Islanders Brian Burke learned a lot from Lou Lamoriello

Brian Burke has been a successful NHL executive, recently he said New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello was a huge influence for him.

In a recent sit-down interview with Spittin Chiclets, Brian Burke discussed the four biggest influences in his life as a hockey executive. While his dad was his biggest influence, New York Islanders President and GM Lou Lamoriello was among the four people he named.

While Burke places his father at the top of the list, Lou Lamoriello makes the cut alongside Pat Quinn and current NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. In four years together, four decades ago Lou made a lasting impression on the future NHL GM Burke.

Learning from Lou

For four years between 1973 and 1977, Burke played under Lou Lamoriello at Providence College where he wore the “C” in his final year. In those four years, Providence held a winning record for three of them.

That’s where Burke got to learn from Lou Lamoriello. Now, 47 years later, Burke still remembers that time as formative years in his career.

(Scroll to the 7:06 mark of the video to see Burke’s answer to the biggest mentors in his career.)

Burke was never drafted and after his four years at Providence were done he played in the AHL for a season before going to Harvard and earning a law degree.

Since then he’s gone on to manage the Vancouver Canucks, the Anaheim Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs before becoming the President of Hockey Operations for the Calgary Flames.

Lou’s legacy in the game isn’t just based on his achievements on the ice. The man is behind so many of the people that have and continue to shape the game.

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He may not know how to tie a tie, but Brian Burke is well-respected and was a successful NHL executive, and putting Lou Lamoriello on his list of influential figures has to be humbling for the Isles current President and GM.