by Bruce CiskieFiled under: Bruins, Canadiens, Devils, Maple Leafs, Eastern, NHL Coaching
Former NHL head coach Pat Burns -- a three-time Adams Trophy winner as the league's top coach -- was reported to have died Friday morning of lung cancer, according to a report by Canadian sports network CTV Ottawa. CTV Ottawa has retracted their initial report, saying on their Twitter page, "We had erroneous information on Pat Burns. We have nothing to report about his medical condition at this time."
Burns is 58 years old. His last public appearance was in March of this year, when it was announced that an arena near his hometown of Magog, Quebec, would be named in his honor. He recently returned home to Magog to be with his family. (He is pictured at right with his wife, Lynne, in 2009.)
Burns spent time as a head coach in Montreal, Toronto, Boston, and New Jersey, winning over 500 games and leading the Devils to the 2003 Stanley Cup, their last championship and the only one of Burns' head coaching career.
He was able to beat colon cancer and liver cancer -- though his 2005 diagnosis of liver cancer did end his coaching career -- but he was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer in 2009. He decided to pass on further treatment, accepting that his life was going to end.
Despite his stellar coaching record, Burns has yet to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A Facebook group created to show support for his candidacy now stands at over 71,000 members.
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