Former NHL GM Brian Burke Suggests Shocking Resolution to Vancouver Canucks Locker Room Controversy
With a locker room controversy still brewing in Vancouver, former Canucks GM Brian Burke made a shocking suggestion on how to put an end to it once and for all.
As the regular season carries on into the new year, it is no secret to any NHL fan that the Vancouver Canucks have had trouble with players butting heads.
Though Vancouver has maintained its spot in the top half of the league, forwards Elias Petterson and J.T. Miller have caused great discord in the locker room, feuding for weeks.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, the Canucks staff have had little choice but to explore trade opportunities, despite persisting hopes the players will work it out amongst themselves.
While general manager Patrik Allvin and head coach Rick Tocchet work on finding a solution, one former NHL GM has made a shocking suggestion for ending the Miller/Pettersson feud.
During a recent appearance on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, former Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke was given the floor to share his thoughts on the current state of the team.
He acknowledged that with both star forwards embroiled in personal grievances, the team does not get full player value and suffers.
However, instead of recommending a trade, Burke suggested that the best option might be to force another player to fight Miller on Pettersson's behalf to force mutual respect, citing his friendship with Paul Holmgren.
Elias Patterson is not going to fight JT Miller to do it, someone else will have to do it. Someone will have to grab JT after practice and say, 'I'm sick of this garbage. Let's sort it out now.
You're too big for this guy, you're too good a fighter, but I'm not. Let's sort it out that way.' That might be what it needs to be, some trial-by-combat thing that sorts it out. That might be what happens. You're right.
When I played, we would fight to solve this, and it's not a good method of resolving disputes, I know, and I know a lot of people are scratching their heads saying 'did he just say they should fight?'
I remember in my first training camp in Providence, I fought a guy who was a junior, much bigger than I was, tough as nails. Had a great fight, we've been friends ever since.
First time I met Paul Holmgren, I fought him, we've been friends ever since. So sometimes that's exactly what you need to do."
While fighting may have been to make friends when Burke played in the AHL in 1978, it is not what you would consider the typical conduct in the player safety era of the NHL.
The Vancouver Canucks are barely holding onto a Wild Card spot in the Western Division after being last season's Pacific Division winner.
While their chances of making the playoffs are still open, hopefully, it does not take Vancouver infighting to get there.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 4 | 195 ANSWERS Former NHL GM Brian Burke Suggests Shocking Resolution to Vancouver Canucks Locker Room Controversy Is Brian Burke's suggestion on The Sheet with Jeff Marek appropriate? | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Seth Jarvis | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Frank Vatrano | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Sebastian Aho | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Ryan Pulock | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Filip Chytil | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Bo Horvat | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Anders Lee | 2 | - | 2 | |
| David Pastrnak | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Erik Karlsson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Troy Terry | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brett Berard | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Adam Fox | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ryan Lindgren | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Auston Matthews | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Rasmus Ristolainen | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ryan Strome | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Tyler Bertuzzi | 1 | - | 1 | |
| William Borgen | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Justin Brazeau | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jonny Brodzinski | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Golden Knights | 39 | 27 | 9 | 3 | 57 | |
Jets | 41 | 27 | 12 | 2 | 56 | |
Capitals | 39 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 55 | |
Wild | 40 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 54 | |
Maple Leafs | 41 | 26 | 13 | 2 | 54 | |
Kings | 38 | 23 | 10 | 5 | 51 | |
Oilers | 39 | 24 | 12 | 3 | 51 | |
Devils | 42 | 24 | 15 | 3 | 51 | |
Hurricanes | 40 | 24 | 14 | 2 | 50 | |
Panthers | 40 | 24 | 14 | 2 | 50 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||