# Former NHL coach Pat Burns dies of cancer at the age of 58 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 20, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286 "2010-11-20T01:07:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286/1 "2010-11-20T01:07:47Z")
Not a mistake this time ☹ [http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=341947](http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=341947) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286/2 "2010-11-20T03:35:27Z")
I didn’t follow the sport when he was active, but it doesn’t matter. 58 is too young to die, by cancer or anything else. I’m from the Townships, not too far from Stanstead. I think I’ll try and take a spin on the ice in the new Pat Burns Arena, once it opens. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286/3 "2010-11-20T05:05:54Z")
He coached probably the best Montreal team of the last 30 years; the 88-89 edition that went 53-18-9 and made it to the Finals, where they lost to the 54-17-9 Calgary Flames. And he’s the only guy to win three Coach of the Year awards, and did it with three different teams. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286/4 "2010-11-20T05:16:44Z")
Very fond memories of his Toronto years. RIP Burnsy. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286/5 "2010-11-20T05:34:12Z")
R.I.P. Pat. ---
**Author:** ![Hap\_Shaughnessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecc23a/32.png) [@Hap\_Shaughnessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hap_Shaughnessy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-nhl-coach-pat-burns-dies-of-cancer-at-the-age-of-58/561286/6 "2010-11-20T10:21:08Z")
Pat Burns will, maybe next year, maybe the year after, be recognized as a Hall of Fame coach. And it will be a deserved honour. It should have happened this year. Under other circumstances, yes, he gets into the hall with another year or two of waiting. But given his actual circumstances, he earned the honour of induction. He coached over a thousand games, with a winning record. Only once in his career did his team miss the playoffs. He is the only coach to win the Jack Adams three times, and with three different teams. He won a cup, and got very close to a couple others with teams that really shouldn’t have been in the conversation. Pat Burns is a true Hall of Famer, and I am a little upset that his family did not get the opportunity to fully celebrate his greatness with him while he could still appreciate it. Don’t forget – Burns was a cop; a detective. While he worked his way up through the coaching ranks, through major junior, the minors, etc… he’d be full time on that b&e in your hood, or that domestic a couple doors down. Ignore his hockey connection, and he’s still a hero.