Sean M. Burke

Last updated

BIOGRAPHY

BORN: Windsor, Ontario, January 29, 1967.
HOME: Simsbury, Connecticut.
HEIGHT: 6'4"
WEIGHT: 200-210 lbs.
UNIFORM #: 30 (Toronto OHL), 1 (New Jersey, Hartford, Carolina, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Springfield, Los Angeles), 33 (Philadelphia 1998, 2/12/2004), 41 (Philadelphia 2/14/2004-04). Sean has worn #1 in every National Hockey League stop save for Philadelphia. He wore #33 in his first stint with the club (1998), and in his 2004 debut with the club. He switched to #41 in his second start, reportedly to get a "1" in his number.
CATCHES: Left
JUNIOR TEAM: Toronto (OHL)
SALARY (1996-97): $2,300,000

STYLE: Butterfly/stand-up hybrid. Doesn't so much play the puck as he does the percentages of positioning.
STRENGTHS: At 6'4", one of the largest in the league, Burke can be an imposing target for shooters. Good positioning skills; he often lets the "puck find the glove". Excellent attitude, highly coachable. At his best when he is aggressive and low in his crouch.
WEAKNESSES: Inconsistent. Gives up five-hole and low glove side goals. Needs to work on stickhandling, although - to his credit - he doesn't overdo his outlet attempts. Bad back gives him problems from time to time, and he doesn't recover following a scramble as well as smaller goaltenders.
Name pronounced BUHRK.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"One NHL general manager claims he's the bes goalie prospect from junior hockey in at least a dozen years." (Frank Orr, Toronto Star, March 12, 1985).

"With Sean Burke in goal the Devils can be as good as any team in the league. When Burke arrived on the scene March 1, fresh from the 1988 Canadian Olympic team, the Devils finally came together as a team." (The Hockey News 1988-89 Yearbook, p. 58)

"[Goaltending] is one area [Whalers GM Jim] Rutherford won't have to lose sleep over until the summer of 1998. That's when Burke becomes an unrestricted free agent. Until then, he will continue to be Hartford's undisputed No. 1 netminder. Burke deservedly was voted the team's MVP for the third consecutive season; still, he has little to show for his efforts during that span, failing to see the reward of postseason action...Handling the bulk of goaltending duties (66 games, including 22 consecutive starts at one point), Burke was a model of consistency." (The Sporting News Hockey Yearbook 1996-97, p. 46)

"The team's best player. Four of his 10 career shutouts came last year." (ESPN Hockey 96, p. 85)

"Sean Burke, who missed 23 games due to various injuries, was voted the team's MVP for the fourth consecutive season. He compiled a 22-22-6 record with a 2.69 goals against record and has incentive to do better next season since he's entering the final year of his contract." The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 89)

"Burke was incredibly streaky last year and he had to play every game he could." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 49)

"Sean Burke is inconsistent, but considering the team he plays behind we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He's great at times, but in key situations he is at times...brutal. For example he allowed six goals on 21 shots in a must-win game against the Islanders; two of those goals were shorthanded markers on the same penalty." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 83)

"Unspectacular, huge, cold-blooded stand-up goalie playing for an unspectacular, underachieving, huge Whale of a cold franchise." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 86)

"If this were last season, acquiring Burke (2.69 goals-against average in 51 games for a bad Whalers team) might have been enough to guarantee the Flyers would win the Stanley Cup. He certainly has never had the propensity of letting in the soft goals Ron Hextall and Garth Snow did in the Finals against Detroit that put the Flyers in an early hole in each game." (Larry Wigge, The Sporting News, March 16, 1998, p. 76)

"He's had a tough year with all the trades and layoffs. But I think when he's on top of his game, he can still be one of the top goalies in the game." (Glen Wesley, ESPN Sportszone, April 1998)

"Still a No. 1 goalie, Burke appeared in 59 games last year, the third highest single-season total of his career. One of the tallest goaltenders in the league. Burke has been plagued by back spasms throughout his playing days and missed a handful of games last season because of a hip flexor. The tall, stand-up goaltender has to try and overcome huge bouts of inconsistency. Can carry a team for weeks, but can struggle for equal periods of time. He's still the No. 1 man on the Panthers' depth chart." (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 136)

