from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

As an executive, Burke is not known for his patience, which makes for an interesting marriage. The Flames essentially lost their two best players at the trade deadline – Iginla and defenceman Jay Bouwmeester – leaving them with perhaps the thinnest lineup in the league, although there is a chance goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff may be coming back after all, following a summer in which all indications were that he planned to retire.

No matter what they may say publicly, the Flames seem destined for a least a couple of years of cellar-dwelling – and really the big hope here for some time now is that two years from now, they bottom out and are rewarded with Connor McDavid, a generational prospect now playing for the Erie Otters of the OHL. For decades now, most of the generational prospects in the game have landed in the United States, but the Flames are so low on proven NHL players that – the draft lottery notwithstanding – they could be in the running for McDavid....

But Burke’s message is all about winning in the here-and-now as opposed to winning soon or winning some day. It will be an interesting marriage to be sure. Even as he promises to low-key it, there is a circus-like quality that Burke brings to any organization. He is outspoken on all matters and topics and recently wrote a back-page column in Sports Illustrated decrying Russia’s anti-gay legislation.

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added 4:33pm, from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

What role Burke, only 58, and hardly playing out the string in hockey, will actually have in Calgary will play itself out. Knowing his personality, and how he likes to work (up early for a workout and to the office) I can’t see him not being heavily involved. All I know is, the Battle of Alberta needed a coat of fresh paint and Burke wields a broad, always entertaining brush.

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