Brian Burke "The Rats Are Taking Over The Game" Jan 5, 2012 (HD)

Follow my YouTube video updates on Twitter. http://twitter.com/HockeyWebCast

TORONTO -- Brian Burke is struggling to come to grips with the evolution of hockey.

On a day the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager sent enforcer Colton Orr to the American Hockey League, he bemoaned the fact there doesn't appear to be much need for players like him in today's game.

Long a proponent of rough and tumble hockey, Burke now presides over a Leafs team that is built largely on speed and skill. The sport in general has trended in that direction since the lockout and it's come with a few other developments Burke finds troubling.

"If you want a game where guys can cheap shot people and not face retribution, I'm not sure that's a healthy evolution," he said Thursday at an impromptu media conference. "The speed of the game, I love how the game's evolved in terms of how it's played. But you're seeing where there is no accountability, this is the byproduct -- is people running around that won't back it up."

According to numbers provided by the NHL, fighting is down significantly this season. Through play Wednesday, there was an average of 0.8 fighting majors per game compared with 1.2 at the same point last year.

"To me, it's a dangerous turn in our game," said Burke.

Burke's comments come at a time where the sport has been forced to do some soul-searching. Tough guys Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak died in a short span over the summer and Boston University doctors found evidence of the neurodegenerative disease CTE in Boogaard's brain, as they have with other former fighters.

At the same time, a number of high-profile NHLers have been sidelined with concussions while new league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan has attempted to lead a crackdown on dangerous hits, suspending three players in the last week alone.

Burke once held Shanahan's job and believes the director of player safety wouldn't be so busy if players were policing the game themselves with more fights.

"(Shanahan) needs a telephone receptionist in his house because of all of this crap that's going on on the ice," said Burke. "These guys that won't back it up, won't drop their gloves, run around and elbow people in the head and hit people from behind. They never have to answer for that in the game, they used to have to answer for that in the game.

"The players (used to) police the game and now it's Brendan Shanahan."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• brian
• burke
• comments
• accountability
• press
• conference
• quote
• players
• safety
• game
• taken
• over
• by
• rats
• media
• rant
• nhl
• hockey
• hd
• toronto
• maple
• leafs
• DayWalk3r
• HockeyWebCaster
• HockeyWebCast

[Godster99Productions]

they're bruins not rats, jeez burke ... :)

[cwongcwongcwong]

Brad Marchand = Rat

[samuraijack18]

@Sithlord703 You also should add the Ducks to the record too, he won the Cup for us!

[Sithlord703]

@mcsouthernfried Ovechkin is dirty that's for sure look at his hit on Michalek, I don't have to say much more, idk about Toews, but Kane is not dirty at all, Kane couldn't hurt anyone in the league, he'd probably get hurt by hitting someone. Otherwise I agree that enforcers are Ideal, every team in the playoffs has an enforcer. All the teams without one are out, coincidence? You need someone to stand up against the Boston Bullies, and other bully teams.

[Sithlord703]

IDC what anyone says, Brian Burke is a great GM. Give him a few years and he'll rebuild your team, like he did in Vancouver, and just like he's doing right now in Toronto.

[MooooT]

Burke is the biggest con job in hockey. With his rumpled shirt, his collar unbuttoned (to look like he's actually working), Burke is so full of crap. Watch him whine (again) when the Leaf's don't make the playoffs (again).

[HPhenomenal]

@andmaketherain he's probably the best gm in leafs history you fucking idiot. you don't shit about hockey dumbshit. 

[L0NEGUNMAN27]

These reporter are pussies.

[L0NEGUNMAN27]

You said he would play Orr in the ahl... but you didnt.

[mcsouthernfried]

burke is one of the best gms in the league. and he is right more so than ever before the league is changing not because of players but because of people who make mountains out of mole hills i think the game should go back a few years. but the players that are out doin dirty shots are franchise players like ovechkin,toews,kane boys like that we need tough guys in our great orginization.

[andmaketherain]

@MapleLeafistan Kiss my ass, its a peach!

[MapleLeafistan]

@andmaketherain Go f**k yourself