"Burke is injury prone, which, at this stage of his career, becomes a problem for a team that's looking for a No. 1 goaltender. The lanky vet is one of the NHL's last, pure stand-up goaltenders [sic] - an intimidating sight for forwards due to his height. Burke still holds aspirations of being the main man in nets but look for his workload to diminish this season. Hopefully, he doesn't run into back and groin problems again." (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 216)

"If Burke can have an injury-free season, he still may have a few years ahead of him. A good team player that knows the position, he could be ideal in an organization looking for a veteran presence to help teach their young stoppers the ropes." (The Sports Forecaster Online 2000-01)

"Considered a consolation prize when the Coyotes could not agree to terms with Nikolai Khabibulin, Burke responded with a stellar 2000-01 season, setting career marks in goals-against average and save percentage. While he does have trouble getting back to his feet once he's down, Burke is most effective when using his large frame to cut down angles and challenge shooters. At 34, Burke will be expected to handle the No. 1 goaltending duties in the desert again. He may not have much longer at the top of the depth chart but another year or two is not out of the question." (The Sports Forecaster 2001-02, p. 214)

"The big netminder has found a home in the desert. The Coyotes' undisputed MVP two years in a row, he finished fourth in Hart Trophy balloting last season and third in the race for the Vezina. Burke accumulated the sixth-best save percentage in the league and collected five shutouts. The 35-year-old is a workhorse - the type of veteran goaltender the young Coyotes can lean heavily on. He has intimidating size but is also very quick for such a big man. With Brian Boucher on board, the Coyotes may give Burke more rest this season. The hope is that he can be fresher come playoff time." (The Sports Forecaster 2002-03, p. 208)

"The Flyers let Burke go mainly due to the emergence of rookie Antero Niittymaki. Burke is still a capable backup goalie, but his starter days look to be a thing of the past. He has been a good mentor for other young netminders, so the Lightning hope he can do the same thing for John Grahame." (The Sports Forecaster 2005-06, p. 99)

TRANSACTIONS:

ACCOLADES:

VEZINA TROPHY BALLOTING:

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1994-95702180.05
2000-011212160.08
2001-0227211430.18

ALL-STAR TEAM BALLOTING (1983-84 to PRESENT):

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1994-95500540.07
2000-012021750.07
2001-0255352530.18

MILESTONES:

INJURIES:

RECORDS:

PENALTY SHOTS:

NHL SHOOTOUTS:

