor ever wore, from 5 different Nucks sweaters to the Islanders, Habs, and Caps. That was a nice touch.

But aside from Linden's family and some close friends, about a dozen former Canucks were there - Harold Snepsts, Smyl, Garth Butcher, Cliff Ronning, Kirk McLean, Geoff Courtnall, Dave Babych, Martin Gelinas, Greg Adams and of course, Gino Odjick, who may have gotten the loudest cheer all came out to loud receptions. When Linden walked out the place nearly exploded, and it was solid two or three moments before he could finally begin his speech. He had a great speech, spoke very well, and told some terrific stories about teammates from the past and present. There were lots of laughs in there for sure.

Video tributes also played over the jumbotron by others like Pat Quinn, Rick Hansen, Steve Nash, Mike Weir, Brendan Morrison, and Markus Naslund.

I choked up as the banner #16 was raised to the roof, and I saw a lot of other fans wiping their eyes. Thats when you could see Linden, his mother, and wife tring to hold back tears too. It was a very moving and wonderful ceremony, very well done and pulled off very well by a franchise that unfortunately doesn't have a heck of a lot to celebrate. But it was awesome, it really was, and I feel so fortunate that I was able to see it live and in person.

[hockeybooks]

YouTube - brian burke gets snubbed - trev jersey...

[rondo]

Originally Posted by canuckfan

It was awesome! And I'm not just saying that because Linden was my fave, or I'm a diehard Canucks fan - but overall the ceremony was real classy, really well done - I just didn't want it to end. And even though it was an hour long - it felt like it was only 15 or 20 minutes. People may sniff at the fact it was an hour, but the Canucks do this once every 20 years, and who knows when they'll do it again? It was worth it!

Gary Bettman was there and was booed when he was introduced, almost as loudly as when Mike Keenan's picture quickly floated by on the jumbotron during the tribute video. That was cool. And former Canucks ply-by-play man and legend Jim Robson helped mc the event. When all the Canucks skated out wearing Linden jerseys, they were joined by several children fighting illness or cancer who were all decked out in all the different jerseys Trevor ever wore, from 5 different Nucks sweaters to the Islanders, Habs, and Caps. That was a nice touch.

But aside from Linden's family and some close friends, about a dozen former Canucks were there - Harold Snepsts, Smyl, Garth Butcher, Cliff Ronning, Kirk McLean, Geoff Courtnall, Dave Babych, Martin Gelinas, Greg Adams and of course, Gino Odjick, who may have gotten the loudest cheer all came out to loud receptions. When Linden walked out the place nearly exploded, and it was solid two or three moments before he could finally begin his speech. He had a great speech, spoke very well, and told some terrific stories about teammates from the past and present. There were lots of laughs in there for sure.

Video tributes also played over the jumbotron by others like Pat Quinn, Rick Hansen, Steve Nash, Mike Weir, Brendan Morrison, and Markus Naslund.

I choked up as the banner #16 was raised to the roof, and I saw a lot of other fans wiping their eyes. Thats when you could see Linden, his mother, and wife tring to hold back tears too. It was a very moving and wonderful ceremony, very well done and pulled off very well by a franchise that unfortunately doesn't have a heck of a lot to celebrate. But it was awesome, it really was, and I feel so fortunate that I was able to see it live and in person.

Thanks the guy is a class act and had a hell of a career....I'll try and find it on cbs or tsn.