Sean Burke

Did You Know?

• Burke and his wife Christy have one son together; he has two children from a previous marriage.
• In 1997, Burke and his then-wife were charged with assault; he pleaded guilty in 1998 and was fined $200, sentenced to 18 months probation, and required to complete a domestic violence education program.
• Burke was born in Windsor, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto, Ontario.

Playing career

Burke played in the 1980 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with St. Michael's minor ice hockey team. He attended St. Michael's college high school and played junior B hockey for the St. Michael's Buzzers in the 1983–84 season. Drafted by the Toronto Marlboros in the third round of the OHL draft, he played for them for two seasons. The New Jersey Devils selected Burke in the second round of the 1985 NHL entry draft.

Burke moved directly from the Olympics to the Devils, starting 11 games in the 1987–88 season, including an overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on the final night that qualified the Devils for their first playoff series. Dubbed a rookie sensation, he helped the Devils defeat the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals before losing in game 7 of the Wales Conference Finals to the Boston Bruins. Burke maintained his rookie status for the 1988–89 season and was named to the 1989 All-Star Game.

He played for the Devils through 1990–91, then sat out the 1991–92 season requesting a trade. Instead, he joined coach Dave King and played for Canada at the 1992 Winter Olympics, earning a silver medal.

International play

Burke played 11 games for Canada at the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics and served as backup goaltender in the 1991 Canada Cup. He also played 130 games for other Canadian national teams from 1985 through 2003, the most international games any goaltender has played for Canada. In 2020, he was named to the IIHF All-Time Canada Team.

Post-NHL career

On March 4, 2008, the Phoenix Coyotes hired Burke as director of prospect development, assistant to the general manager, and goaltending coach. In 2015, he was part of the management group that led Canada to a gold medal at the IIHF World Championships, with Canada going undefeated and beating Russia 6–1 in the final. In 2016, he joined the management group for the IIHF World Championships, where Canada won gold by defeating Finland 2–0. In 2017, he co-managed Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships, taking home a silver medal after a shootout loss to Sweden.

Burke served as general manager for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in 2016, 2017, and 2019, winning gold medals; in 2018 he co-managed the team and won silver. In September 2016, he joined the Montreal Canadiens as a professional scout, and in the 2020–21 season he was the full-time goaltending coach as the Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Final. On July 25, 2017, he was announced as general manager of Canada's men's team for the 2018 Winter Olympics, where Canada won bronze.

That same season he co-managed the IIHF World Championships with Martin Brodeur and Scott Salmond. In March 2021, Burke was appointed director of goaltending for the Canadiens. On June 25, 2022, he was appointed director of goaltending for the Vegas Golden Knights. Despite losing starting goaltender Robin Lehner for the entire season and rotating through five other goaltenders, Burke helped coach the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023, his first Cup win. He has served on the IIHF Players Committee since 2016.