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SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                           GP    Min   W   L   T  OL     GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
83-84 St. Michael's Buzzers OJHLB    25   1482                    120   4.86                    0
84-85 Toronto Marlboros OHL          49   2987  25  21   3        211   4.24                    0   0   2     6
85-86 Toronto Marlboros OHL          47   2840  16  27   3        233   4.92                    0   0   5    32
      Canada WORLD JUNIOR             2    120   1   1   0          7   3.50                    0
86-87 Canada NATIONAL TEAM           42   2550  27  13   2        130   3.05                    0
      Canada WORLD                    5    300   2   2   1         12   2.40                    0
87-88 Canada NATIONAL TEAM           37   1962  19   9   2         92   2.81                    1
      Canada OLYMPICS                 4    238   1   2   1         12   3.02
      New Jersey Devils NHL          13    689  10   1   0         35   3.05     300   .883     1   0   1     6    26.12  926.87
88-89 New Jersey Devils NHL          62   3590  22  31   9        230   3.84    1823   .874     3   0   3    54    30.47  924.61
      Canada WORLD                    5    275                     10   2.18  
89-90 New Jersey Devils NHL          52   2914  22  22   6        175   3.60    1453   .880     0   0   1    38    29.92  929.42
90-91 New Jersey Devils NHL          35   1870   8  12   8        112   3.59     875   .872     0   0   0    18    28.07  918.79
      Canada WORLD                    8    479   5   1   2         21   2.63                    0
91-92 Canada CANADA CUP                   SPARE GOALTENDER
      Canada NATIONAL TEAM           31   1721  18   6   4         75   2.61                    1
      Canada OLYMPICS                 7    429   5   2   0         17   2.37                    0
      San Diego Gulls IHL             7    424   4   2   1         17   2.41                    0   0   0     0
92-93 Hartford Whalers NHL           50   2656  16  27   3        184   4.16    1485   .876     0   0   2    25    33.55  932.01
93-94 Hartford Whalers NHL           47   2750  17  24   5        137   2.99    1458   .906     2   0   0    16    31.81  959.05
94-95 Hartford Whalers NHL           42   2418  17  19   4        108   2.68    1233   .912     0   0   1     8    30.60  963.40
95-96 Hartford Whalers NHL           66   3668  28  28   6        190   3.11    2034   .907     4   0   6    16    33.27  962.04
96-97 Hartford Whalers NHL           51   2985  22  22   6        134   2.69    1560   .914     4   0   2    14    31.36  966.36
      Canada WORLD                   11    608   7   1   3         22   2.17                    3
97-98 Carolina Hurricanes NHL        25   1416   7  11   5         66   2.80     655   .899     1   0   1     6    27.75  945.49
      Vancouver Canucks NHL          16    837   2   9   4         49   3.51     396   .876     0   0   1    14    28.39  923.57
      Philadelphia Flyers NHL        11    631   7   3   0         27   2.57     311   .913     1   0   0     0    29.57  962.47
98-99 Florida Panthers NHL           59   3402  21  24  14        151   2.66    1624   .907     3   0   4    27    28.64  954.76
99-00 Florida Panthers NHL            7    418   2   5   0         18   2.58     208   .913     0   0   0     2    29.86  963.22
      Phoenix Coyotes NHL            35   2074  17  14   3         88   2.55    1022   .914     3   0   0    10    29.57  963.17
00-01 Phoenix Coyotes NHL            62   3644  25  22  13        138   2.27    1766   .922     4   0   1    16    29.08  970.32
01-02 Phoenix Coyotes NHL            60   3587  33  21   6        137   2.29    1711   .920     5   0   1    14    28.62  967.63
02-03 Phoenix Coyotes NHL            22   1248  12   6   2         44   2.12     632   .930     2   0   0     4
03-04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL            32   1795  10  15   5         84   2.81     913   .908     1   0   2     8
      Philadelphia Flyers NHL        15    825   6   5   2         35   2.55     389   .910     1   0   0     0
05-06 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL        35   1713  14  10       4     80   2.80     764   .895     2   0   1    10
06-07 Springfield Falcons AHL         7    345   2   5       0     26   4.52     181   .856     0   0   0     2
      Los Angeles Kings NHL          23   1310   6  10       5     68   3.12     687   .901     1   0   1     4
EIGHTEEN (18) NHL SEASONS           820  46442 324 341 105   9   22290  2.96   23299  0.902    38   0  28   310

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                           GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
84-85 Toronto Marlboros OHL           5    266   1   3   25    5.64                   0
85-86 Toronto Marlboros OHL           4    238   0   4   24    6.05                   0
87-88 New Jersey Devils NHL          17   1001   9   8   57    3.42    515   .889     1   0   0    14    30.87  940.77
89-90 New Jersey Devils NHL           2    125   0   2    8    3.84     57   .860     0   0   0     2    27.36  905.25
91-92 San Diego Gulls IHL             3    160   0   3   13    4.88                   0
97-98 Philadelphia Flyers NHL         5    283   1   4   17    3.60    121   .860     0   0   0     0    25.65  902.26
99-00 Phoenix Coyotes NHL             5    296   1   4   16    3.24    167   .904     0   0   0     0    33.85  960.61
01-02 Phoenix Coyotes NHL             5    297   1   4   13    2.63    133   .902     0   0   2     0    26.87  947.04
03-04 Philadelphia Flyers NHL         1     40   0   0    1    1.50      9   .889     0   0   0     0
05-06 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL         3    109   0   1    7    3.85     57   .877     0   0   0     0
SEVEN (7) NHL POSTSEASONS            38   2151  12  23  119    3.32   1059  0.888     1   0   2    16

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